6.8 implications for human well being Flashcards
Forest loss
The removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use. Associated with deforestation.
Environmental Kuznet’s curve
A model which suggests that economic development initially leads to a deterioration in the environment, but after a certain level of economic growth, a society begins to improve its relationship with the environment and levels of environmental degradation decrease. A ‘tipping point’ is reached where exploitation changes to protection/conservation/sustainability.
Environmental Management
Environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable use of ecosystems for present and future generations.
Evaporation Rate
The rate at which a material will vaporize (evaporate, change from liquid to gas/vapor).
Water Vapour
The gaseous state of water.
Precipitation Patterns
Precipitation levels could increase or decrease in different locations as a result of changes to the carbon cycle. Increases in temperature (E-GHE and global warming) can alter the rate of evaporation, and warmer air will store more water (resulting in more water in the atmosphere).
River regime
The difference in the discharge of a river throughout the year.
Water stores
A stage of the water/hydrological cycle where water remains stationary for a period of time (i.e. the residence time) before continuing in the cycle (transfer/flow).
Cryosphere
The frozen component of the hydrosphere (the water environment on Earth). This includes sea ice, glaciers, snow cover and ice sheets
Drainage basin
An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.
Coastal protection
Methods used to control physical/human processes to maintain/sustain coastal environments.
Arctic barometer
The way in which the arctic is already showing pressure on its natural systems from anthropogenic influences (i.e. human activity).
Runaway global warming
A reinforced positive feedback loop is achieved, which causes global warming/the E-GHE to be perpetuated.
Methane hydrate
Methane molecules trapped inside ice deposits. If it is either warmed or depressurised, it will revert back to water and natural gas. When brought to the earth’s surface, one cubic meter of gas hydrate releases 164 cubic meters of natural gas. Hydrate deposits may be several hundred meters thick and generally occur in two types of settings: under Arctic permafrost, and beneath the ocean floor.
Albedo
The solar energy reflected from the Earth back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the earth’s surface. Lighter coloured surfaces (i.e. ice sheets/snow cover) have a greater ‘albedo effect’ and reflect more solar energy compared to darker coloured surfaces.
Tree Line
The edge/limit of a habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high altitudes and latitudes. Global warming is causing it advance in to higher latitudes (i.e. towards the poles).
Coral bleaching
When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are at risk of death.
Aquaculture
The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants.
Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP)
Different predictions/scenarios of how the world may look in 2100 according to CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. (Created by the IPCC.)
Marine conservation zone
Areas that protect a range of nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species in coastal/marine environments.
Oceana
A pressure group which focuses on ocean conservation. They have ranked of the vulnerability of coastal countries using a risk equation… Exposure + dependence + lack of adaptive capacity = vulnerability
