Environment

biodiversity

the variety of organisms in an ecosystem

ecosystem service

a benefit to humans provided by an ecosystem

sustainable

able to be maintained at a certain rate or level

dominion

to have power or control over another thing

megafauna

the large mammals and marsupials that roamed across the continent of Australia and became extinct during the latter part of the Pleistocene

climate

trends in weather over a period of at least 30 years

climate zone

a region with a specific climate

meteorologist

a scientist who studies the atmosphere and its affects on Earth, including weather patterns

ocean circulation

the movemenet of water in the oceans due to major currents

weather

what is happening in the atmosphere at a certain place and time

atmosphere

the layer of gas that surrounds the eartg and is 600 km thick

greenhouse effect

the trapping of the suns heat energy in earths atmosphere

greenhouse gas

a gas that traps the suns heat energy in the earths atmosphere

enhanced greenhouse effect

an increase in the greenhouse effect due ti human greenhouse gas emissions

glacier

a slowly moving mass of ice formed by the accumulation of snow

precipitation

liquid or solid water that forms in the atmosphere and falls to the earths surface

thermal expansion

the increase of volume of a substance due to an increase in temperature

water cycle

the cycle of processes by which water circulates between earths oceans atmosphere land and biosphere

alpine

areas of high elevation

carbon cycle

the natural cycling of carbon through ecosystem

ocean acidification

a decrease in the ph of the oceans due to the absorption of more carbon dioxide

biodegrade

to degrade naturally throught hte action of microorganisms

eutrophication

an excess of nutrients in a water body that leads to excessive algal growth

photosynthesis

the chemical reaction that occurs in the chloroplasts of plants and algae to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen

crude oil

a naturally occurring liquid fossil fuel that can be refined to produce many different chemicals

landfill

disposal of waste by burrying it

polymer

a long chain molecule usually carbon based made up of many small repeating units

recycle

to convert waste into reusable materials

symbiotic relationship

an ecological relationship where both parties cannot survive without the other

zooxanthellae

algae that live in coral tissues

coral atoll

a ring-shaped island formed by a coral reef

coral bleaching

a phenomenon where corals lose their colour due to the absence of symbiotic algae

groundwater

water that flows underground in spaces between rocks and within soils