APES Exam Review

Anthropocentric

regarding humans as most significant species; human-centered

Tragedy of the Commons

the depletion of shared resources by people acting in individual interest

Triple Bottom Line

approach to sustainability that meets environmental, economic, and social goals (business)

Inorganic Compounds

compounds that lack carbon and hydrogen atoms

Organic Compounds

compounds that contain carbon-based molecules

Positive Feedback Loop

when the response to a stimulus increases the original stimulus

Negative Feedback Loop

when the response to a stimulus decreases the effect of the original stimulus

Overshoot

when a population exceeds the long term carrying capacity for an environment

Open System

a system in which matter can enter from or escape to the surroundings

Closed System

a system that allows the exchange of energy (not matter)between the system and its surroundings

Holistic

emphasizing the functional relationship between parts and the whole

Hectare

a unit of surface area equal to 100 ares

Ecological Footprint

a way of measuring how much of an impact a person or community has on the earth

Sustainable Development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations

Environmental Justice

recognition that access to a clean, healthy environment is a fundamental right

Biodiversity

the variety of species living within an ecosystem

In situ

in the original or natural place or site

Ex situ

off-site conservation; outside location

Inbreeding Depression

the negative consequences in a population when genetically similar parents reproduce weak offspring

Intrinsic Value

worth independent of any human benefit; inherent worth

Invasive Species

species that enter new ecosystems and harm native species and their habitats

Endangered Species Act

identifies/protects threatened and endangered species

Lacey Act

prohibits interstate transport of wild animals without federal permit

Species Diversity

the number and relative amount of species in a biological community

Island Biogeography

the study of rates of colonization and extinction of species on islands (size, shape, and distance)

Genetic Diversity

the amount of variation in the genetic material within all members of a population

Biological Wealth

combination of commercial, scientific, and aesthetic values by a regions biota

Ecotourism

a form of tourism that supports the conservation and sustainable development of ecological areas

Instrumental Value

value based on its usefulness to humans

Remediation

containment, treatment or removal of contaminated groundwater

Nitrification

the process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil

Denitrification

conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas

Ammonification

decomposers convert organic waste into ammonia

Niche

the status of an organism within its environment and community

Ecotone

the transition from one type of habitat or ecosystem to another

Autotroph

organism that makes its own food

Heterotroph

an organism that depends on complex organic substances for nutrition; cannot make food

Interspecific Competition

competition between members of different species

Intraspecific Competition

competition between members of the same species

Net Primary Productivity

the rate at which biomass accumulates in an ecosystem

Gross Primary Productivity

the rate at which energy is produced in an ecosystem

Indicator Species

species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged

Keystone Species

a species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem

Resource Partitioning

difference of niches that enables similar species to coexist in a community

Umbrella Species

a species that impacts the survival of many species

Euphotic Zone

layer of water where sunlight is sufficient for photosynthesis to occur

Thermal Stratification

vertical temperature layering

Salinization

the buildup of salts in surface soil layers

Oligotrophic

system in which productivity and nutrient content are low

Eutrophication

process of a body of water becoming too rich in nutrients, leading to plant growth that depletes oxygen

Trawler Fishing

dragging a net held open at the neck along the ocean bottom to get bottom-dwelling fish

Purse-seine Fishing

a large net is encircled around the targeted catch,then the bottom of the net is drawn tight like the strings of a purse

Drift Net Fishing

catching fish in huge nets that drift in the water

Long Line Fishing

fishing by dragging long lines with baited hooks

Floodplain

a low plain adjacent to a river and subject to flooding

Center-pivot Irrigation

a type of irrigation that waters crops using sprinkler systems on huge turning wheels

Trickle Irrigation

a form of irrigation that saves water by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants

Watershed

the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place

Evapotranspiration

the evaporation of water from soil plus the transpiration of water from plants

Xeriscaping

a method of landscaping that uses plants that are well adapted to the local area and are drought resistant

Growth Rate

rate of increase or decrease of a population

Total Fertility Rate

measures the number of children born per woman

Replacement Fertility Rate

the average number of children that couples in a population must have to replace themselves

Zero Population Growth

when the birth rate equals the death rate

Demographic Transition

the general pattern of demographic change from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates

Exponential Growth

occurs when the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate

Biotic Potential

maximum rate at which a population could increase under ideal conditions

Population Density

number of individuals per unit area

Doubling Time

the time required for a population to double in size

Demography

the scientific study of population characteristics

Crude Birth Rate

the number of live births yearly per thousand people in a population

Crude Death Rate

the number of deaths yearly per thousand people in a population

Population Explosion

the rapid growth of the world's human population during the past century

Graying

a term used to indicate that a large amount of a society's population is becoming elderly

Generation Time

the period between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation

Igneous Rock

a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface

Sediment Rock

a type of rock formed from sediment is deposited in layers and compacted

Metamorphic Rock

a type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat/pressure/reactions

Coreolis Effect

water moves clock wise in the northern hemisphere, counter clockwise in the southern

Intrusive

rocks that form from magma below the surface

Extrusive

rocks that form when lava cools and solidifies on the surface

Divergent Plates

plates moving away from each other in opposite directions

Convergent Plates

tectonic plates that collide with each other

Transform Plates

plates that slide past each other

Lithosphere

the solid part of the earth (crust, outer mantle)

Hydrosphere

the watery layer of the earth's surface

Asthenosphere

the soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats

Relative Dating

method of determining the age of a fossil (comparing fossil placement)

Convection

the transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid or gas

Conduction

the transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another through direct contact

Topsoil

the layer of soil on the surface

Litter

the layer of dead plant leaves and stems on the surface of the soil

Subsoil

the layer of soil beneath the topsoil that contains mostly clay

Humus

partially decomposed organic matter

Porosity

the percentage of the total volume of a rock or sediment that consists of open spaces

