Envi Sci Key Terms

scientific method

question, hypothesis, experiment, observation, analysis, conclusion

prediction

logical guess, tests hypothesis

hypothesis

general statement of experiment

experiment

testing hypothesis

biodiversity

variety of life found on earth

ecosystem

community of organisms interacting with the environment

open system

energy is transferrable between systems and surroundings

environmental science

study of interactions between physical, chemical, and biological components of earth’s environment

disruptive selection

both extreme end of traits are favored

allopatric speciation

a species separates into 2 groups and isolated from each other

law of conservation

a property does not change as the system evolves over time

species

group of organisms capable of breeding

loss of species

plant/animal species disappear completely/decrease within an area, can be temporary or permanent

ecotourism

responsible travel to natural areas

breeding pattern

sexual reproduction, produces offspring

population

a group of indivuals of same species in an area

study of population

scientific study that uses statistics to predict population trends

density independent factor

any force that affects the size of a population of living things regardless of population density

extinction

no longer here, dead

loss of biodiversity

decline/disapperance of species

elevation

distance above sea level in an area

agriculture

cultivating soil, producing crops, raising livestock

contour plowing

plowing/planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines

soil

mix of orgainc matter that support plant life

parent material

underlying eological material in which soil horizons from

sustainable yield

max harvest that doesn’t deplete or overharvest where the renewable resource can’t regrow

logging

cutting/moving trees for transportation

humus

organic component of soil

wildfires

sudden, uncontrolled unpredicatable fire

protein deficiencies

lack of protein/amino acids in diet

wetlands

areas where water covers soil

soil activity

ratio of soil’s plasticity index (lp) to percentage of clay fraction (C)

overgrazing

intensive grazing for extended periods

soil pyramid

shows ratio of particles within soil

beneifcial insects

insects performing services like pollination and pest control

green revolution

large increase in crop production from fertilizers, pesticides, etc

monoculture

cultivation of a single crop in an area

meat consumption

self explanatory

food efficiency

ability of food source to weight gain, maintenace, or growth/development

geneitcally modified organisms

organisms’s DNA is altered using bioengineering

alllergens

substance that can cause an allergic reaction

biomagnification

increase in concentration of stable chemicals in higher trophic levels of a food chain/web

LD50

chemical dose lethal to 50% if a test population

nonpoint source

runoffs from farm fields, golf courses, and construction sites

climate

long-term weather pattern in an area

global warming

long-term heating of Earth’s surface

lead poisoning

lead builds up in the body

contaminats

chemicals found in the evironment in higher amounts than what would be there naturally

melting glaciers

glaciers melting faster than they can accumulate new snow

atmospheric zone

section of strucutre above splash zone

greenhouse gas

gas that traps heat in the atmosphere

sea level raise

average increase in water level in oceans

climate change

long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns

polar regions

polar ice caps, regions of the planet that surround north and south poles, within polar circles

acute exposure

short-term contact with substance

positive feedback

increase change/output, result of a reaction is amped to make it occur more quickly

air quality

the concertration of pollutants in the atmosphere

clean air act

federal law that regulates all soruces of air emissions

seasons

period of year distinguished by special clime conditions

anthropogenic greenhouse gases

results from human activity, causing additional emmisions of greenhouse gases

air pollution

contimination of air due to pollutants

carbon monoxide

colorless, odorless, toxic flammable gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon

water pollution

contaimination of water bodies from human activies

photochemical smog

mix of polutants, formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compunds react to sunlight

chlorofluorocarbon

fully or partly halogenated hydrocarbons that contain carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine

secondary pollutants

forms when primary pollutants react in the atmosphere

inorgainc compund

2 or more chemical elements combined

smelting

roasting ore to release metals from mineral compunds

hydrolytic compartment

membrane compartments filled with hydrolytic enzymes that are used for the controlled intracellular digestion of macromolecules

sedmintay rock

rocks composed of accumlated compacted mineral fragments, like sand or clay

scarce minerals

rare due to unique geochemical makeup and properties

water use

total amount of water withdrawn for its source to be used

aquifers

porous water-bearing layers of sand, gravel, and rock below earth’s surface

household water

water that is available in a house

watershed

area of land that channels rainfall, snowmelt, and runoff into a common body of water

nonrenewable energy

sources of energy that will run out

nuclear power plant

thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor

hydropower production

a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam/diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river

energy demand

describes the consumption of energy by human activity