APES Unit 9 Vocab

Stratospheric Ozone

a natural gas that filters the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, protecting life on Earth

Chlorofluorocarbon

nonflammable and nontoxic, and are used in the manufacture of packing materials, solvents, aerosol sprays, and foam blowing agents; destroy ozone layer

UV Rays

type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun that is invisible to humans but can damage living organisms and materials

Hydrofluorocarbons

colorless, odorless, and chemically unreactive gases at room temperature and pressure; destroy ozone layer

Ozone-depleting

chemicals

chemicals that contain chlorine or bromine atoms and can destroy the Earth's ozone layer

Greenhouse gases

gases that absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere

Greenhouse effect

natural process that occurs when greenhouse gases in a planet's atmosphere trap heat from the sun, raising the planet's surface temperature

Permafrost

A permanant layer of solid ice just under the soil

Climate change

long-term shifts in weather patterns and temperature across the globe

Ocean acidification

gradual decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the ocean absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere

Positive Feedback Loop

a self-reinforcing cycle where a change in one factor leads to an amplification of that change, resulting in further changes in the same direction

Calcium carbonate

chemical compound that is found in rocks, shells, and the skeletons of marine organisms; shell of corals

CITES Treaty

an international agreement, signed by 184 parties in 1973, designed to ensure that international trade in animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild

Endangered Species Act

provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found

Wildlife corridors

narrow strip of land that connects wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures

Habitat fragmentation

when large areas of habitat are divided into smaller, more isolated patches, also known as "habitat islands"

HIPPCO

Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate change, and Overexploitation

Greenhouse warming potential

estimates how much a molecule of that gas contributes to global warming over a 100-year period compared to carbon dioxide

Coral bleaching

process by which coral reefs lose their vibrant colors due to the expulsion of symbiotic algae caused by stress

Invasive Species

non-native species that are introduced to a new environment, either intentionally or accidentally, and can have negative consequences for the new environment

Halogenated hydrocarbon

hydrocarbon compounds in which at least one hydrogen atom is replaced by a halogen

Thermal Expansion

when water heats up, it expands - oceans are heating up and expanding

Proxy data

preserved physical characteristics of the environment that can stand in for direct measurements