Overgrazing

allowing more animals to graze in an area than the range can support

Organic Fertilizer

a fertilizer that is derived from animal or vegetable matter

Inorganic Fertilizer

an agricultural product applied to the soil (mined or synthetically manufactured material)

Desertification

degradation of land because of human actions( excessive crop planting, grazing and tree cutting)

Erosion

condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind

Structure (soil)

-O horizon
-A-mineral matter and hummus
-E - leached of color
-B - clay accumulation from above
-C horizon - partially altered bedrock

Excessive Irrigation

over irrigation of a specific area that leads to salinization

Acidity

a measure of how acid a solution is- the lower the pH, the greater this is

Animal Manure

dung/urine of animals used as a form of organic fertilizer

Green Manure

a growing crop that is plowed under to enrich soil

LD-50

the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population

"Snow White Syndrome"

production of visually appealing products for consumers through pesticides/fertilizers

Biomagnification

buildup of pollutants at higher levels of the food chain

Bioaccumulation

the build up of a substance as it passes through a food chain

Rachel Carson

author of Silent Spring; helped influence environmental awareness and banning of DDT

Food Irradiation

the treatment of foods with gamma radiation kill potentially harmful pathogens and increase shelf life

Bacillus thuringensis

a biological insecticide

Carcinogen

any substance that produces cancer

Mutagen

physical or chemical agent that causes mutations

Teratogen

any factor that can cause a birth defect

Endocrine Disruptor

acts as hormones and disrupts the reproductive process

Radon

a radioactive gaseous element

Cultural Hazard

smoking, unsafe working conditions, poor diet, drugs, drinking, driving, criminal assault, unsafe sex, and poverty

Physical Hazard

the use, condition, or occupancy of an area or object

Biological Hazard

any living organism or waste of living organism that contributes to disease

Brownfields

abandoned polluted industrial sites in central cities

Fly Ash

a waste product produced by the burning of coal

Closed Loop Recycling

recycling of a product into the same product

Open Loop Recycling

recycling products are reused to form new products

Love Canal

toxic waste site in New York filled with drums of waste that leaked.

Leachate

a liquid that has passed through compacted solid waste in a landfill

Orphan Sites

sites abandoned with hazardous waste in them

Bottom Ash

the unburned and unburnable matter left after waste has gone through combustion

Superfund

a fund created by Congress in 1980 to clean up hazardous waste sites

Municipal Solid Waste

waste produced by households and businesses

Industrial Solid Waste

produced by mines, agriculture, and industries

Life-Cycle Analysis

the assessment of the effect a product has on the environment

Source Reduction

reducing waste at the source, producing less waste

Bioremediation

the use of living organisms to detoxify and restore

Sanitary Landfill

a low area where waste is buried between layers of earth

Asbestos

mineral used extensively in insulation, causes respiratory issues

SOX

produced by chemical interacting between sulfur and oxygen; acid rain, secondary pollutant

NOX

nitrous oxides (created through burning fossil fuels); photochemical smog

CFCs

chlorofluorocarbons; destroy ozone layer

VOCs

used in paints, stains; create ozone

Particulate Matter

reduces visibility and respiratory irritation

Fecal Coliform

indicator of sewage contamination

Albedo

percent of solar radiation reflected by a surface

Ozone

a colorless gas; separated by "good ozone" and "bad ozone"

Kyoto Protocol

binding commitments for the reduction of four greenhouse gases and two groups of gases

Hypoxic

low level of oxygen

Aerosols

small particles in atmosphere

Photochemical Smog

mixture of ozone and other chemicals; when pollutants react

Industrial Smog

smog resulting from industry emissions/burning of fossil fuels.

Nonpoint Source

widely spread source of pollution; not specific

Turbine

provides mechanical energy to a generator

Water Impoundment

storage of water in a reservoir behind a dam

Oil Sands

substances that can be mined from the ground

Crude Oil

petroleum that has not been processed

Control Rods

free neutrons, neutron-absorbing rods that help control the reaction by limiting free neutrons

Fuel Rods

tubes containing uranium or other elements that release energy when fission occurs

Cogeneration

the production of energy from the same fuel source

Conservation

the preservation of the environment and natural resources

Strip Mining

rocks and soil are stripped from earths surface to expose the underlying materials

Biomass

plant materials and animal waste used as fuel

Curie

unit of radioactivity

Biofuels

fuelscreated from the fermentation of plants or plant products

Ethanol

a soure of energy that can be processed from plant material

Nuclear Fuel

fuel that can be used in nuclear reactors as a source of electricity

Nuclear Fission

a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei

Wilderness Act

allowed Congress to set aside land for reservation

Safe Water and Drinking Act

protects drinking water from toxic contamination through discharge

Convention on the Law of the Sea

defines rights and responsibilities of nations in use of world's oceans; promotes peaceful use of oceans

Food Security Act

tax-related provisions; provides support for crops, energy, livestock, etc.

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

governs sale/use of pesticides in the United States

Stockholm Declaration

focused on creating international environmental policy

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act

encourages response, requires reporting of toxic contamination

Montreal Protocol

banned production of aerosols, redution of CFCs

Taylor Grazing Act

prevents overgrazing/soil degredation; providers improvements, development

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

regulates labeling of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices

Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species

international legislation controlling exploitation of endangered species

Occupational Safety and Health

protects the welfare of people engaged in work or employment

Clean Water Act

created to make surface waters swimmable and fishable; set standards for water

Clean Air Act

emission standards for cars/limits for release of air pollutants

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

requires coal strip mines to reclaim the land