AICE Environmental Management - CHAPTER 1 Vocab

AICE Environmental Management vocab

environment

the surroundings or habitat in which an organism lives

species

a group of living organisms made up of individuals that can produce fertile offspring when they reproduce

continents

The main continuous expenses of land found on earth (europe, asia, africa, north and south america, oceania, and antarctica)

sustainability

the ability to meed the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations

ecosystem

a biological community of organisms interacting with each other and the physical environment

pollution

the presence or introduction into the environment of a substance which is harmful or has poisonous effects

biodiversity

the number of different community of organisms interacting with each other and the phsycial environment

water cycle

the process in which water moves from the sea, into the atmosphere, onto and into land and back into the sea

evaporation

the process of liquid that turns into gas

precipitation

water that falls to the ground as rain, snow, hail, and sleet

transpiration

water lost through the leaves of plants

humidity

the percentage of water vapor in the air

condensation

the process by which a gas changes into a liquid due to cooling.

interception

the blocking of rainfall by vegetation, preventing it from reaching the ground

run-off

the draining away of water as overland flow

aquifer

an underground layer of permeable rock in which water is stored in the rock pores

infiltration

the movement of water into the soil from the surface

through-flow

the lateral transfer of water downslope through the soil

groundwater

the water found underground in cracks and spaces in the soil, sand, and rocks

groundwater flow

water which flows under the ground until it reaches the surface, often through boreholes or wells

atmosphere

the envelope of gases, vapor, and dust, that surround earth.

troposphere

the lowest zone of the atmosphere that extends from earth’s surface to a height of approximately 10 km

stratosphere

the zone of the atmosphere above the troposphere where the ozone layer is located

ozone layer

a layer of the stratosphere rich in ozone (o3) molecules, which absorb much of the incoming UV radiation

mesosphere

the zone of the atmosphere above the stratosphere

cataracts

a cloudiness of the lens of the eye which makes it difficult to see

natural greenhouse effect

the warming of the atmosphere by gases, found naturally in the atmosphere, trapping heat in the sun.

greenhouse gases

gases in the atmosphere that absorb infared radiation

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, that are used in the manufacturing of aerosols sprays, foams, and packing materials, solvents, and refrigerants.

enhanced greenhouse effect

an increase in the warming of the atmosphere, through gases produced by human activities

lithosphere

the rigid outer layer of Earth

biomes

large scale ecosystems that are typically defined by climate and the dominant vegetation type

biotic

living organisms in an ecosystem

abiotic

climate, soil type, slope angle and non-living things or things without life are all factors that influence the structure of an ecosystem

species

an organism whose individuals breed to produce offspring

population

a group of organisms of the same species living in an ecosystem

community

the different populations that live together in an ecosystem

habitat

the place an organism makes its home because it meets all its survival needs

competition

the relationships between organisms that need the same resource in the same place

intra-specific

between individuals of same species

inter-specific

between individuals of different species

food chain

the feeding sequence of organisims indicating the flow of energy as one species is consumed by the next, from the primary producer through to the apex predator

tropic level

a group of organisms within an ecosystem which fill the same level within a food chain

ecological pyramid

a graphic representation of the relationship between organisms at different trophic levels in an ecosystem

primary producer

organism within a food chain that produces its own food source through photosynthesis

consumer

an organism that cannot produce its own food, and must eat its own food, and must eat other organisms in order to obtain nutrients

decomposer

an organism that breaks down organic material

limiting factor

anything that may slow population growth. the term can be used in other contexts to refer to any factor that can slow an event of occurring.

food web

the connection of all the individual food chains in a community

biomass

the total quanityt of organic matter in an ecosystem (1), or plant material used as an energy source (2)

photosynthesis

the process by which plants synthesize glucose using carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sunlight

aerobic respiration

the chemical reactions in the cells that break down glucose molecules and release energy, carbon, and water

chlorophyll

green pigment in the leaves of all green plants, which is responsible for the absorption of light to provide energy for photosynthesis

carbon cycle

the flow of carbon between various carbon stores

combustion

the burning of an item

carbon stores

carbon is stored in carbon stinks, as organic material in organism, soil, fossil fuels, and the oceans.

fossilization

the process through which organic material is replaced with mineral substances in the remains of an organism. It is a physical, chemical, and biological process that preserves the remains of an organism over time

range

the difference between the upper and lower limits on a particular scale