APES UNIT 5.1-5.10

Urbanization

The process of cities growing as more people move from rural areas to urban centers.

Demographic transition pattern

The model showing how populations shift from rural to urban to suburban living.

Heat Island Effect

Phenomenon where urban areas are significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities.

Urban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural land.

Zoning

A planning tool used to designate how land can be used in specific areas, often to create communities that are quieter and safer.

Induced demand

The concept that an increase in the supply of a good, such as road space, encourages more consumption of that good.

Eminent Domain

The right of a government to purchase private property for public use, often for the greater good.

Multi-use zoning

Planning approach that incorporates different types of land use, such as residential and retail, within a community.

Carbon cycle

The process by which carbon moves through the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, and geosphere, often impacted by human activities.

Saltwater intrusion

The movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, commonly occurring in coastal areas.

Mining

The process of obtaining minerals from the ground.

Refining

An industrial process that removes impurities from a substance, specifically ore.

Surface Mining

The practice of removing minerals that are close to the Earth's surface.

Open Pit Mining

A method involving the creation of a large pit or hole in the ground that is visible from the surface.

Mountain Top Removal

A method of surface mining involving the removal of the entire top of a mountain with explosives.

Placer Mining

The process of searching for metals and stones in river sediments.

Subsurface Mining

Mining for resources that are located 100 meters or more below the Earth's surface.

Acid Mine Drainage

Pollution that occurs when tailings containing sulfur mix with oxygen and water, forming sulfuric acid.

Cyanide Heap Leaching

A process where ore is treated with cyanide to dissolve impurities and extract gold or uranium.

Overburden

The layer of soil and rock that must be removed to access mineral deposits, referred to as spoils after removal.

Mine Remediation

Efforts to restore the environment to its original state or repurpose the land after mining activities.

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977)

Legislation that regulates surface mining operations and mandates land reclamation after mining activities.

Fishery

A commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region.

Fishery collapse

The decline of a fish population by 90% or more.

Bycatch

Unintentional catch of non-target species, such as dolphins when fishing for tuna.

Long Line

A commercial fishing technique using a long line with hooks evenly spaced.

Drift net/Gill net

A fishing method using long nets dragged behind, where fish get caught.

Purse Seine

A massive net with two draw strings used to encircle and catch fish.

Trawling

A destructive fishing method using a cone-shaped net dragged through water.

Sonar

Sound technology used to locate schools of fish, enhancing efficiency.

Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds.

Sustainable Fishing

Practices including catch limits, modifying techniques, and protecting critical species.

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

The largest amount of fish that can be caught while maintaining the population.

Ghost fishing

The phenomenon where lost fishing gear continues to catch fish and other organisms.

Meat Production

The raising of cattle, chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, or any other livestock for consumption by humans.

Free Range

A method of raising livestock where animals are allowed to roam freely outdoors rather than being confined in enclosures.

CAFO

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations; large structures where animals are raised in high density and fed grain.

Energy Subsidies

Support given to meat diets compared to vegetarian diets, indicating the amount of resources used to produce the same amount of energy in food.

10% Rule

A concept in ecology stating that only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, highlighting the inefficiency of meat production.

Fecal Coliforms

Bacteria found in human and animal waste, specifically including E. Coli, indicating potential contamination in drinking water.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Gases like methane (CH4) produced from beef production, contributing to climate change.

Eutrophication

The process where water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and deterioration of water quality.

Antibiotics and Growth Hormones

Substances often used in CAFOs to promote growth in livestock, raising concerns about their impact on health and the environment.

Overapplication of Manure

The excessive use of animal waste as fertilizer, leading to runoff issues similar to those created by synthetic fertilizers.

Grass-based Livestock

Animals raised on pasture, which typically do not require antibiotics and have a lower density than those in CAFOs.

Agriculture

The largest user of water around the world, consuming 70% of freshwater.

Irrigation Techniques

Methods used to supply water to crops; includes flood, furrow, spray, and drip irrigation.

Flood Irrigation

An irrigation technique where the entire field is flooded with water for even soaking.

Furrow Irrigation

An older irrigation method involving trenches flooded with water; often inefficient.

Spray Irrigation

An irrigation technique that sprays water across fields, with efficiency between 75-95%.

