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APES

Terms in this set (271)

Sustainable Development
Real increase in well-being and standard of life for the average person that can be maintained over the long-term w/o degrading the environment or compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Global Environmentalism
A concern for and action to help solve global environmental problems
Extreme Poverty
Living on less than $1 per day
Ethics
A branch of philosophy concerned w/ right and wrong
Moral Value
Value or worth of something based on moral principles
Moral Extensionism
Expansion of our understanding of inherent value or rights to persons, organisms or things that might not be considered worthy of value or rights under some ethical philosophies
Inherent Value
Ethical values or rights that exist as intrinsic or essential characteristic of a particular thing or class of things simply by the fact of their existence
Instrumental Value
Value or worth of objects that satisfy the needs and wants of moral agents
Stewardship
Philosophy that holds that humans have a unique responsibility to manage, care for and improve nature
Environmental Justice
recognition that access to a clean, healthy environment is a fundamental right of all human beings
LULU's
Locally Unwanted Land Use
-Toxic waste dumps, incinerators, smelters, airports, freeways and other sources of environmental economic or social degradation
Environmental Racism
Decisions that restrict certain people or groups of people to polluted or degraded environments on the basis of race
Toxic Colonialism
Shipping toxic wastes to a weaker or poorer nation
Environmental Science
Systematic, scientific study of our environment as well as our role in it
Ecological Footprint
A measure that computes the demands placed on nature by individuals and nations
Utilitarian Conservation
Philosophy that resources should be used for the greatest good for the greatest # for the longest time
Biocentric Preservation
Philosophy that emphasizes the fundamental right of living organisms to exist and to pursuer their own goods
Aerosols
Minute particles or liquid droplets suspended in the air
Convection Currents
Rising or sinking air currents that stir the atmosphere and transport heat from one area to another - also occur in water
Stratosphere
Zone in atmosphere extending from tropopause to 30mi above earths surface - temps are stable or rise slightly w/ altitude- very little water vapor, rich in ozone
Ozone
Highly reactive molecule containing 3 oxygen atoms- dangerous pollutant in ambient air - in stratosphere ozone protects us from ultraviolet light and mutagenic radiation
Albedo
Description of a surfaces reflective properties
Greenhouse Effect
Gases in the atmosphere are transparent to visible light but absorb in fared (heat) waves that are reradiated from earths surface
Greenhouse Gases
Chemical compounds that trap heat in the atmosphere. Principle anthropogenic greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, CFC's, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride
Positive Feedback Loop
Situation in which a factor of condition causes changes that further enhance that factor or condition
Latent Heat
Stored energy in a form that is not sensible
Coriolis Effect
Influence of friction and drag on air layers near the earth- deflects air currents to the direction of the earths rotation
Jet Streams
powerful winds or currents of air that circulate in shifting flows - similar to oceanic currents in extent and effect on climate
Monsoons
Seasonal reversal of wind patterns caused by the different heating and cooling rates of the oceans and continents
Cold Front
Moving boundary of cooler air displacing warmer air
Warm Front
long, wedge shaped boundary caused when a warmer advancing air mass slides over neighboring cooler air patterns
Hurricanes
Large cyclonic oceanic storms w/ heavy rain and winds exceeding 74mph
Tornadoes
Violent storm- swirling winds and updrafts. Forms when cold front pushes under a warm, moist air mass over the land
Milankovitch Cycles
Periodic variations in tilt, eccentricity and wobble in the earths orbit. Milankovitch suggested that its responsible for cyclic weather changes
El Nino
Climate Change marked by shifting of a large warm water pool from the pacific ocean towards the east- causes decrease in some fish species, west winds weaken or reverse
La Nina
Oscillation in the pacific- trade winds hold warm surface waters in the western part of the basin and cause upwelling of cold, nutrient rich, deep water in the eastern part of ocean- Colder U.S winters, more atlantic ocean hurricanes, wildfires in FL
Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)
large pool of warm water that moves N and S in pacific ocean every 30yrs or so - large affect on N. Americas Climate
Kyoto Protocol
160 countries- International agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - U.S didn't sign, Bush thought it was too expensive, introduced cap and trade, excluded developing nations
Cap and Trade Controls
Approach to controlling pollution- mandating upper limits on how much each country, sector, or specific industry is allied to emit. - Successful companies can sell their credit to companies having difficult time under this law
Carbon Neutral
System or process that doesn't release more carbon to the atmosphere than it consumes
Climate
Description of the long-term patterns of wearer in a particular area
Hadley Cells
Circulation patterns of atmospheric convection currents as they sink and rise in several intermediate bands
Tropopause
Boundary b/w troposphere and stratosphere
Troposphere
Layer of air nearest to the earths surface- both temp and pressure usually decrease w/ increasing altitude
Weather
Description of physical conditions of the atmosphere (moisture, temp, pressure, wind)
Wedge Analysis
Policy options proposed for reducing greenhouse gas emissions using existing technology. Each wedge = cumulative reduction of 1 billion tons of carbon over next 50yrs.
