AICE - Environmental Management - Chapter 1 - Vocabulary

Chapter 1 - Key Terms

environment

the surroundings or habitat in which an organism lives

species

a group of living organisms made up of individuals that can produce fertile offspring when they reproduce

carrying capacity

the number of a species which a region can support without environmental degradation

continents

the main continuous expanses of land found on Earth (Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, Oceania, and Antarctica)

Low-income countries (LICs)

countries that have the weakest economies and are least developed. (GNI per capita of US$1086 or less)

Gross national income (GNI)

the total amount of money earned by a nation's people and businesses; used to measure a nation's wealth

Middle-income countries (MICs)

countries that have started to develop, with growing industry and GNI per capita increasing (more than US$1086 but less than US$13,205)

High-income countries (HICs)

countries that have strong, well-developed economies and a good standard of living, where the GNI per capita is more than US$13,205

sustainability

the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

ecosystem

a biological community of organisms interacting with each other and the physical environment

pollution

the presence or introduction into the environment of a substance, which is harmful or has poisonous effects, for example polluted water is harmful to drink

biodiversity

the number of different living organisms found within an ecosystem or region

water cycle

the process in which water moves from the sea, into the atmosphere, onto and into land and back into the sea

open system

a system in which material can either be lost or gained

closed system

a system in which material is neither being created nor lost

evaporation

the process by which liquid turns to gas

precipitation

water that falls to the ground as rain, snow, hail, and sleet

transpiration

water lost through the leaves of plants

humidity

the percentage of water vapor in the air

condensation

the process by which a gas changes into a liquid due to cooling

Interception

the blocking of rainfall by vegetation, preventing it from reaching the ground

through-fall

rain that falls through the leaves and branches of plants

stem-flow

rainfall that reaches the ground in a forest by draining down the trunks of plants

runoff

the draining away of water as overland flow

aquifer

an underground layer of permeable rock in which water is stored in the rock pores

infiltration

the movement of water into the soil from the surface

through-flow

the lateral transfer of water downslope through the soil

groundwater

the water found underground in cracks and spaces in the soil, sand, and rocks

groundwater flow

water which flows under the ground until it reaches the surface, often through boreholes or wells

abstraction

the process of taking water from a groundwater source

atmosphere

the envelope of gases, vapor, and dust that surround Earth

variable gases

gases with concentrations that can differ spatially or over time

troposphere

the lowest zone of the atmosphere that extends from Earth's surface to a height of approximately 10 km

stratosphere

the zone of the atmosphere above the troposphere where the ozone layer is located

ozone layer

a layer of the stratosphere rich in ozone (O3) molecules, which absorb much of the incoming UV radiation

mesosphere

the zone of the atmosphere above the stratosphere

phytoplankton

algae found in the upper parts of the ocean, the algae photosynthesise, capturing energy from the sun to live and grow

cataracts

a cloudiness of the lens of the eye which makes vision blurry

natural greenhouse effect

the warming of the atmosphere by gases naturally found in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the sun

greenhouse gases

gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, that are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, foams, and packing materials, solvents, and refrigerants

enhanced greenhouse effect

an increase in the warming of the atmosphere, over and above the natural greenhouse effect, through gasses produced by human activities. These gasses increase the amount of infrared radiation being retained in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the sun

biosphere

the zones of Earth where living organisms can survive

hydrosphere

all the water on Earth's surface, including lakes, seas, ground water and atmospheric water such as clouds

lithosphere

the rigid outer layer of Earth

biomes

large-scale ecosystems that are typically defined by climate and the dominant vegetation type - for example, tropical rainforests or hot deserts

biotic

living organisms (e.g., plants)

abiotic

climate, soil type, slope angle and non-living things or things without life are all abiotic factors that influence the structure of an ecosystem

population

a group of organisms of the same species living within an ecosystem

community

the different populations that live together in an ecosystem

habitat

the place an organism makes its home. It meets all the environmental conditions that an organism needs for survival

competition

the relationships between organisms that need the same resource in the same space

ecological niche

the role and position that a species fills in an ecosystem, including the conditions and feeding needs necessary for the survival of the species

intra-specific

between individuals of the same species

inter-specific

between individuals of different species

food chain

the feeding sequence of organisms indicating the flow of energy as one species is consumed by the next, from the primary producer through to the apex predator

trophic level

a group of organisms within an ecosystem that fill the same level within a food chain

ecological pyramid

a graphic representation of the relationship between organisms at different trophic levels in an ecosystem

primary producer

the organism within a food chain that produces its own food source through photosynthesis

consumer

an organism that cannot produce its own food, and must eat other organisms in order to obtain nutrients

herbivore

an organism that only eats plants, also known as a primary consumer

omnivore

an organism that eats both meat and plants, also known as a secondary consumer

carnivore

an organism that only eats meat, also known as a tertiary consumer

decomposer

an organism that breaks down organic material

limiting factor

anything that may slow population growth, or constrain population size. The term limiting factor can also be used in other contexts to refer to any factor that can slow or reduce the chance of an event occurring

food web

the connection of all the individual food chains within a community

biomass

the total quantity or weight of organic material in an ecosystem, or plant material used as an energy source

hydrophilic

a water-loving material which attracts water, and is capable of holding onto it

mucus

a slimy, sticky substance that coats, protects, and moistens the surface it covers

hibernation

a period of time when a plant or animal remains in a dormant or inactive state resembling sleep

photosynthesis

the process by which plants synthesize glucose using carbon dioxide, water, and energy from sunlight

aerobic respiration

the chemical reactions in cells that break down glucose molecules and release energy, carbon dioxide, and water

chlorophyll

green pigment in the leaves of all green plants, which is responsible for the absorption of light to provide energy for photosynthesis

carbon cycle

the flow of carbon between various carbon stores

combustion

the burning of an item, e.g. the burning of fossil fuels to use their energy

carbon stores

where carbon is stored, including organic material, soil, fossil fuels, and oceans

carbon sink

this is anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.

carbon source

a carbon store that releases more carbon than it stores

fossilization

the process through which organic material is replaced with mineral substances in the remains of an organism. It is a physical, chemical, and biological process that preserves the plant and animal remains over time

cryosphere

parts of Earth's surface made up of ice, including ice, snow, glaciers, and permafrost

pedosphere

the outermost layer of Earth made up of soils

range

the difference between the upper and lower limits on a particular scale (e.g., temperature)