Planetary Boundaries and Environmental Science

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to planetary boundaries, environmental science, and ecological impacts.

Planetary boundaries

A set of nine limits within which humanity can safely operate to ensure a stable and resilient Earth.

Anthropocene

A geological era where human activity is the primary driver of environmental change at the planetary level.

Climate Change

The alteration in Earth's energy balance due to increased greenhouse gases, leading to global temperature rise and climate pattern shifts.

Biosphere Integrity

The health, diversity, and extent of living organisms and ecosystems; loss threatens the planet's ability to regulate climate and chemical cycles.

Novel Entities

New substances or modified forms of existing substances with potential for significant environmental impact, such as synthetic chemicals and plastics.

Ozone Depletion

The thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer primarily due to human-made chemicals like CFCs, allowing harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth.

Ocean Acidification

The reduction in ocean pH due to the absorption of atmospheric CO2, threatening calcifying organisms and marine ecosystems.

Freshwater Change

Alterations in freshwater cycles impacting biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and natural processes like precipitation and evaporation.

Land System Change

Transformation of natural landscapes through human activities like deforestation and urbanization, impacting ecological functions.

Biogeochemical Flows

The movement and cycling of key elements like nitrogen and phosphorus through ecosystems, which can be disrupted by human actions.

Environmental Science

The study of interactions between humans and the natural environment, including how human actions affect ecological systems.

Quadruple Squeeze

The simultaneous pressures from population growth, climate change, ecosystem crises, and tipping points affecting the Earth system.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including provisioning (food, water), regulating (climate), and cultural services.

Tipping Point

A threshold in an ecological or environmental system that, when exceeded, can lead to dramatic and irreversible changes.

Eutrophication

Excess nutrients in water bodies leading to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and decline in aquatic life.