GEOG 30N Final Exam Vocabulary

agriculture

the practice of cultivating soils, producing crops and raising livestock for human use and consumption

food security

an adequate, reliable and available food supply provided to all people at all times

Green Revolution

the simultaneous development of new varieties of food plants and altered agricultural practices to increase crops yields, starting in the 1950s

polyculture

planting multiple crops in close proximity

monoculture

the uniform planting of a single crop

pesticides

chemicals used to kill or control unwanted organisms

irrigation

the artificial addition of water to support agriculture

inorganic fertilizer

mined or synthetically manufactured mineral supplements

insecticide

chemicals used to kill or control insects

herbicides

chemicals used to control unwanted plants

fungicides

chemicals used to kill fungi

rodenticides

chemicals used to kill rodents

persistent chemicals

chemicals that remain in the environment for a long time period in an unchanged state

nonpersistent chemicals

chemicals that rapidly degrade through organic or inorganic processes in the environment

bioaccumulation

the buildup of toxins in the tissue of organisms

biomagnification

the bioaccumulation of a substance up the food chain

acute toxicity

adverse effects that develop from exposure to a large dose of a substance

chronic toxicity

the development of negative effects as a result of exposure to small doses of a substance over long time periods

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of 1910

established a registry of pesticides determined to be effective and regulates pesticides available to the public vs. certified applicators

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938

gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices; allows EPA to regulate pesticide residue on food for people or animals

Food Quality Protection Act of 1996

updated pesticide safety standards of new pesticides used on food and required older pesticides to be reassessed using tougher standards

waterlogging

raising the water table so it covers plant roots

soil salinization

the buildup of salts in surface soil layers

soil health

the continued ability of the soil to function as a living system to sustain the life that depends on it

soil degradation

a change in soil health resulting in a decreased capacity of the ecosystem to provide goods and services to those using it

arable

capable of being farmed productively

desertification

the degradation of formerly productive dryland ecosystems by inappropriate farming practices

erosion

the detachment and movement of material from one area and its deposition in another

cultural eutrophication

the addition of nutrients to a waterbody because of human activities

no-till farming

a system of planting crops without plowing using herbicides to control weeds

contour farming

furrows are plowed perpendicular to the slope, following the natural contours of the land to help prevent the formation of rills and gullies

intercropping

planting alternating bands of different types of crops across a slope

terracing

cutting level platforms into steep hillsides to contain water and soil

shelterbelts

rows of trees or other tall, perennial plants planted at the edges of fields to act a as a windbreak

Green Belt Movement

established in 1977 by Wangari Maathai to combat a lack of water and food security in Kenya

Great Green Wall Initiative

a movement in the Sahel to combat desertification

biodiversity

the variety of life in all its forms

species

a group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring

species richness

the number of different species represented in a defined area

latitudinal gradient

species richness generally increases as you move toward the equator

ecotourism

the touring of natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact

biophilia

the connections that humans unconsciously seek with the rest of life

Lacey Act

prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish, or plants, that have been illegally obtained

Migratory Bird Act

a treaty between the U.S. and Canada that makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell migratory birds

Endangered Species Act

no activity by a government agency should lead to the extinction of an endangered species and all government agencies must use whatever means necessary to preserve the species

endangered

a species that has the high potential to become extinct in the foreseeable future

threatened

a species that has the high potential to become endangered in the foreseeable future and could become extinct if a critical factor in their environment were changed

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

protected endangered species by banning the international trade of their body parts

Convention on Biological Diversity

sets global initiatives to conserve biodiversity, use biodiversity in a sustainable manner, and ensure the fair distribution of the benefits of biodiversity

umbrella species

a charismatic species that needs a large amount of habitat to survive

captive breeding

individuals are bred and raised in controlled conditions with the intent of reintroducing them into the wild

Forest Service Organic Act

created a method to set aside federal forest resources to maintain water flows and produce timber

Antiquities Act

allows the President to declare select public lands with historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of scientific or historic interest to be set aside as national monuments

National Park Service Organic Act

established the national park service to conserve the scenery, natural and historic objects, wildlife, and provide for their enjoyment for the American people

land trust

the process of a local or regional organization purchasing land with the aim of preserving it in its natural condition

national wildlife refuge

an area set aside for wildlife and its enjoyment through observation or hunting and/or fishing

Conservation biology

a scientific discipline devoted to understanding the factors, forces, and processes that influence the loss, protection, and restoration of biodiversity within and among ecosystems

equilibrium theory of island biogeography

a theory to predict the number of species on an island based on its size and distance from the mainland

area effect

the number of species on an island tends to increase with size

distance effect

the number of species on an island tends to decrease with distance from the mainland

biodiversity hotspot

areas that support an especially high number of species

endemic

native or restricted to a particular geographic area

political ecology

the study of the relationship between political, economic, and social factors with environmental issues and changes

community-based conservation

the practice of engaging local people to protect land and wildlife in their region

extinction

the elimination of all individuals of a species

exotic species

non-native species that are introduced into a new ecosystem through human activities or migration

invasive species

a species that has become a nuisance through rapid spread and an increase in numbers

overexploitation

the number of individuals removed from a population exceeds the ability of that population to
replace it

individual action

action taken by a person to meet their needs based on their personal decisions

collective action

action taken by a group of people to meet the needs of the group based on a decision by the group

collective action problem

a scenario with a conflict between the individual interest and the group interest

tragedy of the commons

shared resources tend to be overexploited unless they are regulated by the government or are turned into private property because individuals tend to act selfishly

common pool resources

any resource that is controlled or accessed by a group instead of an individual

social norms

the unwritten rules of society

genetically modified organisms

an organism whose genes have been artificially manipulated using genetic engineering

outcrossing

the migration of genetically modified genes into conventional or wild relatives

crop rotation

the practice of alternating the kind of crop grown in a particular field from one season to another

organic agriculture

agriculture that avoids the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides during food production/organic animal products come from animals given organic food and no antibiotics or growth hormones

feedlot

large barns or pens designed to deliver energy-rich food to animals living in extremely high densities

intrinsic value

the worth of something simply because it exists

instrumental value

the worth of something because of its usefulness

environmental ethics

examines the moral basis of environmental responsibility and how to apply ethical standard to relationships between human and non-human entities

anthropocentrism

the belief that environmental responsibility is derived solely from human interest because only humans are morally significant

biocentrism

the belief that all forms of life have an inherent right to exist and ethical standing

ecocentrism

the belief that the environment (both living and nonliving factors) deserves moral consideration in its own right and not just based on values derived from uses

conservation ethic

need to manage natural resources wisely so they can be put to the best usefulness

preservation ethic

need to preserve nature in a pristine

land ethic

human should consider themselves and the land as part of the same community

environmental justice

defined by the EPA as an effort to provide the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, policies, and regulations

artificial leaf

device used to make fuel from water and carbon dioxide

composting

converting organic waste into carbon and nutrients available to plants

conservation agriculture

minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, and managing crop rotation

managed grazing

moving ruminants among pastures to simulate migration

clean cookstoves

reducing inefficiencies and air pollution associated with cooking

farmland restoration

bringing abandoned lands back into productive agricultural use

peatlands

carbon sink that sequesters the most carbon

green roof

adding soil and vegetation to a building to act as living insulation

smart glass

block the penetration of light or heat into a building through windows

alternative cement

substituting fly ash or blast furnace slag for conventional clinker

bioplastic

reducing petroleum-based feedstocks with plant-based feedstocks