APES Review

Renewable Resource

A resource that can be replenished naturally over time. Examples include wind and solar energy.

Potentially Renewable

Resources that can be regenerated if managed sustainably, such as forests and fish.

Perpetual Resource

Resources that are continuously available, like wind and sunlight.

Non-Renewable Resource

Resources that do not replenish at a sufficient rate to be considered sustainable, like fossil fuels.

Industrial Revolution

A period of major industrialization that transformed economies, societies, and technology.

Green Revolution

A series of research and development initiatives that increased agricultural production worldwide, improving food security.

Paradigm Shift

A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions, such as the acceptance of the round Earth theory.

Experimental Design

The process of planning an experiment to test a hypothesis, involving independent and dependent variables.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, used to establish baselines.

Immigration

The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country, contributing to population growth.

Emigration

The act of leaving one’s country to settle in another, contributing to population decline.

Natural Birth Rate

The ratio of live births in an area to the total population in that area.

Thomas Malthus

An economist known for his theories on population growth and its relation to resources.

I=PxAxTxS model

A formula representing the impact of population, affluence, technology, and sensitivity on the environment.

Socioeconomic Factors

Social and economic elements that influence population growth, such as women's rights and healthcare.

Replacement Fertility

The number of children a couple must have to replace themselves in the population, ideally two.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals an environment can sustainably support.

Family Planning

Efforts to control the number and spacing of children in a family, leading to lower birth rates.

Age Structure Diagram

A graphical representation of the number of individuals of different ages in a population.

Biological Hazards

Risks that arise from biological agents, such as bacteria or viruses.

Physical Hazards

Environmental risks, including natural disasters and harmful weather conditions.

Chemical Hazards

Risks posed by chemical substances, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals.

Cultural Hazards

Lifestyle choices and social behaviors that increase health risks, like obesity.

Carcinogens

Substances that can lead to cancer in living tissue.

Neurotoxins

Toxins that specifically damage or disrupt the functions of the nervous system.

DDT

A pesticide historically used to control mosquitoes that had harmful effects on wildlife.

Rachel Carson

An environmental writer whose book 'Silent Spring' raised awareness about the dangers of DDT.

LD50

The lethal dose of a substance that kills 50% of a test population; low LD50 indicates high toxicity.

ED50

The effective dose of a substance that produces a desired effect in 50% of the population.

Precautionary Approach

A strategy to protect the public from risk of harm when scientific knowledge is incomplete.

Synergistic Effects

When combined effects of substances are greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Artificial Selection

The process by which humans breed certain traits in domesticated animals and plants.

Extinction

The end of an organism or species, which can occur naturally or due to human impact.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to and found only in a particular area.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that spread widely and cause harm to ecosystems.

Pioneer Species

First species to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems.

Generalist Species

Species that can thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions.

K-selected Species

Species characterized by low reproduction rates and high parental care.

R-selected Species

Species characterized by high reproduction rates and low parental care.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

Trophic Levels

Different levels in a food chain representing the flow of energy and matter.

Biomes

Large geographic biotic units, such as forests and deserts, defined by climate and vegetation.

Negative Feedback Loop

A process that counteracts changes; stabilizes a system.

Positive Feedback Loop

A process that amplifies changes; destabilizes a system.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Natural processes that recycle nutrients in various chemical forms from the environment.

Gross Pay

Total earnings before deductions such as taxes.

Net Pay

Earnings remaining after all deductions.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Habitat Loss

The destruction of environments in which a species lives, often due to human activities.

Ecotourism

Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Slash and Burn

An agricultural method that involves cutting and burning forests to create fields.

Clear Cutting

The process of cutting down all the trees in a given area for timber or agriculture.

Antiquity Act

A law that allows the president to create national monuments for protecting natural and historical sites.

Old Growth Forests

Forests that have developed over a long period without significant disturbance.

Sustainable Yield

The amount of a resource that can be harvested without compromising future availability.

Shelterwood Approach

A forestry practice that involves the gradual removal of trees in a stand while providing shelter to young seedlings, ensuring their establishment.

Seed Tree Approach

A forestry method where select trees are left standing after logging to provide seeds for natural regeneration.

Selection System

A forestry management technique that involves the selective harvesting of trees to maintain a continuous forest cover and promote diverse age classes.

Carbon Cycle

The process by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, involving processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion.

Nitrogen Cycle

The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and ammonia volatilization.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, primarily through plant uptake from soil, animal consumption, and eventual return to the soil through decomposition, without a significant gaseous phase.

Water Cycle

The continuous cycle of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff that water undergoes as it moves through the atmosphere, land, and bodies of water.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

A biome characterized by four distinct seasons, rich biodiversity, and trees that shed their leaves annually.

Temperate Grassland

A biome defined by its open spaces, moderate rainfall, and grasses as the dominant vegetation, often supporting large herbivores and diverse ecosystems.

Tundra

A cold, treeless biome found in polar regions, characterized by permafrost, low biodiversity, and short growing seasons, with vegetation primarily consisting of mosses, lichens, and low shrubs.

Taiga

A biome characterized by coniferous forests, long cold winters, and short mild summers, home to a variety of wildlife including bears, moose, and numerous bird species.

Rain Forest

A lush, biodiverse biome found near the equator, known for high annual rainfall, towering trees, and a rich variety of plant and animal life, including many species that are endemic to these ecosystems.

Desert

A dry, arid biome characterized by minimal rainfall, extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, and sparse vegetation primarily consisting of cacti, succulents, and drought-resistant shrubs.

Doubling Time Equation

To determine the doubling time in a population, divide 70 by the growth rate.

National Parks

Protected areas established to conserve natural landscapes, wildlife, and ecosystems, providing recreational opportunities and ensuring the preservation of biodiversity.

National Monuments

Designated areas that protect significant natural, historical, or cultural features, often smaller than national parks.

Wilderness Areas

Designated regions preserved in their natural state, free from human development, allowing for the protection of ecosystems.

Wildlife Refuge

Protected areas specifically managed to conserve and protect wildlife and their habitats, often focusing on endangered species.

Land Trusts

Organizations that conserve land by acquiring and managing properties with significant environmental, agricultural, or recreational value.

World Heritage Sites

Designated locations recognized by UNESCO for their outstanding cultural or natural importance.

Biosphere Reserves

Areas designated by UNESCO to promote sustainable development and conservation, integrating ecological conservation with local community needs.

Gross Primary Production (GPP)

The total amount of organic material produced by photosynthesis in an ecosystem.

Net Primary Production (NPP)

The amount of organic material that remains after energy used by plants for respiration, representing the actual energy available for consumers.

Nitrogen Cycle Steps

1. Nitrogen Fixation - Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. 2. Nitrification - Conversion of ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates. 3. Assimilation - Uptake of nitrates by plants. 4. Ammonification - Decomposition of organic matter back into ammonia. 5. Denitrification - Conversion of nitrates back to atmospheric nitrogen.