Primary Pollutants
Chemicals released directly into the air in a harmful form
Secondary Pollutants
Chemicals modified to a hazardous form after entering the air or that are formed by chemical reactions as components of the air mix and interact
Fugitive Emissions
Substances that enter the air w/o going through a smokestack - dust from erosion, strip mining, rock crushing, construction, building demolition
Ambient Air
Air immediately around us
Conventional/Criteria Pollutants
7 major pollutants identified and regulated by U.S Clean Air Act; 1.) Sulfur Dioxide, 2.) carbon monoxide, 3.) Hydrocarbons, 4.) Nitrogen Oxides, 5.) Photochemical Oxidants 6.) Lead, 7.) Particulates
Sulfur Dioxide
Colorless, corrosive gas directly damaging to both plants and animals- dissolve in water droplets, damages plants and animals, transport acidic sulfate ions in our lungs
Nitrogen Oxides
Highly reactive gases formed when nitrogen in fuel or combustion air is heated to over 650 degrees in the presence of oxygen or when bacteria in soil or water oxidize nitrogen - containing compounds-growth of weedy species, excess fertilization
Carbon Monoxide
Colorless, odorless, nonirritating but highly toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion of fuel - incineration of biomass or solid waste, partially anaerobic decomposition of organic material- global warming
Particulate Material
Atmospheric aerosols - dust, ash, soot, lint, smoke, pollen, spores, algal cells and other suspended materials. Originally applied only to solid particles- now extended to droplets of liquid- soil erosion, lung tissue damage
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)
organic chemicals that evaporate readily and exist as gases in the air-
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP's)
Especially dangerous air pollutants including carcinogens, neurotoxins, mutagens, teratogens, endocrine system disrupters and other highly toxic compounds
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
Program created 1984 that requires manufacturing facilities and waste handling and disposal sites to report annually on releases of more than 300 toxic materials
Aesthetic Degradation
Changes in environmental quality that off end our aesthetic senses
Temperature Inversions
Stable layer of warm air overlays cooler air, trapping pollutants near ground level
Stratospheric Ozone
The ozone occurring in the stratosphere 10-50km above earths surface
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
Chemical compounds w/ a carbon skeleton and one or more attached chlorine and fluorine atoms - used in fridges, solvents, fire retardants and blowing agents
Bronchitis
persistent inflammation of bronchi and bronchioles
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
irreversible damage to the linings of the lungs caused by irritants
Synergistic Effects
When an injury caused by exposure to two environmental factors together is greater than the sum of exposure to each factor individually
Acid Precipitation
Acid rain, snow, or dry particles deposited from the air due to increased acids released by anthropogenic or natural resources
Hydrolic Cycle
Natural process by which water is purified and made fresh through evaporation and precipitation - provides all the freshwater available for biological life
Rain Shadow
Dry area on the downwind side of a mountain
Groundwater
Water held in gravel deposits or porous rock below the earths surface - does not include water or crystallization held by chemical bonds in rocks or moisture in upper soil layers
Infiltration
process of water percolation into the soil and pores and hollows of permeable rocks
Zone of Aeration
Upper soil layers that hold air and water
Zone of Saturation
Lower soil layers where all spaces are filled w/ water
Water table
Top layer of the zone of saturation - undulates according to surface topography and subsurface structure
Aquifers
porous, water bearing layers of sand, gravel and rock below earths surface - reservoirs for groundwater
Artesian Well/Spring
Result of pressurized aquifer intersecting the surface or being penetrated by a pipe or conduit from which water gushes w/o being pumped
Recharge Zone
Area where water infiltrates into an aquifer
Discharge
Amount of water that passes a fixed point in a given amount of time - usually expressed as liters or cubic feet of water per second
Renewable Water Supplies
Annual freshwater surface runoff plus annual infiltration into underground freshwater aquifers that are accessible for human use
Water Scarcity
