Environment
all of the surrounding things, conditions, and influences affecting the growth or development of living things.
Environmental Science
Systematic study of our environment and out place in it.
Hypothesis
a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations
Scientific Theory
Explanation that has been supported by a large amount of tests and a majority of scientist have reached a general consensus
Pragmatic Utiliterian Conservation
The philosophy that resources should be used for the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time
Preservation
Philosophy that emphasizes the fundemental right of living organisms to exist and to pursue their own ends
Modern Environmentalism
A fusion of conservation of natural resources and preservation of nature with concerns about pollution, environmental health, and social justice
Sustainable Development
An increase in well being and standard of life for the average person that can be maintained over the long term without the ability for future generations to meet their own needs
Global Environmentalism
The extension of modern environmental concerns to global issues
Thresholds
Tipping points where rapid change occurs suddenly
Throughput
energy and matter that flows through, into, and out of a system
Posative Feedback
Increase in the state variable leads to further increasing in the same variable
Matter
that which has mass and occupies space
Atoms
smallest particles the exhibit the characteristics of an element
Isotopes
atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
Ions
electrically charged atoms that have gained or lost electrons.
Compounds
atoms of different elements bond together in specific proportions
Molecule
two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
Acids
substances that release hydrogen ions when dissolved in water
Bases
substances that can accept hydrogen ions
pH
a value that indicated the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale of 0-14, based on the proportion of H+ ions.
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid, the material that contains the information that determines inherited characteristics
Energy
the ability to do work
Heat
the energy transferred between objects that are at different temperatures
First Law of Thermodynamics
energy cannot be created or destroyed
Second Law of Thermodynamics
States that with each successive energy transfer or transformation in a system, less energy is available to do work.
Species
group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring
Population
group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area
Biomass
Accumilated biological material produced by living organisms
Carbon Cycle
the circulation and reutilization of carbon atoms especially via the process of photosynthesis and respiration.
Nitrogen Cycle
the transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere
Selection Pressures
natural forces that promote the reproductive success of some individuals more than others. ex: climate, predators, disease,competiton
Natural Selection
process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest
Critical Factor
the single environmental factor closest to a tolerance limit for a given species at a given time
Ecological Niche
A specific role of a species within an ecosystem, including its use of resources, and relationships with other species.
Endemic Species
species that are native to and found only within a limited area
Competetive Exclusion Principle
no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time
Resource Partitioning
in a biological community, various populations sharing environmental resources through specialization, thereby reducing direct competition
Speciation
the formation of new species as a result of evolution
Geographic Isolation
separation of populations as a result of geographic change or migration to geographically isolated places
Allopatric Speciation
The formation of new species in populations that are geographically isolated from one another.
Sympatic Speciation
species evolves into a new species without any barriers that separate the population
Intraspecific Competition
in a community competition for resources among members of the same species
Intrespecific Competition
A competition between members of a different species
Predator Mediated Competition
A superior competitor in a habitat builds up a larger population than its competing species
Batesian Mimicry
A type of mimicry in which a harmless species looks like a species that is poisonous or otherwise harmful to predators.
Mullerian Mimicry
when two or more poisonous species resemble each other and gain an advantage from their combined numbers
Symbiosis
how two different living organisms live together and depend on each other
Mutualism
a relationship between two species in which both species benefit
Commensalism
a relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Parasitism
symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives in or on another organism (the host) and consequently harms it
Keystone Species
a species whose impact on its community or ecosystem are much larger and more influential than would be expected from mere abundance
J Curve
a growth curve that depicts exponential growth
Carrying Capacity
Largest amount of a population that can be supported by an area
Logistic Growth
A model describing population growth that levels off as population size approaches carrying capacity
Density Dependent
Referring to any characteristic that varies according to an increase in population density.
r-Selected Species
Species that reproduce early in their life span and produce large numbers of usually small and short-lived offspring in a short period.
k-Selected Species
Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age.
Edge Effects
a change in species composition physical conditions or other ecological factors at the boundary between two ecosystems
Net Primary Productivity
productivity after respiration losses are subtracted
Climax Community
a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time.
Ecological Footprint
An estimate of our individual and collective environmental impacts.
Crude Birth Rate
the number of live births yearly per thousand people in a population
Total Fertility Rate
The number of children born to an average woman in a population during her entire reproductive life
Zero Population Growth
when the birth rate equals the death rate
Replacement Rate
the total fertility rate needed for a population to replace itself
Crude Death Rates
The number of deaths per thousand persons in a given year; also called crude mortality rate
Dependency Ratio
The number of nonworking members compared to working members for a given population
Pronatalist Pressures
Influences that encourage people to have children
Biomes
a broad, regional type of ecosystem characterized by distinctive climate and soil conditions and a distinctive kind of biological community adapted to those conditions.
Deciduous
Trees and shrubs that shed their leaves at the end of the growing season
Coniferous
term used to refer to trees that produce seed-bearing cones and have thin leaves shaped like needles
Benthic
The bottom of a sea or lake
Pelagic
zones in the vertical water column of a water body
Coral Bleaching
Occurs when a coral becomes stressed and expels most of its colorful algae, leaving an underlying ghostly white skeleton of calcium carbonat
Mangroves
shrubs and trees that live along tropical and subtropical shores
Estuaries
The lower end of a river, where it meets ocean. Saltwater and freshwater mix here. Estuaries are known to be very productive.
Salt Marshes
temperate zones estuaries that are dominated by salt tolerant grasses
Tide pools
Depressions in the rocks that hold seawater after the tide goes out.
Thermocline
A narrow stratum of rapid temperature change in the ocean and in many temperate-zone lakes
Wetlands
wet swampy areas that are often flooded with water
Swamps
Most productive wetlands; filled with numerous species of aniimal & plants; not as acidic; located in wooded areas
Marshes
wetlands without trees; in North America, this type of land is characterized by cattails and rushes
Bogs
areas of saturated ground, and usually the ground is composed of deep layers of accumulated, undecayed vegetation known as peat.
HIPPO
Habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, population of humans, and over haresting
Fragmentation
Reduction of a habitat into small isolated patches
Minimum Viable Population
The smallest population size at which a species is able to sustain its numbers and survive.
Invasive Species
species that enter new ecosystems and multiply, harming native species and their habitats