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Environmental Management IGCSE > Chapter 0: Definitions > Flashcards

Chapter 0: Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

abstraction

A

The removal of water from a river or from groundwater using wells or boreholes

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2
Q

acid rain

A

rainfall that damages the environment because it has been made acidic by dissolved acid gases such as sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere

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3
Q

adaptation

A

The way in which plants and animals change to survive the environmental conditions of the habitat in which they live

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4
Q

afforestation

A

planting trees to establish an area of vegetation in an area where there was no forest

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5
Q

agricultural yield

A

The amount of crop or livestock produced each year per square kilometre of a farm

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6
Q

aquaculture

A

The rearing of aquatic animals or the cultivation of aquatic plant for food

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7
Q

anti natalist policies

A

strategies designed to limit a country’s population growth by reducing its fertility rate

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8
Q

aquifer

A

A layer of porous rock that stores underground water

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9
Q

artesian well

A

A means of extracting groundwater through a pipe drill down from the earth surface to an underground aquifer

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10
Q

bioaccumulation

A

The gradual buildup of substances such as pesticides at in increasing quantities in organisms through the food chain and trophic levels

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11
Q

biodiversity

A

The range of species within an ecosystem

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12
Q

bycatch

A

The unwanted fish and other marine creatures, trapped by commercial fishing nets during fishing for a different species

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13
Q

capital

A

money used to invest in industry or business

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14
Q

carbon capture and storage

A

The process of trapping carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels and storing it so it is unable to enter the atmosphere.

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15
Q

carbon dioxide

A

A colourless, odourless gas produced from burning fossil fuels

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16
Q

carbon fixing

A

describes the process by which carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is converted to complex carbon compounds such as carbohydrates by producers during photosynthesis

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17
Q

carbon footprint

A

The amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual organisation or community

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18
Q

carbon offset

A

programmes involving the planting of trees by companies and individuals to mitigate or lessen the impact of their own carbon dioxide emitting activities

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19
Q

carbon store

A

The accumulated carbon dioxide stored in forest as a result of carbon fixation by trees

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20
Q

carboniferous period

A

A period of geological time
conditions during this time were ideal for the creation of fossil fuel

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21
Q

carrying capacity

A

The maximum number of species of living things that the resources of an environment can support

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22
Q

cash crop

A

crop grown to sell for profit

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23
Q

chlorofluorocarbons

A

gases containing carbon, chlorine, fluorine and sometimes hydrogen that are used as refrigerants, cleaning solvents and aerosol gases. They are a major cause of stratospheric ozone depletion.

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24
Q

cholera

A

A disease caused by bacteria in contaminated water, resulting in severe diarrhoea and dehydration

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25
Q

commercial farming

A

growing crops or rearing animals for sale at market to achieve a profit

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26
Q

congestion charges

A

A charge made to drive into an area typically at city centre that suffers heavy traffic

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27
Q

continental shelf

A

The area of sea bad around a large land mass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean

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28
Q

convection current

A

heat from the earths core is carried up to the mantle through convection currents. The currents move around, destroying the crust in some places and creating new crust in other places.

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29
Q

coriolis effect

A

The effect that the rotation of the earth has on moving objects such as tropical storms

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30
Q

cost and benefits

A

The process by which the advantages of a proposed development or action are evaluated against the likely disadvantages or problems it could generate

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31
Q

deforestation

A

clear felling of large areas of woodland or forest

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32
Q

dependency ratio

A

The link between the number of adult people in a country who create wealth and the young and elderly population who depends on them for support

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33
Q

desalination

A

removing dissolved salt from seawater and brackish water

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34
Q

desertification

A

The degrading of land through soil erosion and dry land areas to such an extent that the environment comes to resemble a desert

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35
Q

desulfurisation

A

The removal of sulphur or sulphur compounds from coal or flue gas

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36
Q

drought

A

A prolonged period of very low or no rainfall leading to a shortage of water 

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37
Q

ecological niche

A

A unique way in which an organism is adapted to living in a habitat 

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38
Q

ecosystem

A

A community of organisms in an area that interact with the living and nonliving elements of their environment 

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39
Q

ecotourism

A

tourism that is concerned with conserving natural environment, local economies and the integrity of cultures and communities 

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40
Q

energy mix

A

The energy consumption of a household, region or country.
energy mix includes both renewable and non-renewable energy sources

