Last socials test, terms from notes Flashcards
the deterioration of the productive capacity of soil for either present or future use (it becomes harder to use the soil to meet our needs)
Land degradation
an area that gets less than 250mm of rain annually
Arid region
areas that get 250-500mm of rain annually
Semi-arid region
Fertile soil
Arable land
a change in the physical landscape caused by human or natural forces.
Terrain deformation
the breakdown of soil as a result of leaching. Salinization, acidification, or pollution.
Chemical deterioration
Nutrients in the soil being washed away or dissolved because of too much run-off.
Leaching
The increase of salt content of soil to the point where soil becomes toxic.
Salinization
Reduction of PH in soil. caused from uptake of CO2
Acidification
Substances or energy not being properly dispersed.
Pollutants
when the land is degraded due to compaction, waterlogging, or subsidence.
Physical deterioration
Occurs when human activity reduces productivity of an arid or semi-arid area until it looks like a desert. Results in loss of fertile soil.
Desertification
What are the 3 major sources of freshwater pollution?
sewage waste
industrial waste
agricultural waste
the process of solving an environmental problem.
Remediation
The force of gravity had filtered the soil by pushing it into cavities, fissures in the rock & loose sediments found underground.
aquifer
open water percolating down from above
Open aquifer
surrounded on top & bottom by impermeable rock.
Closed aquifer
sources of energy that are developed to avoid or lessen the impact of fossil fuel use.
Alternative energy sources
anything that provides additional carbon to the atmosphere
Carbon source
exists when carbon is removed from the atmosphere for a relatively short time
Carbon sink
any carbon that has been removed from the atmosphere for a very long time.
Fixed carbon
