APES study guide 5

Ecosystem service

benefits that humans receive from natural ecosystems

intristic value

Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or earths biodiversity based on its existence (regardless of whether it has use to us)

ecotourism

travel to natural areas that conserves the enviorment, and sustains the well being of the organisms around

HIPPCO

H: habitat destruction

I: invasive species

P: population growth

P: pollution

C: Climate change

O: overexploitation of natural resources

habitat fragmentation

when a habitat is destroyed, splitting it and leaving unconnected areas

edge effect

boundary between natural habitats and developed/disturbed land

kudzu

“Japanese arrowroot” used to treat alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, menopausal symptoms, diabetes, fever, and more

DDT

(Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) First modern insecticide

bioaccumulation

a buildup of something inside an organism (typically harmful chemicals)

Biomagnificaton

increase in concentration of chemicals that accumulate in an organism, as it travels up the foodchain

poaching

illegal hunting/capturing of an animal that you don’t own

bush meat

meat from wild animals/rodents (bats, apes)

treaties

a legal undertaking recognized by domestic/international law

legislation

the preparation and enactment of laws by a legislative body through its law making process

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

A ban on selling, hunting, capturing endangered species

Lacey Act

Prohibits importation, exportation, transportation, selling, receiving, and purchase of any fish/wildlife/plant taken in violation of a law/treaty of the U.S.

U.S. endangered species act

prevents import/exportation, selling, transporting any endangered/threataned species

wildlife refugee

federal public lands managed to protect wildlife

seed bank

an area where conditions are suitable + stable enough to conserve seed specimens

precautionary principle

lets decision-makers to implement precautionary measures when scientific evidence about an environmental or human health hazard is uncertain and the stakes are high

old growth forests

a forest that has developed over time without any disturbance

second-growth forests

a forest that has been logged once, and grew back

clear cutting

where all/most trees are removed from a certain area

selective cutting

mature trees are selectively removed from areas with uneven aged trees

strip cutting

removing an entire strip of trees after the former strip’s regrowth has started

surface fire

beneficial fires that burn leaf litter, undergrowth, weak/sick, dying tree vegetation

crown fire

extremely hot, dangerous fires that harm wildlife (unbeneficial)

controlled burn

setting planned fires to preserve the health of forests

rangeland

unfenced grasslands in tropical and temperate climates, provide forage for animals

pasture

managed, fenced/closed off grasslands used for grazing livestock

overgrazing

when livestock consumes plants before they can regrow, which damages their roots

wetlands

areas where water covers soil, (marshes, bogs, swamps, fens)

mitigation banking

way to offset ecological loss of a development project by compensating for the preservation/restoration of a certain area

everglades

swampy grassland

compact city

densely populated city with overlapping uses (homes, businesses, services, etc.) (think Amsterdam, Copenhagen)

zoning

planning tool that separates industy/buisnesses from residential neighbor hoods (hk vs town)

smart growth

urban planning and transportation heory that compacts cities into walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl (nyc)

eco-city

human settlement on self sustaining structure (walk/bike/mass transit, buildings = high energy efficiency standards, food locally grown