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41
Q

enhanced greenhouse effect

A

The warming of the earth’s atmosphere caused by an excess of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which act like a blanket, preventing the natural escape of heat into space 

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42
Q

ENSO

A

an irregular variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean 

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43
Q

EIA

A

A survey or evaluation that assists planners in assessing the likely environmental impacts of a proposed development 

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44
Q

epicentre

A

Point on the earth surface directly above where an earthquake occurs 

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45
Q

erosion

A

The wearing away of the land by an agent such as water that carries away the rock particles 

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46
Q

eutrophication

A

The pollution of water bodies by nutrients, leading to the rapid growth of blooms of algae and deoxygenation 

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47
Q

fishing quota

A

A legal limit to the amount, size and species of fish that can be caught in a year 

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48
Q

famine

A

starvation of many people in an area as a result of extreme shortage of food 

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49
Q

fault line

A

A line fracture in rock caused by earth movements 

50
Q

fertility rate

A

The average number of children women in a country or region have in their lifetime 

51
Q

flood defence

A

structures such as dams, artificial channels and levees that are built to protect an area from flooding 

52
Q

floodplain

A

A naturally occurring area of flat, low lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding 

53
Q

fossil fuels

A

nonrenewable organic energy resources such as oil, gas and coal that are hydrocarbon based

54
Q

fracking

A

The process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside 

55
Q

gene pool

A

The set of all the genes or genetic information of a particular species of organism 

56
Q

genetic engineering

A

The transfer of a gene from one organism into an organism of a different species in order to develop or enhance particular physical traits 

57
Q

global warming

A

warming of the earth’s atmosphere as a result of the release of gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide through human activity 

58
Q

greenhouse gas

A

A gas such as carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming by absorbing infrared radiation 

59
Q

groundwater flow

A

The movement of water through rocks 

60
Q

gyres

A

A circular system of ocean currents rotating clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter clockwise in the Southern hemisphere

61
Q

habitat

A

The location within an ecosystem that meets the living needs of a particular plant or animal animal species 

62
Q

industrialised country

A

A country that generates most of its wealth from the manufacturing of goods and the provision of a wide range of services 

63
Q

infant mortality rate

A

The proportion of children dying at birth or before their first birthday per thousand life births 

64
Q

infiltration

A

The downward movement of water through the soil and into the rock layer below 

65
Q

interception

A

water that is caught and stored by vegetation

66
Q

irrigation 

A

artificially diverting water to farming areas to grow crops and sustain livestock 

67
Q

lag time

A

The amount of time between peak rainfall and peak river discharge 

68
Q

Lahar 

A

Hot, molten or semi fluid rock erupted from a volcano 

69
Q

leaching

A

The loss of dissolved mineral nutrients in soil water as it soaks deeper into the ground beyond the reach of plant roots 

70
Q

malaria

A

A water bourne disease caused by the parasite plasmodium transmitted by mosquitoes 

71
Q

metamorphic rocks

A

rocks that have been changed by intense heat of pressure from one form to another, such as slate into limestone 

72
Q

mid ocean ridge

A

A long seismically active underwater mountain system. These are found at constructive plate boundaries such as the Mid Atlantic Ridge. 

73
Q

mineral

A

A naturally occurring solid and inorganic chemical substance with a crystalline structure found in rocks 

74
Q

mineral ion

A

nutrients that plants and animals need in small amounts to be healthy, such as nitrates that are required for making amino acids 

75
Q

monoculture

A

A large area devoted entirely to the cultivation of a single plant crop 

76
Q

MPA

A

protected areas of seas, oceans or large lakes. Marine Protected Areas restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resources 

77
Q

Multiplier effect

A

The additional economic benefits experienced when money is spread throughout a community 

78
Q

Mutation

A

A change to the genetic make up of an organism that alters its characteristics 

79
Q

nitrogen fixing bacteria

A

bacteria found in the root nodules of some plants such as clover that enables them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrate ions in the soil 

80
Q

Overcultivation

A

The continuous cropping of farmland to the point where nutrients are exhausted and the soil degraded causing erosion and desertification

81
Q

Overfishing

A

when more fish are caught by excessive fishing, then the population can replace causing the depletion of the stock of fish in a body of water 

