Chapter 1, Module 2 APES

Ecosystem Services

the process by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced

Environmental Indicators

these describe the current state of an environmental system

The 5 global scale environmental indicators

1. Biological Diversity, 2. Food Production, 3. Average Global Surface Temp and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in the Atmosphere, 4. Human Population, 5. Resource Depletion

biodiversity

the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat

genetic diversity

a measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population

species

a group of organisms that is is distinct from other groups in its morphology, behavior, or biochemical properties

species diversity

the number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat

speciation

the evolution of new species

background extinction rate

the average rate at which species become extinct over the long term

anthropogenic

derived from human activities

sustainability

living on earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources

sustainable development

development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations

biophilia

love of life

ecological footprint

a measure of how much an individual consumes, expressed in area of land