everything Flashcards

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1
Q

Ecological footprint

A
  • Impact of a person or community on the environment in terms of land required for natural resource consumption.
  • Example: Calculating the land needed to sustain a family’s food, water, and energy usage.
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2
Q

Subsistence farming

A
  • Agricultural practice focused on producing food for immediate consumption.
  • Example: Small-scale farmers growing crops for personal sustenance.
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3
Q

Biomes

A
  • Large ecological areas with distinct climates, flora, and fauna which have adapted to their specific environmental conditions.
  • Examples: Deserts, forests, grasslands, tundras, and aquatic ecosystems.
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4
Q

Land degradation

A
  • Decline in land quality and productivity due to human and natural factors.
  • Causes: Deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and urbanization.
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5
Q

habitat

A

Natural environment providing resources for species survival and reproduction. Protecting ecosystems to maintain biodiversity and ecological balance.

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6
Q

Biodiversity

A

Variety of life forms crucial for ecosystem health and resilience. Impact of habitat destruction and climate change on species extinction rates.

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7
Q

climate change

A

Is the long-term change in weather. Global climate change occurs very slowly over thousands of years.

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8
Q

Causes of climate change

A

Milankovitch Cycle, Sunspots, Agriculture, use of fossil fuels and Deforestation,

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9
Q

Anthropogenic Activities that cause Climate change.

A

Deforestation, Burning Fossil fuels, cars and factories producing extreme amounts of greenhouse gases and agriculture.

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10
Q

Strategies to combat Climate Change

A
  • Reduce Meat Consumption: Lowering carbon footprint.
  • Adopt Solar Energy: Utilizing renewable resources.
  • Use Sustainable Transport: Minimizing emissions.
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11
Q

International Agreements

A

Kyoto Protocol Aimed to reduce CO2 emissions by 5.2% below 1990-2012 average, with global participation.

Paris Agreement Seeks to limit global temperature rise and provide financial aid for developing nations.

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12
Q

Impacts of climate change on people

A
  • Health: Increased heatwaves, natural disasters and disease risks.
  • Food/Water: Disruptions in supply and agriculture.
  • Economy: Damage to infrastructure and financial losses.
  • Migration: Forced relocation and potential conflicts.
  • Inequality: Greater effects on vulnerable communities.
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13
Q

Impacts on the natural world

A
  • Biodiversity: Loss of species unable to adapt.
  • Oceans: Acidification and impacts on marine life.
  • Weather: More frequent and severe extreme events.
  • Ice Melt: Rising sea levels and reduced freshwater.
  • Ecosystems: Disruption and species shifts.
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14
Q

Natural Factors driving climate change.

A
  • Solar Energy: Sun emits energy as infrared radiation.
  • Greenhouse Effect: Traps infrared radiation, reflecting heat back to Earth.
  • Volcanic Impact: Eruptions release sulfur dioxide, forming aerosols that reflect solar radiation.
  • Milankovitch Cycles: Long-term variations in Earth’s orbit and axial tilt.
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15
Q

Positive feedback mechanisms

A
  • Ice-Albedo Feedback: Melting ice reduces reflectivity, absorbing more heat.
  • Water Vapor Feedback: Increased temperatures lead to more water vapor, trapping more heat.
  • Permafrost Thawing: Releases greenhouse gases, intensifying warming.
  • Vegetation Feedback: Loss of vegetation reduces carbon sequestration, warming the climate.
  • Ocean Circulation Feedback: Disruptions in ocean currents affect global climate patterns.
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16
Q

Human impact on climate change

A
  • Increased population size, industrial revolution, and reliance on fossil fuels.
  • Fossil fuel combustion leading to CO2 emissions.
  • Human activities producing 7 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually.
  • Deforestation reducing CO2 absorption capacity.
  • Heightened greenhouse effect due to human actions.
17
Q

Data Visualization Techniques

A
  • Scatter Graph Creation Steps: Line of best fit, accuracy, labeling, identifying anomalies, key, scaling.
  • Describing Scatter Graph Relationships: Highlighting extreme values, ranking, and noting minimal differences.
  • Sunspots: Temporary dark spots on the Sun’s surface due to magnetic activity.
  • Ecological Footprint Reduction: Lifestyle changes like diet, energy use, and transportation choices.
18
Q

Key concepts

A
  • Positive Correlation: Variables increasing together.
  • Negative Correlation: Variables moving in opposite directions.
  • No Correlation: Lack of relationship between variables.
  • Albedo: Measure of surface sunlight reflection.
19
Q

what are strategies to address ocean plastics

A
  • 6Rs
    1. Redesign
    2. Refuse
    3. Reduce
    4. Reuse
    5. Recycle
    6. Repair
20
Q

what is a gyre

A

A large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements.

21
Q

what are the steps to analyze a scatter graph?

A

Topic sentence (positive or negative correlation?)
Elaborate: explain the correlation relating to the specific data
Provide two examples from the data (countries which illustrate this trend)
Explain logical reasons/factors for this relationship?
Any anomalies? Name & explain potential reason

22
Q

what is the great pacific garbage patch

A

It spans waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan. It is 1.6 million km^2 with 79,000 tonnes of plastic
It is like a soup with some parts being denser with rubbish and some less.