Chapter 12: Glossary

refers to acid rain: primary pollutants= sulfates and nitrates combine with water in atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid vapor

intense exposure to pollutants, toxins, or radioactivity over a brief period of time

solid particles and droplets suspended in the atmosphere

number of organisms in each age range within a population

10,000 years ago when humans first began to grow crops and raise livestock

new species created due to physical separation

one organism harmed, other unaffected

nitrogen combined with hydrogen to form NH3 nitrogen fixed for use by plants

events that result from human activities

point in July where Earth is farthest from the sun

carcinogen that is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral previously used for insulation for pipes, soundproofing, roof tiles, fire retardant

below lithosphere, above lower mantle, plastic-like layer within Earth, tends to flow

date with equal day and night that marks beginning of fall in northern hemisphere (September 23)

the natural rate of extinction, as opposed to the accelerated rate due to human activity

the process of a toxin concentrating in muscle tissues of organisms

natural movement of nutrients/other products through ecosystems

process of rock material being changed chemically or physically by the activities of living organisms

the buildup of toxins within an organism through the consumption of other organisms

total dry weight of all organic matter in an ecosystem; plant material and animal waste used as a fuel for energy production

large ecological area defined by dominant plant type

instinctive connection of humans to nature and other life

protected areas with the intention of preserving biodiversity while balancing with sustainable land use, education, scientific research

organism's potential to make offspring

taiga, coniferous trees, south of arctic tundra in North America, Europe, Asia

method of fishing where large net is dragged along the ocean bottom to capture benthic organisms

GMO corn with insecticide, no chemical spraying needed

GMO corn with insecticide

fish and other organisms caught unintentionally

fossil fuels are not fully combusted

water reacts with carbon dioxide, in carbonated drinks

causes cancer

rocks get weathered because of chemicals

photosynthesis without the sun

involved in depletion of ozone, used as refrigerators, conditioners, aerosol propellants

exposed to radioactivity for a long time, in small doses

violently eruptive volcanoes, cinders form with eruptions, settle around opening of volcano

cut down all the trees, nothing standing

when organisms are organized into groups, usually around a necessary resource

form of pollution control where legal limits are controlled strictly by government

one benefits, other unaffected

tall, symmetrical steep volcanoes, alternating layers of ash, cinders, lava (stratovolcanoes)

Natural gas that is compressed to less than 1 percent of the volume it occupies at standard atm, used in cars, trucks, buses as an alternate fuel

plowing rows into the side of a hill, perpendicular to the slope, reduce erosion and disperse water evenly

result of fluids/gases being heated (less dense), then cooled (more dense) and falling. Include currents in air, magma, water in ocean

large scale farming where crops are grown for many people aka industrial agriculture

A form of farming in which soil is ploughed and turned, lead to soil erosion and soil compaction in deeper layers

deflection of a moving object due to the rotation of the earth. North = right; South = left

assess the costs and benefits of a decision, determine whether a particular action should be taken.

six common air pollutants monitored by the EPA, used as a way to gauge air quality

liquid combustible fossil fuel refined into fuels and by-products used in manufacturing (plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, other materials)

ecosystem eutrophication due to excess nutrients added by human activity (algae bloom)

transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, accompanies a country's industrialization

bacteria converts nitrates to N2 gas which returns into atmosphere

bacteria that conducts denitrification

depends on a population density= disease, availability of mates, predation

does not depend on pop density= natural disaster

organisms that get energy from consuming nonliving organic matter, dead plants and animals

one extreme

two extremes

effect of an amount or concentration of a toxin on an organism or population

amt for a pop to double (rule of 70= 70/annual percentage growth rate to get years it takes to double)

dragging large nets through the water to catch fish

used to show relative biomass or productivity (energy loss) at each trophic level in an ecosystem (aka energy pyramids)

community of plants and animals replaces a less complex community of plants and animals or develops in an uninhabited area

supports life on Earth

dose of substance where 50% of test population is affected

warming phase of ENSO in eastern pacific ocean, higher air surface pressure in western pacific ocean

periodic climate pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean with 5 year cycle with variations in the surface temp of the tropical eastern pacific ocean and air pressure in tropical western pacific ocean

gases from burning of fossil fuels = coal, nat gas

species that live in only one place

substance that alters the hormone (endocrine) system by binding substance that normally bind to specific hormones, blocking hormone and impeding normal reactions

limiting factors acting on a population, restricting organism's biological potential

day = night

nitrogen or phosphorus enters an aquatic system, algae bloom, consumes the oxygen

trees planted and harvested @ the same time

destruction or disappearance of a population from one area, remains elsewhere

air circulation cell that causes temperate convection current (bc tropical and polar convection currents)

location which an earthquake originates within the Earth

The DuPont trade name for CFCs

Organisms that have a broad tolerance and can adjust to diff. situations

unintended spread of altered genetic info from GMOs to natural

4.54 billion years of Earth's history

energy of hot underground rock formations, turn water into steam for energy generation

GMO rice with vitamin A

advent of industrialized agriculture in the mid and late 20th century, more effective farming combined with new methods of increasing crop production to create greater and more efficient output

tax on environmentally unfriendly stuff

secondary air pollutant found in the troposphere, usually near Earth's surface, pollutant and a human health hazard

(birth + immigration) - (death + emigration)

division of a habitat into smaller areas, migration is impossible, bc of human activities

causes tropical convection current

chemical compounds that include halogens

flammable, corrosive, toxic or reactive waste

acronym to summarize the important causes of premature extinction (H) habitat destruction and fragmentation (I) invasive species (P) population growth (P) pollution (C) climate change (O) overharvesting

react with stratospheric ozone, break down early

better alternative than CFCs

use H2 and O2 to produce energy and water

aquatic enviro with on O2

drilled and removed from ice sheet, analyzed for trapped gas and deposits to represent historical climate

mass of ice that cover more than 50k square km

GMO strawberries that don't frost