Environmental Indicators and Sustainability Flashcards
Chapter 1, Module 2
Ecosystem services
The process by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced
Environmental Indicator
An indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system
Biodiversity
The diversity of life forms in an environment
Genetic Diversity
A measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population
Species
A group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in it’s morphology (body form and structure), behavior, or biochemical properties
Species diversity
The number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat
Speciation
The evolution of new species
Background extinction rate
The average rate at which species become extinct over the long term
Greenhouse gases
Gases in Earth atmosphere that trap heat near the surface (to make temp constant)
They help keep the earth surface within the range of temperatures at which life can flourish
CO2 is the most important
Anthropogenic
Derived from human activity
Development
Improvement In human well-being through economic advancement
Sustainability
Living on earth in a way that allows humans to use it’s resources without depriving future generations of those resources
Sustainable Development
Development that balances human well-beings and economical advantages with resource management that can provide for later generations.
Ecological footprint
The land needed to support all of a person’s activities
Measure of how much land is needed to supply the goods and services individual uses
