APES U2 Vocab

Steady State

when a system's inputs = its outputs (no change over time)

Greenhouse Gases

Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface.

Limiting Nutrient

Nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients.

Nitrogen fixation

process that converts N2 into ammonia. (it will be converted to nitrates & nitrites in later steps).

Nitrification

The conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) to nitrate (NO3-).

Assimilation

Process by which plants and algae incorporate nitrogen into their tissue.

Ammonification

Fungal and bacterial decomposers break down dead organic material and convert them back into inorganic compounds (NH4+)

Denitrification

the conversion of nitrate (NO3-) into (N2O) nitrous oxide into nitrogen gas (N2), which is emitted into the atmosphere.

Leaching

dissolved molecules are transported through the soil via groundwater.

Hypoxic

Low in oxygen.

Hydrologic cycle

movement of water around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks..

Transpiration

the release of water from leaves into the atmosphere.

Evapotranspiration

the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration.

Runoff

water that moves across land surface into streams and rivers.

What are the 5 processes of the phosphorus cycle?

Assimilation, mineralization, sedimentation, geological uplift, and weathering (notice no gas phase).

Watershed

All the land in an area that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland.

Suburbs

areas that surround metropolitan centers.

Exurbs

similar to suburbs, but not connected to any central city

Saltwater intrusion

an infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced as a result of a cone of depression from extensive pumping of wells.

Impervious surface

Pavement or other surface that doesn't allow water penetration.

Urban sprawl

Urbanized areas spread into rural areas.

Urban blight

lack of support for and deterioration of urban communities.

Urban runoff

water that doesn't evapotranspire or infiltrate the soil, that occurs in urban areas.

Levee

an enlarged bank built on each side of the river.

Dikes

structures built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land.

Dams

A barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water.

Reservoir

water body created by damming a river or stream.

Fish ladder

A stair-like structure with water flowing to overtop to allow fish to get around the dam.

Aqueducts

canals, ditches, or pipes, used to carry water from one location to another.

Desalination

A process for obtaining freshwater by removing salt from salt water (aka. desalinization).

Distillation

Process of desalination in which water is boiled and the resulting steam is captured and condensed to yield pure water. ($$$)

Reverse osmosis

Process of desalination in which water is forced through a thin semi-permeable membrane at high pressure. ($)

Oxygen Sag Curve

the relationship of O2 concentrations to the distance from a point source of decomposing sewage or other pollutants.

Dredging

Digging up sediment to let boats through.

Thermal pollution

occurs when humans cause substantial change in a body of water's temperature.

Noise Pollution

Occurs when elevated sounds harm organisms.

Thermal Shock

Dramatic change in water temperature that can kill many species.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Sw collected by municipalities, from households, small businesses, and institutions such as schools, prisons, municipal buildings, and hospitals.

Waste Stream

The flow of solid waste that is recycled, incinerated, placed in a solid waste landfill, or disposed of in another way.

Leachate

Liquid that can contain elevated levels of pollutants as a result of having passed through the solid waste of a landfill.

Sanitary Landfills

An engineered ground facility designed to hold MSW with as little contamination of the surrounding environment as possible.

Characteristics of Sanitary Landfills

Lined with plastic or clay, pipe system to collect leachate, soil on top when at capacity.

Tipping fee

fee charged by trucks that deliver solid waste into a landfill or incinerator.

Incineration

Burning waste materials to reduce volume, mass, and sometimes generate electricity or heat.

Ash

Residual non-organic material that does not combust during incineration.

Waste-to-energy

a system in which heat is generated by incineration is used as an energy source rather than released into the surrounding environment.

Hazardous Waste

Liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans, ecosystems, or materials.

Characteristics of hazardous waste

ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, toxicity

U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 1976

Expanded prior SW laws. Goal: protect human health & natural environment by reducing/removing HW generation. Tracks waste from "cradle-to-grave" until it is properly disposed of.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Aka. Superfund act)

1980 US federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, uses those funds for the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

A popular phrase promoting the idea of diverting materials from the waste stream.

Source Reduction

an approach to waste management that seeks to cut waste by reducing the use of potential waste materials in the early stages of design and manufacture.

Reuse

Using a product or material that would otherwise be discarded.

recycling

Materials destined to become MSW are collected and converted into raw materials used to produce more objects.

closed-loop recycling

recycling a product into the same product

Open-loop recycling

recycling one product into a different product

Composting

the breakdown of organic materials into organic matter (hummus)

Life cycle analysis

a systems tool that looks at the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product - the product design, procurement of raw materials, manufacturing, use, and disposal.

Integrated waste management

approach to waste disposal that employs several waste reduction, management, and disposal strategies to reduce their costs and decrease the environmental impact of MSW.

Biological oxygen demand

the amount of oxygen and quantity of water used over a period of time at specific temperatures

cultural eutrophication

increase in biological productivity caused by human activities

Fecal coliform bacteria

A group of generally harmless microorganisms in human intestines that can serve as an indicator species for potentially harmful microorganisms associated with contaminated sewage

septic system

A relatively small and simple sewage treatment system, made up of a septic tank and a leach field, often used for homes in rural areas

septic tank

A large container that receives wastewater from a house as part of a septic system

sludge

Solid waste material from wastewater

Septage

A layer of fairly clear water found in the middle of a septic tank

leach field

a component of a septic system, made up of underground pipes laid out below the surface of the ground