9th Chapter Vocab Flashcards
precautionary principle
the idea that one should not undertake a new action until the ramifications of that action are well understood
biotechnology
the material application of biological science to create products derived from organisms. the creation of transgenic organisms is on type of biotechnology
community-supported agriculture (CSA)
a system in which consumers pay farmers in advance for a share of their yield, usually in the form of weekly deliveries of produce
farmers market
a market at which local farmers and food producers sell fresh locally grown iteams
life-cycle analysis
a quantitative analysis of inputs across the entire life cycle of a product-from its origins, through its production, transportation, sale, and use, and finally its disposal-in an attempt to judge the sustainability of the process and make it more ecologically efficient
poaching
the illegal killing of wildlife, usually for meat or body parts
genetic diversity
a measurement of differences in DNA composition among individuals within a given species
ecosystem diversity
the number and variety of ecosystems in a particular area. on way to express biodiversity. related concepts consider the geographic arrangements of habitats, communities, or ecosystems at the landscape level, including sizes, shapes, and interconnectedness of patches of these entities
species diversity
the number and variety of species in the world or in a particular region
red list
an updated list of species facing unusually high risks of extinction. This list in maintained by the World Conservation Union
species
a population or group of populations of organisms were member share certain characteristics and can breed freely with one another and produce fertile offspring. different biologists may have different approaches to diagnosing a species boundaries
biodiversity (biological diversity)
the variety of life across all levels of biological organization, including the diversity of species, their genes, their populations, and their communities
recombinant DNA
DNA that has been patched together from the DNA of multiple organisms in an attempt to produce desirable traits such as rapid growth, disease and pest resistance or higher nutrient content in organisms lacking those trairs
habitat fragmentation
the process by which an expanse of natural habitat becomes broken up into discontinuous fragments, often as a result of farming, road building, and other types of human development and land use
biophilia
an inherent love for and fascination with nature and an instinctive desire people have to affiliate with other living things defined by biologist E.O. wilson as “the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.”
conservation biology
a scientific discipline devoted to understanding the factors, forces, and processes that influence the loss, protection, and restoration of biodiversity within and among ecosystems
Endangered species act (ESA)
the primary legislation, enacted in 1973, for protecting biodiversity in the u.s. it forbids the government and private citizens from taking actions (such as developing land) that would destroy endangered species or their habitats and it prohibits trade in products made from endangered species
species at risk act
Canada’s Endangered specie protection law,enacted in 2002
convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and fiora (cites)
a 1973 treaty facilitated by the in that protects endangered species so that their young can be bred and raised in controlled areas and subsequently reintroduced into the wild
captive breeding
the practice of capturing members of a threatened species so that their young can be bred and raised controlled areas and subsequently reintroduced into the wild
foresnsic science
the scientific analysis of evidence to make an identifyicationor answer a question relating to a crime or a accident
biodiversity hotspot
an area that supports an especially great diversity of species, particulary species that are endemic to the area
ecological restoration
efforts to reverse the effects of human disruption of ecological systems and to restore communities to their condition before the disruption. The practice that applies principles of restoration ecology
community-based conservation
the practice of engaging local people to protect land and wildlife in their own region
forest type
a category of forest defined by its predominant tree species
canopy
the upper level of tree leaves and branches in a forest
subcanopy
the middle and lower levels of trees in a forest, beneath the canopy
understory
the layer of a forest consisting of small shrubs and trees above the forest floor and below the subcanopy
deforestation
the clearing and loss of forests
secondary forest
forest that has grown back after primary forest has been cut. consists of second-growth trees
wildand-urban interface
a region where urban or suburban development meets forested or undeveloped lands
salvage logging
the removal of dead trees following a natural disturbance. although it may be economically beneficial, salvage logging can be environmentally destructive, because snags provide food and shelter for wildlife and because removing timber from recently burned land can cause erosion and damage to soil
sustainable forest certifilcation
a form of ecolabeling that identifies timber products that have been produced using sustainable methods. the forest stewardship council and several other organizations issue such certification
national park
a scenic area set aside for recreation and enjoyment by the public and managed by the national park service. the U.S. national park system today numbers 397 sites totaling 84 million acres and includes national historic sits, national receation areas, national wild and scenic rivers, and other areas
national wildlife refuge
an area of public land set aside to serve as a haven for wildlife and also sometimes encourage hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photograpthy, environmental education, and other uses, the system of 550 sites is managed by the U.S. fish and wildlife service
prescribed (controlled) burns
the practice of burning areas of forest of grassland under carefully controlled conditions to improve the health of ecosystems, return them to a more natural state, reduce fuel loads, and help precent uncontrolled catastrophic fires
resource managment
strategic decision making about how to extract resources, so that resources are used wisely and conserved for the future
maximum sustainable yield
the maximal harvest of a particular renewable natural resource that can be accomplished whole still keeping the resource avaiable for the future
ecosystem based managment
the attempt to manage the harvesting of resources inn ways that minimize impact on the ecosystems and ecological processes that provide the resources.
