The Hidden History of the Amazon

This set of flashcards covers key concepts, definitions, and terms from the lecture on the hidden history of the Amazon, focusing on climate, ecology, and human impact.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem; Amazon rainforests contain 25% of terrestrial biodiversity.

ENSO

El Niño-Southern Oscillation; a climate pattern that affects ocean temperatures and weather patterns, including those in the Amazon.

Coring

The process of extracting a cylindrical section of sediment from a lake to study past environmental conditions.

Pre-Columbian

Relating to the period before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492.

LIDAR

Light Detection and Ranging; a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth, revealing structures such as ancient settlements.

Savanna

A mixed grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced apart so that the canopy does not close.

Sediment accumulation rate

The rate at which sediment is deposited in a particular environment, critical for understanding climate history.

Charcoal analysis

A method used to study past fire events and vegetation changes in an ecosystem.

Human impact

The influence of human activities on the environment, often leading to changes in land use, biodiversity, and climate.

Maize cultivation

The agricultural practice of growing maize (corn), significant in the history of human activity in the Amazon.

Biodiversity resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state following disturbances, such as climate change or human activity.

Age determination

The process of establishing the age of sediment or organic material, crucial for dating historical events.

Pollen records

Data collected from fossilized pollen that provides evidence of past plant communities and climates.

Anthropogenic

Related to or resulting from the influence of humans on nature, particularly regarding environmental changes.