Environmental Systems and Societies Review Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key vocabulary from ESS lecture notes.

System

A set of interrelated parts working together to form a complex whole.

Open System

Exchanges both energy and matter with its surroundings.

Closed System

Exchanges energy but not matter with its surroundings.

Isolated System

Hypothetical concept where neither energy nor matter is exchanged with the surroundings.

Environmental Value System (EVS)

A worldview that shapes the way an individual or group perceives and evaluates environmental issues.

Sustainability

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Community

A group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat.

Ecosystem

A community of organisms and their physical environment interacting together.

Abiotic Factor

A non-living, physical factor that may influence an organism or ecosystem; for example, temperature, sunlight, pH, salinity, precipitation.

Biotic Factor

A living, biological factor that may influence an organism or ecosystem; for example, predation, parasitism, disease, competition.

Trophic Level

The position that an organism occupies in a food chain.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of energy produced by producers through photosynthesis.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy remaining after respiration losses are subtracted from GPP; represents the energy available to consumers.

Gross Secondary Productivity (GSP)

The total energy assimilated by consumers.

Net Secondary Productivity (NSP)

The energy remaining after respiration losses are subtracted from GSP; represents the energy available to higher trophic levels.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in all its forms, levels, and combinations, including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.

Species Diversity

The number of different species and the relative abundance of each species in a community.

Habitat Diversity

The range of different habitats in an ecosystem.

Genetic Diversity

The range of genetic material present in a gene pool or population of a species.

Conservation

The sustainable use and management of natural resources.

Preservation

Protecting natural environments from human interference.

Hydrological Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Aquifer

A body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater.

Eutrophication

The enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, or both.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

A measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down the organic material in a given volume of water through aerobic biological activity.

Soil Profile

A vertical section through the soil, showing its different layers or horizons.

Soil Degradation

The decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial, or urban purposes.

Salinization

The accumulation of soluble salts of sodium, magnesium, and calcium in soil to the extent that soil fertility is severely reduced.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity.

Greenhouse Effect

The process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be without this atmosphere.

Climate Change

A long-term change in the Earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature.

Ozone Depletion

The gradual thinning of Earth's ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of human demand on Earth's ecosystems; the amount of natural capital used each year.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of a species or “load” that can be sustainably supported by a given environment.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time, such as solar energy, wind energy, and biomass.

Non-Renewable Resources

Natural resources that cannot be readily replaced by natural means on a level equal to its consumption, such as fossil fuels.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.