adaptive management
the systematic testing of different management approaches to improve methods over time
uneven-aged
term describing stands consisting of trees of different ages. Uneven-aged stands more closely approximate a natural forest than do even-aged stands
selection system
method of timber harvesting whereby single trees or groups of trees are selectively cut while others are left, creating an uneven-aged stand
multiple use
a principle guiding management policy for national forests specifying that forests be managed for recreation, wildlife habitat, mineral extraction, water quality, and other uses, as well as for timber extraction
national forest management act
legislation passed by the U.S. congress in 1976, mandating that plans for renewable resource management be drawn up for every national forest. these plans were to be explicitly based on the concepts of multiple use and maximum sustainable yield and be open to broad public participation
new forestry
a set of ecosystem-based management approaches for harvesting timber that explicitly mimic natural disturbances. for instance, “sloppy cleat-cuts” that leave a variety of trees standing mimic the changes a forest might experience if hit by a severe windstorm
wilderness area
federal land that id designated off-limits to development of any kind but is open to public recreation, such as hiking, nature study, and other activities that have minimal impact on the land
biosphere reserve
a tract of land with exeptional biodiversity taht couples preservation with sustainable development to benefit local people. Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO (the UN educational, scientific, and cultural organization) following application by local stakeholders
world heritage site
a location internationally designated by the UN for its cultural or natural value. there are over 900 such sites worldwide
edge effect
an impact on organisms, populations, or communities that results because conditions along the edge of a habitat fragment differ from conditions in the interior
island biogeography theory
theory initially applied to oceanic islands to explain how species come to be distributed among them. researchers have increasingly applied the theory to island habitat (patches of one type of habitat isolated within “seas” of others). aspects of the theory include immigration and extinction rates, the effect of island size (area effect), and the effect of distance from the mainland (distance effect). full name is the equilibrium theory of island biogeography.
species-area curve
a graph showing how number of species varies with the geographic area of a landmass or water body. species richness commonly doubles as area increases tenfold
SLOSS (single late several small) dilemma
the debate over whether it is better to make reserves large in size and few in number or manny in number but small in size
corridor
a passageway of protected land established to allow animals to travel between islands of protected habitat
urbanization
a populations shift from rural living to city and suburban living
sprawl
the unrestrained spread of urban or suburban development outward from a city center and across the landscape. Often specified as growth in which the area of development outpaces population growth
city planning
the professional pursuit that attempts to design cities in such a way as to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty. also known as urban planning
regional planning
planning similar to city planning but conducted across broader geographic scales, generally involving multiple municipal governments
zoning
the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use
smart growth
a city planning concept in which a community’s growth is managed in ways intended to limit sprawl and maintain or improve residents quality of life
new urbanization
an approach among architects, planners, and developers that seek to design neighborhoods in which homes, businesses, schools, and other amenities are within walking distance of one another. proponents of new urbanism aim to combat sprawl by creating functional neighborhoods in which families can meet most of their needs close to home without the use of a car
transit oriented development
a development approach in which compact communities in the new urbanism style are arrayed around stops on a major rail transit line
mass transit
a public transportation system for a metropolitan area that moves large numbers of people at once. Buses, trains, subways, streetcars, trolleys, and light rail are types of mass transit
greenway
a strip of park land that connects parks or neighborhoods; often located along rivers, streams, or canals.
greenbelt
a long and wide corridor of parkland, often encircling an entire urban area
green building
(1) a structure that minimizes the ecological foot print of its construction and operation by using sustainable materials, using minimal energy and water, reducing health impacts, limiting population and recycling waste. (2) the pursuit of constructing or renovating such buildings
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
the leading set of standards for sustainable building
noise pollution
undesired ambient sound
urban heat island effect
the phenomenon whereby a city becomes warmer that outlying areas because of the concentration of heat-generating buildings, vehicles, and people, and because buildings and dark pavement that absorb heat and release it during the night
urban ecology
a scientific field of study that views cities explicitly as ecosystems. Researchers in this field apply the fundamentals of ecosystem ecology and system science to urban areas
