Environmental Science 1000

Environment

Includes Earth’s biotic and abiotic components with legal, social, and economic aspects.

Environmental Science

Study of Earth’s natural systems, human impacts, and human influence on systems.

Science

Systematic process for learning and testing understanding, accumulating knowledge.

Environmentalism

Social movement protecting the natural world.

Ecology

Study of ecosystems; environmental science focuses on human impacts.

Utilitarian value

Importance to human welfare.

Ecological value

Importance to humans and natural ecosystems.

Intrinsic value

Right of organisms or ecosystems to exist inherently.

Anthropocentric worldview

Human needs are paramount.

Biocentric worldview

All species have intrinsic value.

Ecocentric worldview

Values connections among species and ecosystems.

Sustainability worldview

Moderate resource exploitation based on values.

Management worldview

Treating the planet as a resource factory.

Stewardship worldview

Ethical responsibility to care for nature.

Environmental wisdom worldview

Nature exists for all species, not just humans.

Ecological efficiency

The percentage of usable energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically around 10%.

Net primary productivity (NPP)

The rate at which primary producers convert solar energy into chemical energy, calculated as gross primary productivity minus the energy used for metabolic needs.

Biogeochemical cycles

The movement of nutrients through ecosystems, including the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.

Speciation

The process leading to the formation of new biological species, which can occur through allopatric or sympatric mechanisms.

Evolution

Changes in a population's genetic makeup over successive generations, involving genetic mutations, natural selection, and adaptation.

Extinction

The disappearance of a species, leading to background extinction rates and macroevolutionary changes in biodiversity.

Ecological niches

The role or way of life of a species within an ecosystem, including fundamental vs realized niches and niche overlap.

Global biomes

Geographically extensive ecological units associated with specific environmental conditions, resulting from differences in temperature and precipitation.

Wetlands

Shallow, flooded areas with waterlogged soil, including bogs, fens, marches, and swamps, each with distinct characteristics.

Mutualism

A type of species interaction where two or more species benefit from their interactions, such as pollination or symbiosis.

Succession

Viewed as complex and influenced by chance, different climax communities possible, mosaic of vegetation in mature community.

Keystone species

Species with strong effects on communities, e.g., wolves, sea stars, sea otters.

Foundation species

Shape communities by creating/modifying habitat.

Indicator species

Presence/abundance correlates with environmental quality.

Invasive species

Non-native species spreading widely and becoming dominant.

Population size

Number of individuals present at a given time.

Population density

Number of individuals per unit area, affects competition and resource availability.

Population distribution

Spatial arrangement of organisms within an area.

Demography

Study of population age structure, sex ratio, and changes in population size.

Carrying capacity

Maximum population size an environment can sustain.

Logistic growth curve

S-shaped curve showing population growth with limiting factors.

BIDE models

Factors affecting population growth - birth rate, death rate, immigration, emigration.

R-selected species

Reproduce quickly with high biotic potential, little parental care.

Demographic transition

Shift from high birth and death rates to low rates in developed societies.

Ecological footprint

Model to assess human impact on the environment and carrying capacity.

Forest management

Practices like clear cutting, seed-tree cutting, shelterwood cutting, selection cutting.

Habitat fragmentation

Breakup of habitats affecting species with large home ranges.

Invasive species

Non-native species causing harm to ecosystems.

Over harvesting

Unsustainable hunting, poaching, and harvesting practices.

Climate change

Global impact on habitats and biodiversity, forcing species to shift ranges.

Appendix II species

Species that require a permit for international trade under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

COSEWIC

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, responsible for assessing and designating species at risk in Canada.

SARA

Species at Risk Act, Canadian legislation aimed at protecting wildlife species that are at risk of extinction.

Gene banks and seed banks

Facilities that store genetic material of plants and animals for conservation and research purposes.

Umbrella species

Large, charismatic species whose conservation indirectly benefits other species sharing the same habitat.

Flagship species

Species that serve as symbols for conservation efforts and raise public awareness.

Reconciliation ecology

Approach that aims to integrate wildlife conservation with human habitat needs.

Eutrophic lakes and ponds

Water bodies with high nutrient levels and low oxygen conditions, leading to reduced water quality and productivity.

Dam

An obstruction in a river or stream to control water flow, store water, and generate electricity.

Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ)

System allocating shares of the total allowable catch to individual fishers or vessels to manage fisheries sustainably.

Trend

A pattern that persists within a dataset after accounting for short-fluctuations and outliers

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, producing the best summaries of various climate datasets

Global Warming

Human activities, mainly greenhouse gas emissions, causing a 1.1 degrees Celsius increase in global surface temperature above pre-industrial levels

Climate Extremes

Human-caused climate change affecting weather and climate extremes globally, leading to adverse impacts and losses

Sea Level Rise

Resulting from glacier melt, less dense warmer water, and ice sheet melting, affecting different regions variably

Mitigation

Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the severity of climate change, including renewable energy and carbon capture

Adaptation

Accepting climate change and taking measures to minimize its impact, such as changing agricultural practices and forestry

Geoengineering

Large-scale intentional modifications of the global climate to counteract climate change, with potential risks of unintended consequences

Carbon Tax

Market-based tool to reduce carbon emissions by placing a tax on carbon-intensive activities

Cap-and-Trade

Emissions trading programs like the European Union Emission Trading Scheme, using market mechanisms to achieve environmental policy goals