82
Q

Overgrazing

A

when land is overused by livestock, leading to vegetation damage and the soil becomes liable to erosion 

83
Q

Ozone layer

A

A layer in the earths stratosphere at an altitude of about 10 km containing a high concentration of ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation, reaching the earth from the sun 

84
Q

peat

A

a highly organic material found in marshy or damp regions, composed of partially decayed plant matter. Peat contains high levels of stored carbon dioxide 

85
Q

percolation

A

The downward movement of water from the soil into rock 

86
Q

photochemical reaction

A

A chemical reaction caused by the interaction between chemicals and sunlight 

87
Q

population

A

A group of organisms of the same species living in a particular habitat 

88
Q

Population density

A

The average number of people living in one square kilometre area 

89
Q

Population distribution

A

The way in which a population is spread out over an area 

90
Q

Pyroclastic flow

A

fast moving clouds of ash and gas

91
Q

recurrence interval 

A

an estimation of the interval between particular levels of flooding and how frequently they will occur 

92
Q

Remediation

A

making safe by demolishing industrial plant, removing machinery and disposing of toxic waste 

93
Q

Remote sensing

A

The technology of using satellites to obtain images of the earths surface 

94
Q

Retrofitting

A

The process of strengthening older buildings in order to make them earthquake resistant 

95
Q

Richter scale

A

The scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake 

96
Q

rift valley

A

A steep sided valley formed when a constructive plate boundary is found on land

97
Q

Rotation

A

regularly changing the crop grown or livestock reared on a particular particular field according to an agreed sequence 

98
Q

Salinisation

A

The buildup of soluble salts such as magnesium in soil to the extent that soil fertility is severely reduced 

99
Q

saturated soil

A

When soil is too acidic to absorb water

100
Q

sedimentation

A

The settling and build up of silt and rock particles, such as along the bed of a river or against a dam wall 

101
Q

Seed bank

A

A store of the seeds of plants in order to protect biodiversity incase seeds elsewhere in the world are destroyed by natural or human events 

102
Q

seismometer

A

A machine used to measure the strength of an earthquake 

103
Q

selective breeding

A

cross breeding organisms that have different desirable features to create offspring that combine all of these desirable features in one organism

104
Q

Shield volcano

A

A low gently sloping volcano formed from thin, runny lava and frequent gentle eruptions 

105
Q

slash and burn

A

A method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burnt off before new seeds are shown typically used as a method for clearing forest land for farming 

106
Q

soil erosion

A

The washing away of soil as a result of wind and rainfall, where there is little vegetation to hold onto the soil 

107
Q

storm hydrograph

A

A graph that shows how the discharge of a river can change over time in response to a rainfall event 

108
Q

storm surge

A

A significant increase in sea level due to sudden very low air pressure 

109
Q

stratovolcano

A

also known as a composite volcano made up of alternate ash and lava layers and often has very violent eruptions

110
Q

subduction

A

where oceanic crust is forced under continental crust at a plate boundary. These form ocean trenches. 

111
Q

subsidy

A

compensation payments given to farmers usually by governments 

112
Q

Subsistence farming

A

self-sufficiency farming in which farmers grow or rear enough food to feed themselves and their families with little to no so plus 

113
Q

Tar sands

A

Sandy soil containing tar which can be converted into crude oil through an environmentally destructive process 

114
Q

temperature inversion

A

A reversal of the normal decrease of air temperature with altitude, which leads to fog forming 

115
Q

thermohaline circulation

A

The oceanic circulation system driven by variation in ocean temperature and salinity

116
Q

trophic level

A

A feeding level in a food chain or food web.

117
Q

Tropical cyclone

A

intense spinning storm with high winds and torrential rain around a calm centre. at a certain point of intensity it becomes a cyclone or hurricane.

118
Q

Tsunami

A

huge sea wave created as a result of a major earthquake or volcanic eruption 

119
Q

upwelling

A

A process in which deep cold nutrient rich water rises towards the surface 

120
Q

VEI

A

volcanic explosively index is a scale used to measure the intensity of a volcanic eruption 

121
Q

water table

A

The upper edge of the water saturated zone in porous rocks 

122
Q

Weathering

A

The breakdown of rocks by physical, chemical or organic processes with little or no transportation of the resulting rock particles 

Environmental Management IGCSE (10 decks)

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