Annual available freshwater supplies less than 1,000 m^3 per person
Water Stress
Situation when residents of a country don't have enough accessible, high-quality water to meet their everyday needs
Withdrawal
Description of total amount of water taken from a lake, river or aquifer
Consumption
Fraction of withdrawn water that is lost in transmission or that is evaporated, absorbed, chemically transformed, or made unavailable b/c of human use
Degraded
Deterioration of water quality due to contamination or pollution - makes water unsuitable
Subsidence
Settling of the ground surface caused by the collapse of porous formations that result from withdrawal of large amounts of groundwater, oil, or other underground materials
Salt Water Intrusion
Movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers in coastal areas where groundwater is withdrawn faster than it is replenished
Sinkholes
Large surface crater caused by the collapse of an underground channel or cavern - triggered by groundwater withdrawal
Condensation
Aggregation of water molecules from vapor to liquid or solid when the saturation concentration is exceeded
Desalination
Removal of salt from water by distillation, freezing or ultrafiltration
Dew Point
Temp at which condensation occurs for a given concentration of water vapor in the air
Residence Time
length of time a component, as an individual water molecule spends in a particular compartment or location before it moves on through a particular process or cycle
Photochemical Oxidants
Products of secondary atmospheric reactions
Smog
Combo of smoke and fog in stagnant air - put in photochemical pollution products or urban air pollution of any kind
Point Source
Specific locations of highly concentrated pollution discharge - Factories, power plants, sewage treatment plants, underground coal mines, oil wells
Non-Point Source
Scattered, diffused sources of pollutants - runoff from farm fields, golf courses, construction sites
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Standard test of water pollution measured by the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by aquatic organisms over a given period
Dissolved Oxygen Content (DO)
Amount of oxygen dissolved in a given volume of water at a given temp and atmospheric pressure - measured in ppm
Oxygen Sag
oxygen decline downstream from a pollution source that introduces materials w/ high biological oxygen demands
Oligotrophic
Rivers and lakes that have clear water and low biological productivity - clear, cold, infertile
Eutrophic
Rivers and lakes rich in organisms or organic material
Cultural Eutrophication
Increase in biological productivity and ecosystem succession caused by human activities
Red Tide
Population explosion or bloom of minute, single-celled marine organisms called dinoflagellates - billions of these cells can accumulate in protected bays where the toxins they contain can poison other marine life
Thermal Plume
Plume of water discharged into a stream or lake by a heat source such as a power plant
Total Maximim Daily Load
Amount of particular pollutant that a water body can receive from both point and non point sources and still meet water quality standards
Primary Treatment
process that removes solids from sewage before discharged or treated further
Secondary Treatment
bacterial decomposition of suspended particulates and dissolved organic compounds that remain after primary sewage treatment
Teritary Treatment
Removal of inorganic minerals and plant nutrients after primary and secondary treatment of sewage
Effluent Sewerage
low cost alternative sewage treatment for cities in poor communities that combines some features of septic systems and centralized municipal treatment systems
Best Practical Control Technology (BPT)
Best technology for pollution control available at reasonable cost and operable under normal conditions
Best Available Economically Achievable Technology (BAT)
best pollution control available
Atmospheric Deposition
Sedimentation from solids, liquids or gaseous materials from the air
Coliform Bacteria
bacteria that live in the intestines of humans and other animals - measure presence of feces in the water
Core
Dense, intensely hot mass of molten metal, mostly iron and nickel
Mantle
Hot, pliable layer of rock that surrounds earths core and underlies the cool, outer crust
Crust
Cool, light weight, outermost layer of earths surface that floats on the soft, pliable underlying layers
Tectonic Plates
Huge blocks of the earths crust that slide around slowly, pulling apart to open new ocean basins or crashing ponderously into each other to create new, larger, landmasses
