Unit 9 Review: Global Change, Climate Change, and Biodiversity

Vocabulary flashcards for the AP Environmental Science Unit 9 review, covering global change, climate change, and biodiversity issues.

Stratospheric Ozone

The good kind of ozone found in the stratosphere that absorbs dangerous high-energy UV radiation.

UV Radiation

Radiation that can cause sunburn, skin cancer, and eye damage; absorbed by stratospheric ozone.

Ozone

Made of three oxygen atoms (O3), formed when UV radiation strikes oxygen molecules (O2).

Ozone Depletion

A serious climate change issue discovered in 1985, characterized by a thinning of the ozone layer over the Antarctic pole.

Halogens

Man-made chemicals containing chlorine, fluorine, or bromine that cause ozone depletion, with chlorine being the primary concern.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Chemicals formerly found in aerosols and refrigerants, now phased out due to their ozone-depleting effects; the major damaging component is chlorine.

Montreal Protocol

An international agreement written in the 1980s to protect stratospheric ozone by phasing out CFCs.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

Chemicals used as replacements for CFCs; they do not cause ozone depletion but are strong greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse Effect

A naturally occurring process where greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, keeping the planet warm.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

Anthropogenic Sources of Greenhouse Gases

Primarily originate from human causes, especially fossil fuel combustion.

Kyoto Protocol

An agreement to reduce greenhouse gases worldwide, based on the understanding that most greenhouse gases are produced by humans.

Warming Potential

The amount of heat a gas can trap in the atmosphere; varies for different greenhouse gases.

Global Warming

The result of increased greenhouse gases, leading to changes in global climate patterns.

Positive Feedback Loops

Loops of activity that encourage further warming, such as the thawing of tundra permafrost releasing methane.

Albedo

The ability of a surface to reflect heat from the sun (high albedo = high reflection).

Ocean Acidification

Occurs when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, leading to the formation of carbonic acid, which steals carbonate from shelled organisms.

HIPPO

An acronym that helps to remember the major factors that cause biodiversity loss: Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate change, and Over-exploitation.

Threatened and Endangered Species

Species at high risk of extinction in the immediate future, often due to over-exploitation, invasive species, and specific habitat requirements.

Endangered Species Act

A U.S. law that protects threatened and endangered species from losing their habitat and from further harm.

CITES Trade Agreement

An international trade agreement designed to regulate the trade of animals and plants to ensure that trade is not detrimental to their populations.

Habitat Corridors

Methods of allowing species to travel from one area to another that may be fragmented by things such as neighborhoods and roadways.