Drip Irrigation

A highly efficient irrigation method that uses slow dripping hoses to deliver water.

Waterlogging

Condition where soil is under water for prolonged periods, affecting root oxygen availability.

Salinization

The accumulation of salts in the soil due to evaporation, inhibiting plant growth.

Hydroponic Agriculture

A method of growing crops in fertilized water, using 95% less water than traditional methods.

Levees

An enlarged bank built on river sides to block floods and protect land.

Dikes

Structures similar to levees, designed to prevent ocean waters from flooding land.

Dams

Barriers built across rivers to control water flow and create reservoirs.

Reservoir

A water body created by damming a river, used for human consumption, electricity, and recreation.

Aqueducts

Canals or ditches designed to transport water from one location to another.

Desalination

The process of removing salt from seawater to produce fresh water.

Distillation

A method of desalination where water is boiled, and steam is condensed to remove salt.

Reverse Osmosis

A desalination technique that forces water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove salt.

Environmental Justice

Concern for equitable access to water, particularly in areas facing water scarcity.

Erosion

The process of soil and sediment loss, often exacerbated by water diversion methods.

Thermoelectric Plant

A facility that uses heat to generate electricity, consuming large amounts of water.

Cooling Towers

Structures used to dissipate heat from thermoelectric plants, returning some water to the source.

Household Water Use

Refers to the domestic consumption of water, which accounts for 10% of freshwater use.

Water Diversion Methods

Techniques used to manage and modify the natural flow and availability of water.

Hydroelectric Dam

A structure that generates electricity by using the flow of water from rivers.

Political Issues of Water Sharing

Conflicts and challenges that arise when multiple regions share water from the same source.

Water Scarcity

A condition where water availability is substantially below the amount required for consumption.

Freshwater Availability

Measured in cubic meters per capita per year, indicating how much fresh water is accessible.

Aqueduct Concerns

Issues related to water quality and distribution caused by the construction of aqueducts.

Pesticide

A substance (natural or synthetic) that kills or controls organisms that people consider pests.

Insecticide

A pesticide that specifically targets insects.

Herbicide

A pesticide that specifically targets plant competitors, commonly known as weeds.

Fungicide

A pesticide that specifically targets fungi.

Broad-spectrum pesticide

Pesticides that kill many types of pests instead of targeting a specific one.

Selectivity in pesticides

Refers to the ability of a pesticide to kill only one type of pest while leaving others unharmed.

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, in an organism over time, particularly in fatty tissues.

Biomagnification

The process by which pesticide concentrations increase at higher trophic levels in a food chain.

Pesticide treadmill

The cycle of pesticide development followed by pest resistance and the development of new pesticides.

Organic agriculture

The production of crops without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

A variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs while effectively managing pest populations.

Food Quality Protection Act (1996)

Amended the Delaney Clause to reduce the time to ban a pesticide from 10 years to 14 months.

Contour plowing

Plowing along the contour lines of land to reduce erosion.

No-till agriculture

An agricultural practice that leaves the soil undisturbed and retains crop residues to improve water retention and reduce erosion.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons

A group of pesticides, including DDT, known for their long persistence in the environment.

Organophosphates

A class of pesticides that are less persistent but can have significant environmental impacts.

Carbamates

A type of pesticide similar to organophosphates, but generally less toxic.

Delaney Clause

A regulation that prohibits the use of any agent in food that is found to cause cancer.

Sustainable agriculture

Agricultural practices that fulfill the need for food while enhancing soil quality and minimizing resource use.

Undernutrition

A condition where nutritional needs are not met, affecting 3 billion people worldwide.

Malnourished

Lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Chronic Hunger

A state where not enough calories are ingested, leading to increased disease susceptibility and poor brain development in children.

Overnutrition

A condition characterized by excessive caloric intake and improper foods, leading to health risks like Type II diabetes and heart disease.

Food Security

A situation where people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Kwashiorkor

A severe lack of protein that causes edema, most common in developing nations.

Anemia

A condition resulting from a lack of iron, recognized as the most widespread nutritional deficiency.

Conventional Agriculture

Agricultural practices that utilize machinery and less human labor, enabling high levels of production.