APES review

30° N and 30° S latitude

Regions around 30 degrees north and south of the equator where deserts are commonly found due to descending dry air.

Aquifer

A body of permeable rock or sediment that stores groundwater and allows the flow of water.

Autotroph

An organism capable of producing its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or a specific habitat or ecosystem.

Biomass

The total mass of living organisms in a given area or volume.

Biome

A large ecological area with distinct climate, flora, and fauna.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Clean Air Act

A U.S. law aimed at reducing air pollution and protecting air quality.

Coal

A fossil fuel formed from ancient plant material used for energy production.

Cogeneration

The simultaneous production of electricity and heat from a single fuel source.

Combustion

The process of burning a substance to produce energy.

Compost

Decayed organic material used as plant fertilizer.

Comprehensive Environmental Responsibility, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

A U.S. law focused on cleaning up hazardous waste sites.

Crude growth rate

The rate of population growth, calculated as births minus deaths per 1,000 individuals per year.

Density-independent factor

Environmental factors affecting populations regardless of density (e.g., natural disasters).

Deposition of sediment

The process by which sediment is laid down in new locations.

Desert

A biome characterized by low precipitation and arid conditions.

Developing country

A nation with a lower standard of living, industrial base, and Human Development Index.

Doubling rate

The time it takes for a population to double in size.

El Niño

A climate phenomenon characterized by warming of the Pacific Ocean, affecting global weather patterns.

Endangered species

A species at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, or environmental changes.

Eutrophication

The process by which excess nutrients in water lead to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Food chain

A linear sequence showing energy transfer between organisms.

Food web

A complex network of interlinked food chains in an ecosystem.

Fossil fuel

Nonrenewable energy resources like coal, oil, and natural gas derived from ancient organic matter.

Fracking fluid

A mix of water, sand, and chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and gas.

Fuel cell

A device that converts chemical energy into electricity through a chemical reaction.

Geothermal energy

Heat energy extracted from within the Earth.

Grassland

A biome dominated by grasses with few trees, supporting grazing animals.

Hazardous waste

Waste materials that are toxic, flammable, or otherwise dangerous to health or the environment.

Herbivore

An animal that feeds on plants.

Hydroelectric

Energy produced by the movement of water, typically using dams.

Impermeable

A material that does not allow the passage of water or other fluids.

Incineration

The process of burning waste material to reduce volume and generate energy.

Infiltration

The process by which water penetrates the soil surface and enters the ground.

Integrated waste management

A comprehensive approach to managing waste using multiple strategies (e.g., recycling, composting).

Invasive species

Non-native species that spread rapidly and cause harm to the environment, economy, or health.

Island biogeography

The study of species distribution on islands and the factors affecting biodiversity.

K-selected species

Species that produce fewer offspring with higher parental investment and longer lifespans.

Leachate

Contaminated liquid that seeps from waste material, especially landfills.

Logarithmic growth

Growth that increases rapidly at first and then levels off.

Logistic growth

Population growth that is initially exponential but slows as it approaches carrying capacity.

Mesosphere

The layer of Earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere, where meteors burn up.

Methane

A potent greenhouse gas produced by natural and human activities.

Mountaintop removal

A form of surface mining involving the removal of mountain tops to access coal.

Municipal solid waste

Everyday trash or garbage produced by households and businesses.

Natural gas

A fossil fuel used for energy, consisting mainly of methane.

Nuclear energy

Energy produced from nuclear reactions, such as fission or fusion.

Overshoot

When a population exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment.

Permafrost

Permanently frozen soil found in polar regions.

Permeable

A material that allows water or fluids to pass through it.

pH

A measure of acidity or alkalinity on a scale from 0 to 14.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce food and oxygen.

Photovoltaic

Technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity.

Pioneer species

The first organisms to colonize a previously disturbed or barren area.

Plastics

Synthetic materials made from polymers used in a variety of products.

Predator-prey relationship

The interaction between a predator that hunts and its prey.

Primary consumer

An organism that feeds on producers (e.g., plants).

Primary succession

The establishment of life in areas where no soil previously existed.

Producer

An organism that produces its own food, typically through photosynthesis.

r-selected species

Species that produce many offspring with little parental investment and shorter lifespans.

Recycle

The process of converting waste into reusable material.

Renewable energy

Energy sources that are naturally replenished, such as solar or wind power.

Reproductive strategy

The way in which a species reproduces to ensure survival.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

A U.S. law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste.

Respiratory

Relating to the system of breathing.

Safe Drinking Water Act

A U.S. law ensuring safe drinking water for the public.

Sanitary landfill

A waste disposal site designed to protect the environment from contamination.

Secondary consumer

An organism that feeds on primary consumers.

Secondary succession

The reestablishment of an ecosystem after a disturbance.

Shale

A sedimentary rock that can contain fossil fuels like oil and natural gas.

Solar energy

Energy harnessed from the sun's rays.

Species extinction

The complete disappearance of a species.

Stratosphere

The layer of Earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, containing the ozone layer.

Supporting ecological service

Ecosystem processes that support other services, like nutrient cycling and soil formation.

Survivorship curve

A graph showing the likelihood of survival at different ages within a species.

Sustainable growth

Growth that meets current needs without compromising future resources.

Taiga

A biome characterized by coniferous forests and cold climates.

Tectonic plate

Large sections of Earth's crust that move and interact at their boundaries.

Temperate grassland

A biome with moderate rainfall and seasonal temperature changes, supporting grasses.

Tertiary consumer

A top-level predator in a food chain that eats secondary consumers.

Thermosphere

The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere, where auroras occur.

Trade winds

Steady winds that flow toward the equator from the east.

Tragedy of the commons

A situation where shared resources are overused and depleted by individuals acting in self-interest.

Transform boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where plates slide past each other.

Trophic levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem based on energy transfer.

Tropical rainforest

A biome with high biodiversity, warm temperatures, and heavy rainfall.

Troposphere

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs.

Tundra

A biome with low temperatures, short growing seasons, and permafrost.

Turbine

A machine that converts kinetic energy from fluids into mechanical energy.

Type I survivorship

A pattern where most individuals survive to old age (e.g., humans).

Type II survivorship

A pattern with a constant death rate across all ages.

Uranium-238

A radioactive isotope commonly used as fuel in nuclear reactors.

Urban runoff

Water from urban areas that carries pollutants into natural waterways.

Wetlands

Ecosystems saturated with water, supporting diverse plant and animal life.

Wind energy

Energy derived from wind using turbines.