Environmental Science Key Terms: Ecology, Resources, and Sustainability

Biocapacity

Ability of ecosystems to regenerate renewable resources and absorb wastes

Biodiversity

Variety of species, genes, ecosystems, and ecosystem processes

Biological capacity

Nature's ability to replenish resources and process wastes

Biomimicry

Innovation inspired by nature's models/processes

Ecological footprint

Measure of land/water needed to supply resources and absorb wastes

Ecology

Study of interactions between organisms and their environment

Ecosystem

Community of organisms interacting with their environment

Ecosystem services

Natural benefits such as clean air, pollination, water purification

Environment

Everything around us that affects living organisms

Environmental activism

Actions to protect natural systems/resources

Environmental degradation

Depletion of a renewable resource faster than it can be replaced

Environmental worldviews

Beliefs about how humans interact with the environment

Environmentalism

Social movement to protect earth's life-support systems

Exponential growth

Growth at a fixed percentage per unit of time

Exhaustible resource

Resource that can run out if overused

Inexhaustible resource

Resource with continuous supply (e.g., sunlight)

Less-developed countries

Nations with lower income/industrialization, high population growth

Malnutrition

Lack of sufficient nutrients for health

More-developed countries

Nations with high industrialization and incomes

Natural income

Renewable resources/services provided by natural capital

Natural resources

Materials/energy from nature used by humans

Nonrenewable resource

Fixed-supply resource (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals)

Per capita

Per person basis

Poverty

Inability to meet basic needs like food, shelter, health care, education

Renewable resource

Resource replenished naturally within human time (e.g., forests, water)

Solar energy

Energy from the sun that supports life and power

Species

Group of organisms capable of reproducing together

Subsidies

Government financial support, sometimes encouraging harmful practices

Sustainability

Capacity of humans/nature to survive and adapt long-term

Sustainability revolution

Transformation toward sustainable living practices

Sustainable yield

Highest rate a renewable resource can be used without reducing supply

Life on earth existence

About 3.5-4 billion years

Sustainability

Ability of systems/earth to survive, flourish, and adapt over time

Biomimicry

Innovation inspired by nature's solutions

Environment

Everything around us

Ecosystem

Community of organisms + their environment

Environmentalism

Movement to protect the environment

Three goals of environmental science

Learn how nature works, understand interactions, find solutions

Resource

Anything obtained from the environment to meet needs

Sustainable resource use

Full-cost pricing, win-win solutions, preserving future options

Inexhaustible resource

Solar energy

Renewable resource

Forests, fresh water, fertile soil

Nonrenewable resource

Fossil fuels, minerals

Ecosystem service

Natural benefit like air/water purification, pollination

Developed vs. developing countries

Developed = high per capita use, Developing = lower per capita but larger populations

Good news in environmental science

Slowing population growth, regrowing forests, renewable energy rising

Tragedy of the commons

Overuse of shared resources leads to degradation

Ecological footprint

Measure of resource use/waste per person or population

Population size effect

Larger populations increase total footprint, but per capita footprints vary

Biocapacity

Nature's ability to regenerate resources and absorb waste

Ecological deficit

When footprint > biocapacity

IPAT equation

Impact = Population × Affluence × Technology

Major cultural changes

Agricultural, Industrial/Medical, Information/Globalization revolutions

Population growth past 200 years

Rapid exponential growth → environmental degradation

Harmful impacts of affluence

High consumption, waste, pollution

Beneficial impacts of affluence

Education, innovation, environmental protection

Poverty

Inability to meet basic needs

Poverty impacts

Malnutrition, dirty water, disease, environmental damage

Government solutions

Taxes/subsidies to reflect environmental costs in prices

Urban population

Over half of the world's population lives in cities

Isolation from nature

Leads to less awareness of environmental issues

Environmental worldview

Beliefs about human-nature relationship (planetary management, stewardship, wisdom)

Preservationist school

Protect nature for its own sake (John Muir)

Conservationist school

Use resources wisely for human benefit (Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot)

Rachel Carson

Author of Silent Spring (1962), sparked environmental movement

Decade of the Environment

1970s

Sustainable future

Possible if sustainable practices/policies are adopted