Apes ch.10 Flashcards
Intrinsic value
philosophy that components of the environment have value simply because they exist regardless of their use to us
Aesthetic value
example of non-use value; satisfaction gained from appreciation for nature and its visual pleasure and beauty
Old growth forest
forest that has never been cut or has regenerated and not seriously disturbed by humans for at least several hundred years
Tree farm
This is one of the three types of forest that contains uniformly aged trees of one or two species that are harvested by clear-cutting as soon as they become commercially valuable. The land is then replanted and clear-cut again in a regular cycle.
Sustainable forestry
forest that is carefully managed so that as trees are felled they are replaced with seedlings that eventually grow into mature trees. This is a carefully and skilfully managed system.
Surface fires
burn only undergrowht and leaf litter on forest floor. they burn away flammable ground material and help prevent more destructive fires and also release valuable mineral nutrients
Crown fires
start on ground, but eventually burn whole trees and leap from treetop to treetop. they destroy most vegetation, kill wildlife, increase soil erosion.
Ground fires
Fire that burns decayed leaves or peat deep below the ground surface.
Creaming
A form of selective cutting in which most or all of the largest trees are removed that leads to a loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation.
Prescribe fires
Small, contained surface fires set by people in order to lessen the risk of crown fires.
Healthy forest restoration act
timber companies can cut down economically valuable medium-size and large trees in 71% of the total area of the national forests in return for clearing away smaller, more fire-prone trees and underbrush. This law also exempts most thinning projects from environmental reviews and appeals currently required by forest protection laws. CONTROVERSIAL LAW because it actually makes forests more prone to fires.
Debt for nature swap
This makes it financially attractive for countries to protect their tropical forests in return for foreign aid or debt relief.
Conservation easement
Restrictions on a deed that bar future owners from developing the land.
Habitat corridors
Establishing these between isolated reserves can help support more species and allow for migration of vertebrates that need large ranges. These allow for migration and there are other benefits. There are also drawbacks, such as threatening isolated populations
Biodiversity hot spot
Contain a large number of endemic plant and animal species that are found nowhere else. Also have lost much of their critical habitat. There are 34
Restoration
Trying to return a particular degraded habitat or ecosystem to a condition as similar as possible to its natural state.
Rehabilitation
Attempting to turn a degraded ecosystem back into a functional or useful ecosystem without trying to restore it to its original condition. Removing pollutants and replanting areas such as mining sites, landfills, and clear cut forests to reduce soil erosion.
Ecological restoration
Deliberate alteration of a degraded habitat or ecosystem to restore as much of its ecological structure and function as possible.
Overgrazing
Destruction of vegetation when too many grazing animals feed too long and exceed the carrying capacity of a rangeland or pasture area.
Riparian zones
Thin strips and patches of vegetation that surround streams. They are very important habitats and resources for wildlife.
Inholdings
Land in private ownership when park was established
Peat bog
bog is a mire that accumulates peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses, and in a majority of cases, sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, quagmire and muskeg; alkaline mires are called fens
