Unit 3 Exam - Land Use: Public and Private

Tragedy of the Commons

Occurs when a shared resource is degraded because individuals exploit it for personal gain, no group is responsible for maintaining

Rangelands

Natural grasslands that provide vegetation for grazing and browsing animals, can be overused →loss of biodiversity, too dry for farming, fragile for multiple use, ¼ of land area

Overgrazing

Often occurs in rangeland, animals eat too many plants, drop in biodiversity

External costs (externalities)

The hidden costs of a product of service that aren’t included in the purchase cost; Less vegetation, less biodiversity, sediment in water

Forest

Land dominated by trees and other woody vegetation, sometimes used for commercial logging. timber, fuel, food, CO₂ storage, air and water purification

Old growth forest

Type of forest with mixed age trees, high biodiversity, large O layer, well defined soil

Clear Cutting

Timber harvesting that is more profitable, destroys ecosystem services, lots of erosion, same age trees-same height, replace with one tree species, loss of biodiversity

Selective Cutting

Timber harvesting where certain trees are cut down or left standing, less profitable, less environmental concerns

Reforestation

Restoring trees to an area that was deforested, often results in tree plantations

Tree Plantations

A large area typically planted with a single rapidly growing tree species, often after logging, less biodiversity

Ecologically Sustainable Forestry (ESF)

Sustainable forestry that balances ecology, economics, and socio-cultural uses for forests. Doesn’t deplete resources, flexible, minimize human impact. Conserve services, replant with same species, restrict pesticides and clear cutting

Fire Suppression

Aims to prevent all fires from occurring but results in a buildup of fuel→wildfires can result

Prescribed Burns

Fire is deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor. Mimic natural fire, reduce risk of uncontrolled fires

Suburb

An area surrounding a metropolitan center, with a comparatively low population density

Exurb

An area similar to a suburb but unconnected to any central city or densely populated area

Urbanization

Transition from natural landscapes into cities. Increases fossil fuel use, greater carbon emissions

Urban Sprawl

The expansion of human populations away from central urban areas into low-density monofunctional and usually car-dependent communities

Urban Blight

As people move away from a city to suburbs and exurbs, the city often deteriorates, causing more people to leave, positive feedback

Urban Runoff

Conversion of natural ground cover into buildings and roads increases runoff and contributes to flooding due to increased impervious surfaces

Causes of Urban Sprawl

Increase use/reliance on cars, expanded roadways, more wealth=more choice, lower taxes outside city, desire for yard/property, better schools, less crime, aesthetics