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ESS > Foundations of ESS > Flashcards

Foundations of ESS Flashcards

1
Q

environmental value system

A

a particular worldview or set of paradigms that shape the way individuals or societies perceive and evaluate environmental issues

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2
Q

ecocentric

A

nature centred value system that views people as being under natures control

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3
Q

anthropocentric

A

human centred value system that places humans as the central species

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4
Q

technocentric

A

technologically based value system that believes human intuition will enable humans to control the environment

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5
Q

cornucopians

A

extreme technocentrics

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6
Q

environmental managers

A

ethical duty is to look after earth

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7
Q

biocentric

A

shouldnt cause the extinction of other species

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8
Q

deep ecologists

A

nature has more value than humanity

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9
Q

systems approach

A

a way of visualising a complex set of interactions in ecology or society

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10
Q

system

A

an assemblage of parts and the relationships between them that enables them to work together to form a whole

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11
Q

open system

A

exchanges both matter and energy with its surrounding

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12
Q

closed system

A

exchanges energy but not matter with its surroundings

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13
Q

isolated system

A

exchanges neither energy or matter with its environment

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14
Q

transfers

A

change in location

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15
Q

transformation

A

change in chemical nature, state or energy

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16
Q

first law of thermodynamics

A

energy can be transferred or transformed, but not created or destroyed

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17
Q

entropy

A

a measure of the disorder of a system - the greater the disorder, the higher the entropy

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18
Q

second law of thermodynamics

A

in isolated systems, entropy tends to increase

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19
Q

efficiency

A

useful energy divided by the energy consumed

20
Q

negative feedback loop

A

when output of a process reverses the operation of the same process

21
Q

equilibrium

A

state of balance among the components of a system

22
Q

steady state equilibrium

A

stable form of equilibrium that allows a system to return to its steady state after a disturbance

23
Q

static equilibrium

A

no changes over time because there are no inputs and outputs

24
Q

stable equilibrium

A

a system that is disturbed returns to its former position

25
Q

unstable equilibrium

A

a small disturbance produces a large change and a new equilibrium

26
Q

feedback

A

effect that change in one part of an ecosystem has on another

27
Q

positive feedback

A

destabilising and tend to amplify changes and drive systems towards a new equilibrium

28
Q

tipping points

A

the minimum amount of change within a system that will destablize it

29
Q

resilience

A

the tendency of a system to maintain stability and resist tipping points

30
Q

sustainable development

A

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations

31
Q

ecological footprint

A

area of land and water needed to sustainably provide all the resources at the rate of which they are consumed

32
Q

pollution

A

the addition of any substance to the environment at a rate faster than the environment can accomodate

33
Q

ecological overshoot

A

using resources quicker than they can regenerate

34
Q

natural income

A

the yield obtained from natural resources

35
Q

sustainablility

A

the use and management of resources so that full natural replacement of exploited resources can take place

36
Q

pollutants

A

matter - gases, liquids, solids

energy - sound, light, heat

living organisms - invasive, biological

37
Q

sources of pollutants

A
  • combustion of fossil fuels
  • domestic waste
  • industrial waste
  • agricultural waste
38
Q

natural capital

A

describes natural resources that produce a sustainable income of goods and services

39
Q

point source pollution

A

can be traced to a single source

40
Q

non point source pollutants

A

release of pollutants from numerous widely dispersed origins

41
Q

acute pollution

A

a single isolated incident

42
Q

chronic pollution

A

long term often undetected pollution

43
Q

biodegradable pollution

A

breaks down naturally in the environment

44
Q

persistent pollution

A

non biodegradable and substances remain in the environment for too long

45
Q

primary pollutant

A

substance thats active as soon as its emitted

46
Q

secondary pollutant

A

formed from a primary pollutant that undergoes a change

47
Q

pollution management strategies

A
  • changing human activity (education)
  • regulating release of pollutant (legislation)
  • restoration of ecosystems (mitigation)

ESS (9 decks)

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