Magma
molten rock from deep in the earths interior - called lava when it spews from volcanic vents
Subducted
process which one tectonic plate is pushed down below another as plates crash into eachother
Mineral
Naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solid w/ definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties
Rock
Solid, cohesive, aggregate of one or more crystalline minerals
Rock Cycle
Process where rocks are broken down by chemical and physical forces. -sediments moved by wind, water, and gravity. - sediments are reformed into rock, then crushed, folded, melted and recrystallized into new forms
Igneous Rocks
Crystalline minerals solidified from molten magma from deep in the earths interior - basalt, rhyolite, andesite, lava, granite
Metamorphic Rock
Igneous and Sedimentary rocks modified by heat, pressure and chemical reactions
Weathering
Changes in rocks brought by exposure to air, water, changing temps and reactive chemical agents
Sedimentation
Deposition of organic materials or minerals by chemical, physical or biological processes
Sedimentary Rock
Deposited material that remains in place long enough or is covered w/ enough material to compact into stone - shale, sandstone, breccia, conglomerates
Smelting
heating ores to extract minerals
Earthquakes
Sudden violent movements in earths crust
Mass Wasting
mass movement of geological materials downhill caused by rockslides, avalanches or simple slumping
Heap Leach Extraction
Technique of separating gold from extremely low grade ores - crushed ore piled in huge heaps and sprayed w/ dilute alkaline- cyanide solution- percolates through pile to extract gold- separated from effluent in processing plant- high risk of water pollution
Mid-Ocean Ridges
Mountain ranges on the ocean floor created where molten magma is forced up through cracks in crust
Surface Mining
Some minerals mined from surface pits - removing surface layers over coal seams using earth moving equipment
Tragedy of the Commons
process of degradation of communal resources due to selfish self interest of "free riders" who use or destroy more than their fair share of common property
Tsunami
Giant seismic sea swells that move rapidly from center of an earthquake- can be 10-20 meters high when they reach shoreline
Volcano
Vents in earths surface through which gases, ash or molten lava are ejected
Biotic Potential
max reproductive rate of an organism, given unlimited resources and ideal environmental conditions - environmental resistence
Exponential Growth
Growth at a constant rate of increase per unit of time - can be constant fraction or exponent
Carrying Capacity
max # of individuals of any species that can be supported by a particular ecosystem on a long term basis
Population Crash
Sudden pop. decline caused by predation, waste accumulation or resource depletion - also called dieback
Logistic Growth
Growth rates regulated by internal and external factors that establish an equilibrium w/ environmental resources
Density Dependent
Factors affecting pop. growth that change as pop. size changes
r-selected species
Species that reproduce quickly, high offspring mortality rate, frequently overshoot carrying capacity of environment and display boom and bust cycles - occupy lower trophic levels
k-selected species
Species that reproduce more slowly - occupy higher trophic levels, fewer offspring, longer lifespan
Biotic
pertaining to life - environmental factors created by living organisms
Abiotic
Nonliving
Stress-related Diseases
Diseases caused or accentuated by social stresses such as crowding
Island Biogeography
Study of rates of colonization and extinction of species on islands or other isolated areas based on size, shape and distance from other inhabited regions
Genetic Drift
Gradual changes in gene frequencies in a pop. due to random events
Founder Effect/Demographic Bottleneck
Pop. founded when just a few members of a species survive a catastrophic event or colonize new habitat geologically isolated from other members of the same species
Minimum Viable Pop. Size
The # of individuals needed for long term survival of rare and endangered species
Metapopulation
Collection of pop.'s that have regular or intermittent gene flow b/w geographically separate units
I=PAT
Formula says our environmental impacts. I= the product of our pop. size, P= Time affluence, A= the technology, T= used to produce goods and services we consume
Demography
Vital statistics about people: births, marriages, deaths, ect. - statistical study of human pop.
