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
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contour farming
plowing rows into the side of a hill, perpendicular to the slope, reduce erosion and disperse water evenly
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convection currents
result of fluids/gases being heated (less dense), then cooled (more dense) and falling. Include currents in air, magma, water in ocean
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conventional agriculture
large scale farming where crops are grown for many people aka industrial agriculture
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conventional tillage
A form of farming in which soil is ploughed and turned, lead to soil erosion and soil compaction in deeper layers
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Coriolis effect
deflection of a moving object due to the rotation of the earth. North = right; South = left
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cost benefit analysis (CBA)
assess the costs and benefits of a decision, determine whether a particular action should be taken.
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criteria pollutants
six common air pollutants monitored by the EPA, used as a way to gauge air quality
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crude oil
liquid combustible fossil fuel refined into fuels and by-products used in manufacturing (plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, other materials)
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cultural eutrophication
ecosystem eutrophication due to excess nutrients added by human activity (algae bloom)
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demographic transition
transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, accompanies a country's industrialization
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denitrification
bacteria converts nitrates to N2 gas which returns into atmosphere
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denitrifying bacteria
bacteria that conducts denitrification
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density dependent factors
depends on a population density= disease, availability of mates, predation
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density independent factors
does not depend on pop density= natural disaster
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detritivores
organisms that get energy from consuming nonliving organic matter, dead plants and animals
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directional selection
one extreme
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disruptive selection
two extremes
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dose-response relationship
effect of an amount or concentration of a toxin on an organism or population
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doubling time
amt for a pop to double (rule of 70= 70/annual percentage growth rate to get years it takes to double)
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drift netting
dragging large nets through the water to catch fish
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ecological pyramids
used to show relative biomass or productivity (energy loss) at each trophic level in an ecosystem (aka energy pyramids)
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ecological succession
community of plants and animals replaces a less complex community of plants and animals or develops in an uninhabited area
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ecosystem services
supports life on Earth
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ED50
dose of substance where 50% of test population is affected
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El nino
warming phase of ENSO in eastern pacific ocean, higher air surface pressure in western pacific ocean
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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
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emissions
gases from burning of fossil fuels = coal, nat gas
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endemic
species that live in only one place
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endocrine disruptor
substance that alters the hormone (endocrine) system by binding substance that normally bind to specific hormones, blocking hormone and impeding normal reactions
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environmental resistance
limiting factors acting on a population, restricting organism's biological potential
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equinox
day = night
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eutrophication
nitrogen or phosphorus enters an aquatic system, algae bloom, consumes the oxygen
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even-aged
trees planted and harvested @ the same time
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extirpation
destruction or disappearance of a population from one area, remains elsewhere
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Ferrell air circulation cell
air circulation cell that causes temperate convection current (bc tropical and polar convection currents)
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focus
location which an earthquake originates within the Earth
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Freon
The DuPont trade name for CFCs
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generalists
Organisms that have a broad tolerance and can adjust to diff. situations
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genetic pollution
unintended spread of altered genetic info from GMOs to natural
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geologic time scale
4.54 billion years of Earth's history
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geothermal energy
energy of hot underground rock formations, turn water into steam for energy generation
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golden rice
GMO rice with vitamin A
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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
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green tax
tax on environmentally unfriendly stuff
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ground-level ozone
secondary air pollutant found in the troposphere, usually near Earth's surface, pollutant and a human health hazard
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growth rate
(birth + immigration) - (death + emigration)
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habitat fragmentation
division of a habitat into smaller areas, migration is impossible, bc of human activities
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Hadley air circulation cell
causes tropical convection current
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halons
chemical compounds that include halogens
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hazardous waste
flammable, corrosive, toxic or reactive waste
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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
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hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
react with stratospheric ozone, break down early
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hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
better alternative than CFCs
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hydrogen fuel cells
use H2 and O2 to produce energy and water
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hypoxic
aquatic enviro with on O2
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ice core
drilled and removed from ice sheet, analyzed for trapped gas and deposits to represent historical climate