APES TERMS Flashcards
the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life
environment
the field of study that looks at interactions amount human systems and those found in nature
environmental science
a particular location on earth with interacting biotic and abiotic components
ecosystem
living
biotic
nonliving
abiotic
a social movement that seeks to protect the environment through lobbying, activism and education
environmentalism
the process by which life supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced
ecosystem services
an indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system
Environmental indicator
the diversity of life forms in an environment
Biodiversity
a measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population
Genetic Diversity
A group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in its morphology (body form and structure), behavior, or biochemical properties
species
the number of species in a region or in a particular ecosystem
species diversity
the evolution of new species
speciation
the average rate at which species become extinct over the long term
background extinction rate
gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat near the surface
greenhouse gases
derived from human activities
anthropogenic
amount per each person in a country or unit of population
per capita
improvement in human well-being through economic advancement
development
living on earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources
sustainability
development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations
Sustainable development
love of life
biophilia
a measure of how much an individual consumes, expressed in area of land
ecological footprint
an objective method to explore the natural world, draw inferences from it, and predict the outcome of certain events, processes or changes
scientific method
a testable conjecture about how something works
hypothesis
any categories, conditions, factos, or traits that differ in the natural world or in experimental situations
variable
a variable that is not dependent on other factors
independent variable
a variable that is dependent on other factors
dependent variable
a prediction that there is not difference between the groups or conditions that are being compared
null hypothesis
the data collection procedure of taking repeated measurements
replication
the number of times a measurement is replicated in a data collection
Sample size (n)
how close a measured value is to the actual or true value
accuracy
how close the repeated measurements of a sample are to one another
precision
an estimate of how much a measured or calculated value differs from a true value
uncertainty
a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of researchers and has reached wide acceptance
theory
in a scientific investigation, a group that experiences exactly the same conditions as the experimental group, except for the single variable under study
control group
a natural event that acts as an experimental treatment in an ecosystem
natural experiment
anything that occupies space and has mass
matter
a measurement of the amount of matter an object contains
mass
the smallest particle that can contain the chemical properties of an element
atoms
a substance composed of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller, simpler components
elements
a chart of all chemical elements currently known, organized by their properties
periodic table
a particle that contains more than one atom
molecule
a molecule containing more than one element
compound
the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular element
atomic number
a measurement of the total number of protons and neutrons in an element
mass number
atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
isotopes
the spontaneous release of material from the nucleus of radioactive isotopes
radioactive decay
the time it takes for one-half of an original radioactive parent atom to decay
half-life
the bond formed when elements share electrons
covalent bond
a chemical bond between two ions of opposite charges
ionic bond
a weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to one atom are attracted to another atom on another molecule
hydrogen bond
a molecule in which one side is more positive and the other side is more negative
polar molecule
a property of water that results from the cohesion of water molecules at the surface of a body of water and that creates a sort of skin on the water’s surface
surface tension
a property of water that occurs when adhesion of water molecules to a surface is stronger than cohesion between the molecules
capillary action
a substance that contributes hydrogen ions to a solution
acid
a substance that contributes hydroxide ions to a solution
base
the number that indicates the relative strength of acids and bases in a substance
pH
an increase in the acidity of the oceans
ocean acidification
a reaction that occurs when atoms separate from molecules or recombine with other molecules
chemical reaction
a law of nature stating that matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form
Law of conservation of matter
a compound that does not contain the element carbon or contains carbon bound to elements other than hydrogen
inorganic compounds
a compound that contains carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds
organic compound
a compound composed of C, H, & O atoms
carbohydrate
a critical component of living organisms made of a long chain of nitrogen-containing organic molecules known a amino acids
protein
organic compounds found in all living cells
nucleic acid
a nucleic acid, the genetic material that contains the code for reproducing the component of the next generation, and which organisms pass on to their offspring
DNA
a nucleic acid that translates the code stored in DNA< which makes protein synthesis possible
RNA
a smaller organic biological molecule that does not mix with water
lipid
a highly organized living entity that consists of the four types of macromolecules and other substances in a watery solution, surrounded by a membrane
cell
the ability to do work or transfer heat
energy
the amount of energy used when a 1-watt electrical device is turned on for 1 second
joule
the rate at which work is done
power
a form of energy emitted by the sun that includes visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared energy
electromagnetic radiation
a massless packet of energy that carries electromagnetic radiation at the speed of light
photon
stored energy that has not been released
potential energy
potential energy stored in chemical bonds
chemical energy
energy of motion
kinetic energy
the measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance
temperature
a physical law which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can change from one form to another
1st law of Thermodynamics
a feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified; adapts to change
positive feedback loop
he physical law stating that when energy is transformed, the quality of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes
2nd law of Thermodynamics
the ratio of the amount of energy expended in the form you want to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system
energy efficiency
the ease at which an energy source can be used for work
energy quality
randomness in a system
entropy
a system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries
open system
a system in which matter and energy exchanges do not occur across boundaries
closed system
an addition to a system
input
a loss from a system
output
determines input, outputs, and changes in a system under various conditions
system analysis
a state in which inputs equal outputs, so that the system is not changing over time
steady state
a feedback loop in which a system responds to a change by returning to its original state, or by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring; no change
negative feedback loop
the region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on earth
biosphere
an organism that uses the energy of the sun to produce usable forms of energy
producer
the process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose
photosynthesis
the process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds
cellular respiration
the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide and water
aerobic respiration
the process by which cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen
anaerobic respiration
an organism that is incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms
consumer
a consumer that eats producers
herbivore
consumers that eats other consumers
carnivore
a carnivore that eats primary consumers
secondary consumer
a carnivore that eats secondary consumers
tertiary
the successive levels of organisms consuming one another
trophic levels
the sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers
food chain
a complex model of how energy and matter move between trophic levels
food web
an organism that consumes dead animals
scavenger
an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles
detritivore
fungi and bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem
decomposers
the total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time
Gross Primary Productivity(GPP)
the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire
Net primary productivity (NPP)
the total mass of all living matter in a specific area
biomass
the amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time
standing crop
the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another
ecological efficiency
a representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels
trophic pyramid
the movements of matter within and between ecosystems
biogeochemical cycle
the movements of matter within and between ecosystems
hydrologic cycle
the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis
transpiration
the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration
evapotranspiration
water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers
runoff
the movement of carbon around the biosphere
carbon cycle
one of six key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts; N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S
macronutrient
a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients
limiting nutrient
the movement of N around the biosphere
nitrogen cycle
the process that converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere (N2) into forms of N that producers can use
nitrogen fixation
the conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO3-)
nitrification
the process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues
assimilation
the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into organic compounds
mineralization
the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic N found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium (NH4+)
ammonification
the conversion of nitrate in a series of steps into the gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and eventually N gas (N2) which is emitted into the atmosphere
denitrification
the transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater
leaching
the movement of P around the biosphere
phosphorus cycle
a rapid increase in the algal population of a waterway
algal bloom
low oxygen
hypoxic
when oxygen concentrations become so low that it kills fish and other aquatic life
dead zone
the movement of sulfur in the biosphere
sulfur cycle
an event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in population size or community composition
disturbance
a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem
resistance
the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance
resilience
the study and implementation of restoring damaged ecosystems
restoration ecology
all land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland
watershed
the hypothesis that ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbances are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels
intermediate disturbance hypothesis
a layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending approximately 16km (10 miles)
troposphere
the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16-50km (10-31 miles) above the earth’s surface
stratosphere
the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
albedo
the maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature
saturation point
the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands
adiabatic cooling
the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of earth and decreases in volume
adiabatic heating
the release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water
latent heat release
global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of earth
Atmospheric convection current
a convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30° N and 30° S
Hadley Cell
the latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge
Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
a convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60°N and 60°S and sinks at the poles 90°N and 90°S
Polar cell
a convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells
Ferell Cell
the deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of earth
coriolis effect
a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side
rain shadow
