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Anthropogenic carbon sources
Human activities that cause carbon pollution, mainly from burning fossil fuels, transportation, and industrial sources.
Natural sources of carbon
Sources like volcanic eruptions, decomposing biomass, and naturally occurring wildfires.
Processes that sequester carbon
Photosynthesis and soil that capture and store carbon.
Role of decomposition in the carbon cycle
Releasing carbon into air, soil, and water, which is reused by living organisms.
Water Cycle processes
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, sublimation, transpiration, runoff, and infiltration.
Ecosystem services
Direct and indirect benefits from ecosystems, including climate regulation, water purification, and pollination.
Primary succession
Colonization of newly exposed or formed rock by living organisms for the first time.
Secondary succession
Recolonization of an area previously occupied by living organisms after a disturbance.
Pioneer species
The first organisms to colonize an area, often able to withstand harsh conditions.
K-selected species
Species that are typically larger, live longer, and produce fewer offspring.
R-selected species
Species that are generally smaller, have shorter lifespans, and produce a larger number of offspring.
Type I survivorship curve
High survivorship throughout life cycle (common in K-selected species).
Type II survivorship curve
Constant proportion of individuals dying over time.
Type III survivorship curve
Very high mortality at young ages (common in r-selected species).
Density-dependent factors
Regulation affected by factors influencing birth and death rates, such as competition and predation.
Density-independent factors
Regulation affected by abiotic factors and environmental events like severe weather.
Carrying capacity
The maximum population that an area can sustain.
Overshoot
When demands on an ecosystem exceed its regenerative capacity.
Soil degradation practices
Practices like tilling, monocropping, and livestock overgrazing that can lead to soil degradation.
No-till farming
An agricultural practice that helps mitigate soil erosion by avoiding soil disruption.
Tragedy of the commons
A situation where individuals use a shared resource in their own interest, depleting it.
Drip irrigation
Allows water to drip slowly to plants' roots, saving time, money, and water.
Flood irrigation
Flooding land to grow crops; inexpensive but least efficient due to water loss from evaporation.
Furrow irrigation
Water flows by gravity through trenches to irrigate crops; lower initial costs but uneven distribution.
Spray irrigation
Watering crops with sprinklers; provides even distribution but has high operational costs.
CAFOs
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations; large-scale confinement of livestock for meat and dairy.
Sustainable fishing practices
Practices like preventing overfishing, rebuilding stocks, and conserving fish habitats.
Vertical farming
Growing crops in stacked layers indoors to reduce land use.
GMO crops
Genetically modified organisms with added nutrients and pest resistance, but with safety concerns.
Slash-and-burn agriculture
Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation to create arable land.
LD50
Amount of substance required to kill 50% of a test population; lower values indicate greater toxicity.
Biodiversity measurement
Assessing species richness and evenness in an ecosystem.
Largest source of N2O emissions
Agriculture, specifically from synthetic fertilizers, livestock manure, and farming practices.
Global climate change impacts
Widespread effects like melting glaciers, shifting plant and animal ranges, and increased heat waves.
Ocean acidification effect of CO2
CO2 absorption leads to increased acidity in seawater, damaging marine organisms' shells.
Impacts of invasive species
Declines in native species and disruption of ecosystem interactions.
Possible consequences of invasive species
Extinction of native species, loss of biodiversity, and habitat alterations.
