Views of Ecology and the Human Niche

Vocabulary flashcards covering ecological concepts, climate change, footprint metrics, and biblical perspectives on Earth's systems from Chapter 4: The Human Niche.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat, keep Earth warm, and absorb harmful radiation from the sun, such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide ($N_2O$), methane ($CH_4$), water vapor ($H_2O$), ozone ($O_3$), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Global Warming

The process where Earth heats up as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere and trap heat.

Carbon Footprint

The amount of greenhouse gases that people release when they burn carbon-containing fuels.

Creation Mandate

The biblical responsibility to manage the byproducts of human industry, monitor greenhouse gas production, improve technology, and steward natural resources wisely.

Ecological Footprint

A concept developed in 1992 as a measure of how many resources people use and how quickly the planet can replenish those resources in relation to Earth's carrying capacity.

Ecological Footprint Metric

The calculation estimating that $0.021\,\text{km}^2$ of land and water supports one person, whereas each person requires an average of $0.027\,\text{km}^2$.

Ecological Footprint Model

An assessment model that compares an area's used natural resources—such as cropland, fish resources, forests, developed land, and pastureland—with the amount of natural resources that it generates.

Climate Change

The change of global temperatures and weather patterns over time.

Genesis 8:22

The biblical promise given after the Flood that seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will continue without fail.

El Niño

A global weather event that occurs every few years and has been proposed by some scientists as a factor affecting climate.

Northwest Passage

An Arctic maritime route where melting glaciers have opened shipping channels, cutting transportation costs and connecting continents.

Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth

A species on the verge of extinction living on several islands off the coast of Panama whose habitat is threatened by local logging for home construction.

Observed Extinction Rate

The documented historical rate over the past $500$ years in which approximately $1000$ species have gone extinct, equating to roughly $2$ species per year.

The Flood

A worldwide event approximately $4000\text{--}5000$ years ago that caused a mass extinction of life, killing all air-breathing land animals except those preserved through Noah.