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What is ecological footprint?
the total area of healthy land and water ecosystems needed to provide the resources someone uses
What does the ecological footprint include?
the use of energy, food, water, shelter, and the production of wastes like sewage, trash, and greenhouse gasses
The average American has an ecological footprint more than ___ times larger than the global average.
four
What was "The Great Acceleration?"
a period where birthrate, technology, burning of fossil fuels and pretty much all human activity was greatly accelerating
What is the Anthropocene?
the period during which human activity has become the major cause of global change
What are anthromes?
globally significant ecological patterns created by long-term interactions between humans and ecosystems
What are examples of anthromes?
cities, villages, croplands, rangelands
How do human activities affect global systems?
by changing the atmosphere in ways that change climate, changing the way we use land, over-harvesting some species, introducing species to new environments, and producing plastics and other pollutants
What is climate change?
measurable long-term changes in averages of temperature, clouds, winds, precipitation, and the frequency of extreme weather events
What drives climate change?
global warming
What is global warming?
increase in the average temperature on Earth
What causes global warming?
increased concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane)
Climate change is a threat to___ and ecosystem stability.
biodiversity
What causes acid rain?
sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides from burning fossil fuels
What causes ocean acidification?
carbon dioxide that dissolves in seawater released by burning fossil fuels
What causes algal blooms?
nitrogen released from burning fossil fuels
What do certain agricultural practices release?
methane
What is deforestation?
the cutting of forests for lumber or farming
What does deforestation affect?
water quality in streams and rivers and increasing soil erosion in mountainous areas
What is one of the most important ecosystem services that reforestation can restore?
dependable, clean drinking water
What is monoculture?
the production of a single crop in a given area
When large areas are used for grazing, or to grow monocultures for long periods, fertilizers and pesticides can...
change soil structure and microbiomes in ways that degrade soil and prevent secondary succession
What is one result of urbanization?
hint: feces
sewage
What is habitat loss?
when natural habitats are completely changed, species that once lived in that area either emigrate or disappear
What is habitat fragmentation?
when parts of a habitat are split apart into separate pieces
What can habitat fragmentation cause?
biodiversity loss and make ecosystems more vulnerable to other disturbances
What is habitat restoration?
return of a habitat to its prior condition
What are invasive species?
any nonnative species whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health
What is a pollutant?
any harmful material created as a result of human activity and released into the environment
What are common forms of air pollution?
smog, greenhouse gases, heavy metals, and aerosols
What are the primary sources of water pollution?
industrial and agricultural chemicals, residential sewage, and nonpoint sources
What is smog?
a gray-brown haze formed by chemical reactions among pollutants released into the air by industrial processes and automobile exhaust
What resulted in the destruction of the ozone layer?
CFCs
What is biological magnification?
the process in which pollutants are concentrated as they pass through trophic levels
What does the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) provide?
the best possible scientific information on climate change
What does data suggest about Earth's climate?
it is getting warmer
The sea levels are...
rising
What other effects are expected from climate change?
chances in total precipitation and seasonal distribution of precipitation, longer and more intense heat waves, and more episodes of extreme heat and storms in many areas
How does global warming affect animals?
it changes the timing of their migration
Changes in temperature and precipitation have already begun to negatively affect...
crop yields of corn and wheat in some places and water availability in many agricultural areas
What is sustainable development?
using resources in ways that preserve ecosystem services
Sustainable development includes three nested spheres:
Earth's life support system (the environment), society, the economy
What is a renewable resource?
a resource that can be produced or replaced by a healthy ecosystem
What is a nonrenewable resource?
a resource that natural processes cannot replenish within a reasonable time
What is resilience?
the ability to deal with change and move on