Crude Birth Rate
# of births in a year divided by the mid year population
Total Fertility Rate
# of children born to an average woman in a pop. during her entire reproductive life
Zero Population Growth (ZPG)
# of births at which people are just replacing themselves - also called replacement level of fertility
Crude Death Rates
# of deaths per thousand persons in a year - crude mortality rate
Natural Increase
Crude death rate subtracted from crude birthrate
Total Growth Rate
net rate of pop. growth resulting from births, deaths, immigration and emigration
Life Expectancy
Average age a newborn can expect to attain in a particular place and time
Dependency Ratio
# of non working members compared to working members for a given pop.
Pronatalist Perssures
Influences that encourage people to have children
Demographic Transition
A pattern of falling death rates and birth rates in response to improved living conditions - could be reversed in deteriorating conditions
Social Injustice
Equitable access to resources and the benefits derived from them - a system that recognizes inalienable rights and adheres to what is fair, honest and moral
Family Planning
Controlling reproduction - planning the timing of birth and having as many babies as are wanted and can be supported
Birth Control
Any method used to reduce births - abstinence, delayed marriage, contraception, medication or devices that prevent fertilized zygotes and abortions
Life Span
longest period of life reached by a type of organism
neo- malthusians
A belief that the world is characterized by scarcity and competition in which too many people fight for too few resources - Thomas Malthus - predicted a dismal cycle of misery, vice and starvation as a result of human overpopulation
Climate Change
a change in the world's climate
Convection Cells
circular patterns caused by the rising and sinking of air
Downbursts
a localized area of strong winds in a downdraft beneath a severe thunderstorm.
Ferrel Cells
Mid-latitude concection cells that create westerlies between 30 and 60
Global Warming
an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes)
Infrared Radiation
electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than radio waves
Ozone Layer
a layer in the stratosphere (at approximately 20 miles) that contains a concentration of ozone sufficient to block most ultraviolet radiation from the sun
Polar Cells
where polar air sinks and flows away from the poles downward meeting the ferrel cells at 60 degrees latitude
Tropical Cyclone
a severe storm with high winds that spiral around a calm Center
Condensation Nuclei
Microscopic particles on which water vapor condenses to form cloud droplets.
Evaporation
the process by which water changes from liquid form to an atmospheric gas
Glacier
a slowly moving mass of ice
Global conveyor system
NADW flows S toward Antarctica, then clockwise;
warm, shallow water from Pacific and Indian oceans flows into Atlantic around Africa
Relative Humidity
the ratio of the amount of water in the air at a give temperature to the maximum amount it could hold at that temperature
Saturation Point
The maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature.
Sublimation
a change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
Transpiration
evaporation of water from a plant's leaves
Acid Deposition
caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters
Carbon Dioxide
a heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances
Dust Dome
A dome of heated air that surrounds an urban area and contains a lot of air pollution
Halogens
Contains nonmetals, 7 valence electrons in it's outermost energy level. Very reactive
Heat Islands
urban areas that heat up more quickly and retain heat more than do nonurban areas.
