AP Environmental Unit 5

tragedy of the commons

The tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted if it is not regulated in some way

externality

The cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service

types of logging

clear cutting, selective cutting, ecologically sustainable forestry

clear cutting

A method of harvesting trees that involves removing all or almost all of the trees within an area

selective cutting

The method of harvesting trees that involves the removal of single trees or a relatively small number of trees from the larger forest

ecologically sustainable forestry

An approach to removing trees from forests in ways that do not unduly affect the viability of other noncommercial tree species

population grows fastest when the carrying capacity is at

50%

resource conservation ethic

The belief that people should maximize use of resources, based on the greatest good for everyone

federal agencies

Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service

bureau of land management

grazing, mining, timber harvesting and recreation

us forest service

timber harvesting, grazing, and recreation

national park service

recreation and conservation

fish and wildlife service

conservation, hunting, and recreation

maximum sustainable yield

The maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource

international public land categories

national parks, managed resource protection areas, habitat/species management areas, strict nature reserves and wilderness areas, protected landscapes and seascapes, national monuments

national parks

are managed for scientific, educational, and recreational use, and sometimes for their beauty or unique landforms

Managed resource protected areas

are designated for the sustained use of biological, mineral, and recreational resources.

habitat/species management areas

are actively managed to maintain biological communities

strict nature reserves and wilderness areas

are set aside to protect species and ecosystems

protected landscapes and seascapes

permit nondestructive use of natural resources while allowing for tourism and recreation

national monuments

are designated to protect unique sites of special natural or cultural interests

percent of land used to produce some type of resource

74%

consequences of logging

loss of biodiversity, loss of shelter, fuels climate change

prescribed burn

A fire deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor

why is fire good

reduce risk of uncontrolled fire

Acts

National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, clean air act, taylor grazing act

clean air act

a federal law in the United States that aims to control air pollution and improve air quality.

taylor grazing act

requires permits and fees for the use of federal grazing lands and placed limits on the number of livestock that could be grazed

national environmental policy act

A 1969 U.S. federal act that mandates an environmental assessment of all projects involving federal money or federal permits

endangered species act

A 1973 U.S. act designed to protect species from extinction

most of the US still lives in

cities

urban sprawl

Urbanized areas that spread into rural areas, removing clear boundaries between the two

urban blight

The degradation of the built and social environments of the city that often accompanies and accelerates migration to the suburbs

smart growth principles

mixed use land, range of housing opportunities, walkable neighborhoods, community collaboration in development decisions, compact building design, distinctive communities, preserve open space, transportation choices, develop existing communities, cost effective decisions

imminent domain

the right of governments like the United States to seize private property for public use, following fair compensation

children are going blind due to lack of vitamin

A

undernourished

not consuming enough calories to be healthy

malnourished

a person's diet lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals even though they get enough calories

overnourished

too many calories and improper foods that causes a person to become overweight

people who consume more meat are more

affluent

obesity in the US is a result of

fast food

grain producing went up until

1985

grain production currently is

reached its limit and is now going down

avg food items travel __________ to the table

2000 km

monocropping

Growing a large amount of a single species of plant

irrigation cons

waterlogging, salinization

resistance

pest populations may evolve resistance to a pesticide over time.

persistant

pesticides that remain in the environment a long time

nonpersistant

pesticide that breaks down relatively rapidly, usually in weeks to months

pesticide treadmill

the cycle of pesticide development followed by pest resistance, followed by development of a new pesticide

pro gmos

greater yield, reduce pesticides, greater food quality, increase profits

con gmos

safety for human consumption, effects of biodiversity, regulations

pro cafo's

low prices for meat and dairy

con cafo's

lots of pollution into water and air

bycatch devices

unintentional catch of non-target species

fisheries collapse when

there is a 90% decline

desertification

When soil is degraded by agriculture to the point at which they are not longer productive

aquaculture

the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds

organic agriculture

production of crops without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

no till agriculture

helps to stop soil degradation by leaving crop residues in the fields and not tilling the land after each harvest

integrated pest management

using a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs

inter-cropping

two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time