Environmental Science Chapters 1-5

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