land and water use

land cover

The vegetation and manufactured structures that cover land

land use

Human activities that occur on land

carrying capacity

limit on the amount of a resource that can be sustainably used

Externalities

the cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service

maximum sustainable yield

the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource

goal of msy

keep population at an intermediate size where it will grow fastest

forests impact on water

provide 2/3 of freshwater, critical role in water cycle

forests impact on carbon

sequester through photosynthesis

forests impact on recreation

provide recreational refuge

forests impact on biodiversity

80% of all species rely on forests

forests impact on economy

provides jobs

Wildfires

increased frequency and severity

invasive species

40% of americas forests

disease

can spread from tree to tree

fragmentation

patchy forests affects the movement and distribution of species

clearcutting

Remove and cut down every tree in the area

slash and burn

A farming method involving the cutting of trees, then burning them to provide ash-enriched soil for the planting of crops

selection cutting

Cutting down trees that are mature/dying to help the growth of the rest of the trees.

shelterwood cutting

the practice of cutting dead and less desirable trees first and later cutting mature trees

available freshwater on earth

0.025%

surface water

Water above the surface of the land, including lakes, rivers, streams, etc

groundwater

the water that is beneath Earth's surface

direct water use

visiible water used for: drinking, cooking, washing

indirect (virtual) water use

water used for industrial processes to make items we use and consume

point source pollution

pollution that comes from a specific site

non-point source pollution

pollution that comes from many sources rather than from a single, specific site

toxic pollution

heavy metals and other chemical compounds that are lethal to organisms

sediment pollution

eroded soil that is washed into the water through runoff

nutrient pollution

The process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water and can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae.

bacterial pollution

animal manure, human waste, improper food handling getting into the water source

watershed

area of land from which all water drains to a common waterway

watershed boundary

the line along the highest elevation that divides two watersheds

colorado river basin

provides water for 40million people, numerous dams for hydropower, has shrunk by 20% since 2000