EVS 1

1. Environmental Science
   The interdisciplinary study of interactions between the environment and human systems, integrating biology, chemistry, and social sciences.

2. Ecology
   A branch of biology that studies the relationships between organisms and their environment.

3. Sustainability
   Meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

4. Principles of Sustainability

   1. Solar Energy: Use of solar power as a primary energy source.

   2. Biodiversity: Preservation of variety in ecosystems to ensure stability.

   3. Chemical Cycling: The recycling of elements like carbon and nitrogen in ecosystems.

5. Natural Capital
   Earth's resources (ecosystems, resources, and services) that provide essential goods and services for life.

6. Ecological Footprint
   A measure of the land and resources used by a population. It reflects the environmental demand of a population.

7. Carbon Footprint
   The total amount of greenhouse gases (primarily CO2) emitted by human activity.

8. Ecological Deficit
   When the resources consumed by a population exceed the Earth’s ability to regenerate them.

9. Ecological Reserve
   When a population uses fewer resources than the environment can regenerate.

10. Temperature Records (2024)
    A projected record year for global temperatures, contributing to climate change.

Scientific Approach in Environmental Science Terms

11. Hypothetico-Deductive Science
    A scientific method that involves forming hypotheses and testing them to falsify or prove them wrong (Karl Popper's philosophy).

12. Falsification
    The process of testing a hypothesis to potentially disprove it.

13. Corroboration
    Confirming a hypothesis or finding through additional evidence and tests.

14. Theory
    A well-supported and widely accepted explanation of natural phenomena, based on repeated testing and evidence.

15. Reproducibility
    The ability for other researchers to replicate an experiment and obtain the same results.

16. Replication
    Repeating experiments to ensure the reliability of results.

17. Peer Review
    The process by which scientific work is evaluated by experts in the field before publication.

18. Field Studies
    Experiments conducted in natural settings, often with less control over variables.

19. Lab Studies
    Experiments conducted in controlled settings, which may lack ecological relevance but offer more control.

Ecology, Ecosystems, and Biogeochemistry Terms

20. Energy Flow
    The movement of energy through ecosystems, typically from producers to consumers.

21. Matter Cycling
    The recycling of matter, such as carbon, nitrogen, and water, through ecosystems.

22. Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
    The total amount of energy captured by plants through photosynthesis.

23. Net Primary Productivity (NPP)
    The energy available to consumers after plant respiration is accounted for (GPP minus plant respiration).

24. Biogeochemistry
    The study of the cycling of chemical elements (e.g., carbon, nitrogen) through biological and geological systems.

25. Positive Feedback Loop
    A feedback mechanism that amplifies changes, often leading to system instability.

26. Negative Feedback Loop
    A feedback mechanism that counteracts changes, promoting system stability.

27. Tipping Point
    A threshold beyond which significant, irreversible changes may occur in an ecosystem.

28. Closed vs. Open Cycles
    A closed cycle has no external inputs or outputs, whereas an open cycle exchanges matter or energy with the surroundings.

29. Carbon Cycle Pools
    The reservoirs where carbon is stored, including the atmosphere, oceans, and soils.

30. Nitrogen Fixation
    The process by which nitrogen is converted from an inert form (N2) into a form that plants can use (e.g., NH3).

31. Anthropogenic Nitrogen
    Nitrogen compounds introduced into the environment through human activities, like agriculture and industry.

32. Eutrophication
    The process by which water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive plant growth and oxygen depletion.

33. Phosphorus Cycle
    The cycling of phosphorus through ecosystems, with both short-term and long-term sources.

34. Acid Rain
    Rainfall made acidic by pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, leading to environmental harm.

35. Inert Carbon Pools
    Long-term storage of carbon, such as in fossil fuels or deep ocean sediments.

Biodiversity and Conservation Terms

36. Biodiversity
    The variety of life forms in a given area, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.

37. Species Richness
    The number of different species in a given area.

38. Species Abundance
    The number of individuals of each species in a given area.

39. Keystone Species
    A species that has a disproportionate effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance or biomass.

40. Endemic Species
    Species that are found only in a specific geographic location and are particularly vulnerable to extinction.

41. Conservation Hotspots
    Areas with high biodiversity that are under threat, requiring focused conservation efforts.

42. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
    An international agreement aimed at ensuring that international trade of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

43. Convention on Biological Diversity
    A global agreement aimed at conserving biodiversity, using it sustainably, and sharing the benefits of biodiversity fairly.

44. Species-Centered Conservation
    Conservation strategies focused on protecting individual species, especially those that are threatened or endangered.

45. Ecosystem-Centered Conservation
    Approaches that focus on preserving ecosystems as a whole, often with the goal of maintaining ecosystem services.

Invasive Species Terms

46. Invasive Species
    Non-native species that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

47. Non-Native Species
    Species that are not originally from a specific area but have been introduced, whether intentionally or accidentally.

48. White-Tailed Deer
    A species that has become overabundant in the U.S., leading to ecological imbalances.

49. Cascade Effect
    The domino effect where the introduction of an invasive species leads to significant changes in an ecosystem's structure and function.

50. Guam Brown Snake
    An example of an invasive species that caused a major disruption in Guam's ecosystem, leading to the decline of native bird populations.