Chapter 12: Glossary

acid deposition

acid deposition

refers to acid rain: primary pollutants= sulfates and nitrates combine with water in atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid vapor

acute exposure

intense exposure to pollutants, toxins, or radioactivity over a brief period of time

aerosols

solid particles and droplets suspended in the atmosphere

age structure

number of organisms in each age range within a population

agricultural revolution

10,000 years ago when humans first began to grow crops and raise livestock

allopatric speciation

new species created due to physical separation

amensalism

one organism harmed, other unaffected

ammonification

nitrogen combined with hydrogen to form NH3 nitrogen fixed for use by plants

anthropogenic

events that result from human activities

aphelion

point in July where Earth is farthest from the sun

asbestos

carcinogen that is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral previously used for insulation for pipes, soundproofing, roof tiles, fire retardant

asthenosphere

below lithosphere, above lower mantle, plastic-like layer within Earth, tends to flow

autumnal equinox

date with equal day and night that marks beginning of fall in northern hemisphere (September 23)

background extinction rate

the natural rate of extinction, as opposed to the accelerated rate due to human activity

bioaccumulation

the process of a toxin concentrating in muscle tissues of organisms

biogeochemical cycles

natural movement of nutrients/other products through ecosystems

biological weathering

process of rock material being changed chemically or physically by the activities of living organisms

biomagnifications

the buildup of toxins within an organism through the consumption of other organisms

biomass

total dry weight of all organic matter in an ecosystem; plant material and animal waste used as a fuel for energy production

biome

large ecological area defined by dominant plant type

piophilia

instinctive connection of humans to nature and other life

biosphere reserves

protected areas with the intention of preserving biodiversity while balancing with sustainable land use, education, scientific research

biotic potential

organism's potential to make offspring

boreal

taiga, coniferous trees, south of arctic tundra in North America, Europe, Asia

bottom-trawling

method of fishing where large net is dragged along the ocean bottom to capture benthic organisms

Bt-corn

GMO corn with insecticide, no chemical spraying needed

Bt-cotton

GMO corn with insecticide

by-catch

fish and other organisms caught unintentionally

carbon monoxide (CO)

fossil fuels are not fully combusted

carbonic acid (H2CO3)

water reacts with carbon dioxide, in carbonated drinks

carcinogen

causes cancer

chemical weathering

rocks get weathered because of chemicals

chemosynthesis

photosynthesis without the sun

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

involved in depletion of ozone, used as refrigerators, conditioners, aerosol propellants

chronic exposure

exposed to radioactivity for a long time, in small doses

cinder cone volcanoes

violently eruptive volcanoes, cinders form with eruptions, settle around opening of volcano

clear-cutting

cut down all the trees, nothing standing

clumped distribution

when organisms are organized into groups, usually around a necessary resource

command-and-control strategy

form of pollution control where legal limits are controlled strictly by government

commensalism

one benefits, other unaffected

composite volcanoes

tall, symmetrical steep volcanoes, alternating layers of ash, cinders, lava (stratovolcanoes)

compressed natural gas (CNG)

Natural gas that is compressed to less than 1 percent of the volume it occupies at standard atm, used in cars, trucks, buses as an alternate fuel

contour farming

plowing rows into the side of a hill, perpendicular to the slope, reduce erosion and disperse water evenly

convection currents

result of fluids/gases being heated (less dense), then cooled (more dense) and falling. Include currents in air, magma, water in ocean

conventional agriculture

large scale farming where crops are grown for many people aka industrial agriculture

conventional tillage

A form of farming in which soil is ploughed and turned, lead to soil erosion and soil compaction in deeper layers

Coriolis effect

deflection of a moving object due to the rotation of the earth. North = right; South = left

cost benefit analysis (CBA)

assess the costs and benefits of a decision, determine whether a particular action should be taken.

criteria pollutants

six common air pollutants monitored by the EPA, used as a way to gauge air quality

crude oil

liquid combustible fossil fuel refined into fuels and by-products used in manufacturing (plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, other materials)

cultural eutrophication

ecosystem eutrophication due to excess nutrients added by human activity (algae bloom)

demographic transition

transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, accompanies a country's industrialization

denitrification

bacteria converts nitrates to N2 gas which returns into atmosphere

denitrifying bacteria

bacteria that conducts denitrification

density dependent factors

depends on a population density= disease, availability of mates, predation

density independent factors

does not depend on pop density= natural disaster

detritivores

organisms that get energy from consuming nonliving organic matter, dead plants and animals

directional selection

one extreme

disruptive selection

two extremes

dose-response relationship

effect of an amount or concentration of a toxin on an organism or population

doubling time

amt for a pop to double (rule of 70= 70/annual percentage growth rate to get years it takes to double)

drift netting

dragging large nets through the water to catch fish

ecological pyramids

used to show relative biomass or productivity (energy loss) at each trophic level in an ecosystem (aka energy pyramids)

ecological succession

community of plants and animals replaces a less complex community of plants and animals or develops in an uninhabited area

ecosystem services

supports life on Earth

ED50

dose of substance where 50% of test population is affected

El nino

warming phase of ENSO in eastern pacific ocean, higher air surface pressure in western pacific ocean

El nino/la nina-southern oscillation cycle (ENSO)

periodic climate pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean with 5 year cycle with variations in the surface temp of the tropical eastern pacific ocean and air pressure in tropical western pacific ocean

emissions

gases from burning of fossil fuels = coal, nat gas

endemic

species that live in only one place

endocrine disruptor

substance that alters the hormone (endocrine) system by binding substance that normally bind to specific hormones, blocking hormone and impeding normal reactions

environmental resistance

limiting factors acting on a population, restricting organism's biological potential

equinox

day = night

eutrophication

nitrogen or phosphorus enters an aquatic system, algae bloom, consumes the oxygen

even-aged

trees planted and harvested @ the same time

extirpation

destruction or disappearance of a population from one area, remains elsewhere

Ferrell air circulation cell

air circulation cell that causes temperate convection current (bc tropical and polar convection currents)

focus

location which an earthquake originates within the Earth

Freon

The DuPont trade name for CFCs

generalists

Organisms that have a broad tolerance and can adjust to diff. situations

genetic pollution

unintended spread of altered genetic info from GMOs to natural

geologic time scale

4.54 billion years of Earth's history

geothermal energy

energy of hot underground rock formations, turn water into steam for energy generation

golden rice

GMO rice with vitamin A

Green Revolution

advent of industrialized agriculture in the mid and late 20th century, more effective farming combined with new methods of increasing crop production to create greater and more efficient output

green tax

tax on environmentally unfriendly stuff

ground-level ozone

secondary air pollutant found in the troposphere, usually near Earth's surface, pollutant and a human health hazard

growth rate

(birth + immigration) - (death + emigration)

habitat fragmentation

division of a habitat into smaller areas, migration is impossible, bc of human activities

Hadley air circulation cell

causes tropical convection current

halons

chemical compounds that include halogens

hazardous waste

flammable, corrosive, toxic or reactive waste

HIPPCO

acronym to summarize the important causes of premature extinction (H) habitat destruction and fragmentation (I) invasive species (P) population growth (P) pollution (C) climate change (O) overharvesting

hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

react with stratospheric ozone, break down early

hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

better alternative than CFCs

hydrogen fuel cells

use H2 and O2 to produce energy and water

hypoxic

aquatic enviro with on O2

ice core

drilled and removed from ice sheet, analyzed for trapped gas and deposits to represent historical climate

ice sheet

mass of ice that cover more than 50k square km

ice-minus strawberries

GMO strawberries that don't frost