10.3 Human effects on ecosystems

peer review

the process by which scientific papers are sent to other scientists who are experts in the field, for them to read and assess before publication in a journal

valid

a valid study has been properly designed to answer the questions being asked

reliable

in a reliable study, other scientists can repeat the methodology and obtain similar results

biased

if a study is biased, it has been influenced in some way to deliver a particular conclusion

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

analyses research from scientists on climate change and produces regular unbiased reports based on all the available data to be used by politicians and decision makers globally

greenhouse effect

the process by which gases in the Earth's atmosphere absorb and re-radiate the radiation from the Sun, which has been reflected from the Earth's surface, maintaining a temperature at the surface of the Earth that is warm enough for life to exist

Dendrochronology

the dating of past events using tree-ring growth

Anthropogenic

produced by people

proxy data

Data gathered from natural recorders of climate variability such as tree rings, ice cores, and ocean-floor sediments from which data can be inferred

Peat bog dating

analysing pollen grains preserved in samples of the peat bog give us an idea of which plants could grow in the conditions at certain points in time

Sustainability

the production of a decent standard of living for everyone now, without compromising the need of future generations or of the ecosystems around

Aquaculture

the farming of fish or shellfish in tanks or in containers in rivers, lakes or the sea

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

the largest global environmental organisation and produces the regularly updates Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Species of Wild Fauna & Flora

an international agreement designed to protect endangered animals and plants by regulating trade in both the living organisms and products made from them