Lead
a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element
Mercury
a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element- liquid at room temp, found in paints, batteries, fluorescent lightbulbs, electrical switches, pesticides, skin creams- neurotoxin and destroys brain and central nervous system.
Toxic metals
cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic
Tropospheric Ozone
ozone that s hazardous to human heath and vegetation; 10% of ozone
Clean Water Act
Federal Law setting a national goal of making all natural surface water fit for fishing and swimming by 1983, banned polluted discharge into surface water and required the metals be removed from waste
Dead Zone
a location within a body of water that does not have enough dissolved oxygen to sustain life.
Navigable
able to be sailed on or through safely
Phytoremediation
A method employed to clean up a hazardous waste site that uses plants to absorb and accumulate toxic materials
Potable
any liquid suitable for drinking
Rain Garden
A stormwater management feature consisting of an excavated depression and vegetation that collects and filters runoff and reduce peak discharge rates.
Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA, 1974) set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health
Septic Tank
large tank where solid matter or sewage is disintegrated by bacteria
Mesozoic
from 230 million to 63 million years ago
Cenozoic
approximately the last 63 million years
Paleozoic
from 544 million to about 230 million years ago
Precambrian
Name for the time in earths early history that accounts for ninety percent of earth's time, but only cellular organisms lived.
Asthenosphere
The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it
Bauxite
a clay-like mineral
Chemical Weathering
the process in which rock is broken down by changes in its chemical makeup
Continental Crust
The portion of the earth's crust that primarily contains granite, is less dense than oceanic crust, and is 20-50 km thick
Lava
rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos
Lithosphere
the solid, outer layer of the earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle
Lithification
The process that converts sediments into solid rock by compaction or cementation., The physical and chemical processes that transform sediments into sedimentary rocks
Mechanical Weathering
The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces
Metal
any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
Mineral Resources
inorganic substances that were formed by earth's geological processes; oil, natural gas, salt, sulphur and lignite
Oceanic Crust
the portion of Earth's crust that is usually below the oceans and not associated with continental areas, thinner and higher in density that continental crust and basaltic rather than granitic in composition
Pangaea
the name of the single landmass that broke apart 200 million years ago and gave rise to today's continents
Subsurface Mining
Extraction of a metal ore or fuel resource such as coal from a deep underground deposit.
Density Independent
Referring to any characteristic that is not affected by population density.
Baby Boom
the larger than expected generation in United States born shortly after World War II-1945 to 1964
Echo Boom
The demographic group of subjects with common defining characteristics following Generation X (the generation born after the Western post-World War II baby boom ended.)
Infant Mortality Rate
the number of babies that die per 1,000 babies in one year
Marxism
the economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that hold that human actions and institutions are economically determined and that class struggle is needed to create historical change and that capitalism will untimately be superseded
Photochemical Oxidants
Products of secondary atmospheric reactions driven by solar energy- damages eyes and lungs, vegetation
Catalytic Converter
1975- Convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they ever leave the cars exhaust system- reduces: Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, in winter doesn't work as well and CO2 is produced
Plato
1770- Complained trees were being cut down to build houses, ships, rain washed away land not sea leaving rocky, unfarmable land
Pierre Poivre
1770- Appalled by destruction of wildlife, ordered 1/4 of an island be preserved to forests, french governor of Mauritius
George Perkins Marsh
1865- Observed destruction of land by farm animals, national forest preserves were established b/c of his book and helped protect timber supplies and endangered watersheds
Teddy Roosevelt
1905- Influenced by marsh, leader of the movement that made Interior Department into Department of Agriculture
Giffort Pinchot
1905- Chief conservative advisor of Teddy, helped national parks, wild life refuge system, passed protection laws
