Honors Biology: Mod 7b Humans in the Biosphere Vocabulary

Biological magnification

Increasing concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or food web

aquaculture

raising of aquatic organisms for human consumption

ecological footprint

Total amount of functioning ecosystem needed both to provide the resources a human uses and to absorb the wastes that a population generates

ecological hot spot

Small geographic area where a significant number of habitats and species are in immediate danger of extinction

acid rain

precipitation containing nitric and sulfuric acids.

biodiversity

total of the variety of organisms in the biosphere

habitat fragmentation

splitting of ecosystems into pieces

ozone layer

Atmospheric layer in which ozone gas is relatively concentrated; protects life on earth from UV rays in sunlight

genetic diversity

Sum total of all different forms of genetic information carried by a particular species, or by all organisms on Earth

species diversity

number of different species that make up a particular area

smog

gray-brown haze formed by a mixture of chemicals

Sustainable Development

Strategy for using natural resources without depleting them and for providing human needs without causing long-term environmental harm