John Muir
1916- Argued that nature exists for its own saw- biocentric preservation
Aldo Leopold
1935- Planted thousands of trees to restore land, thought land was our community that we belong to- wrote a book
Rachel Carson
1962-United States biologist remembered for her opposition to the use of pesticides that were hazardous to wildlife
David Brower
Introduced many techniques of modern environmentalism
Wangari Maathai
1977- Organized poor women and restored their environment, program grew across Kenya
Delhi, India Air Quality
Used to be- breathing the air = smoking 2 packs a day. Now its healthier and cleaner b/c catalytic converters are on the cars
Ocean Conveyor Belt
1,000yr cycle- natural flow of water, set of currents that warm H2O to poles, poles send cold H2O to tropics. Upwells phyto plankton, oxygen goes to deep water, brings up nutrients. Global warming could eliminate temp differences, belt would stop= mass extinction
Pfiesteria
Single-celled organism- secrete nerve damaging toxins- amoeba forms to wounded fish, = creates free radicals and destroys tissue
Sewage Treatment
1.) Bar Screen 2.) Grit Chamber 3.) Primary Sedimentation 4.) Aeration Tank 5.) Final Setting tank 6.) Sludge Return 7.) Air pump 8.) Disinfection 9.) Teritary 10.) Sludge
Buffering Capacity
Ability to neutralize acids
Heap Leach Extraction
Spraying ore w/ a cyanide solution to dissolve gold or silver and remove it in electrolysis process
General Mining law of 1872
have polluted more than 40% of the watersheds in the West. allows mining companies to buy public lands for $5 or less per acre
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 1977
this law requires mining companies to restore most surface-mined land by grading and replanting it
Mining CONS
Flash flooding, downstream sediment pollution, deformed fish and ecolife, toxic drinking water, ruining future water supply, acid mine drainage, deforestation, biodiversity loss, erosion
Sea Floor Spreading
Divergent boundaries n the middle of the ocean
Rift
Adopted zone where the plates are pulled apart
Oceanic Trench
Steep-sided depression in the ocean floor
J-Curve
No enemies, no competition, low disease- temporary
Clean Water Act 1972
federal law setting a national goal making all natural surface water fit for swimming and fishing
Water Quality Act of 1987
The Water Quality Act of 1987 calls for the decrease in pollution from industrial storm water discharges and a separation between municipal sewer systems and storm systems.- deals with non point sources
Safe Water Drinking Act
(SDWA, 1974) set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health
Great Lakes Compact
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The compact details how the states manage the use of the Great Lakes Basin's water supply and builds on the 1985 Great Lakes Charter and its 2001 Annex. The compact is the means by which the states implement the governors' commitments under the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement that also includes the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec.
Great Lakes Water Protection Act
Still in pending- there will be no sewage dump in the Great Lakes
Top Metal Consuming Countries
U.S, Japan, Europe
Sand and Gravel
Largest volume and dollar value of non mineral, non metal in the world
Turbidity
a measure of the clarity of the water. High turbidity = "dirty" water
Dam Instillation Regulators
Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation
Levels of the Atmosphere
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere
Voctoc Ice Core Data
Reports amount of pollutants present in atmosphere during last 100yrs.
Hypoxia
water with very low dissolved oxygen levels, the end result of eutrophication, for example.
Demographic Transition
4 stages: 1-Birth & Death rates high 2- Death fall, birth high 3-Birth fall- standard living rises 4- Growth falls to 0 or negative rate 5- Modernize, urbanize, technology
The Worlds Population
7 Billion- J-Curve
Natality
the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area
Fecundity
The physical ability to reproduce
Interspecific Interactions
interactions between species, three main- competition, predation, and symbiosis
Intraspecific Interactions
Interactions between two individuals of the same species
Species Richness
the number of different species in a community
Survivorship Curves
They show the likelihood of survival at different ages throughout the lifetime of the organism.
Population formula
dN/dt=rn
Change of individuals/ per change in time=growth rate times # of individuals in the pop.
Rule of 70
Standard to determine how long it takes for a pop. to double. ex- 2% will double in 35yrs- 35=70/2
BIDE
Births+Immigration-Deaths-Emigration
THIS SET IS OFTEN IN FOLDERS WITH...