Unit 9 Vocabulary Flashcards
changes in the average weather that occurs in an area over a period of years or decades
global climate change
the warming of the oceans, land masses, and atmosphere of earth
global warming
an estimate of how much a molecule of any compound can contribute to global warming over a period of 100 years relative to the molecule of CO2
greenhouse warming potential
an international agreement that sets a goal for global emissions of greenhouse gases from all industrialized countries to be reduced by 5.2 percent below their 1990 levels by 2012
kyoto protocol
an approach to stabalizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere
carbon sequestration
the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
albedo
the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50km above the surface of Earth
stratosphere
the death of the last member of a species
extinction
a serious risk of extinction
endangered
species that live in their historical range, typically where they have lived for thousands or millions of years
native species
a species that spreads rapidly across large areas
invasive species
a 1973 US act designed to protect species from extinction
Endangered Species Act
habitat that occurs where two different communities come together, typically forming an abrupt transition, such as where a grassy field meets a forest
edge habitat
a list of worldwide threatened species
Red List
derived from human activity
anthropogenic
living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources
sustainability
A family of organic compounds whose properties make them ideal for use in refrigeration and air conditioning
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
protected area consisting of zones that vary in the amount of permissible human impact
biosphere reserve
a federal public land managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife
national wildlife refuge
how long a molecule stays in the atmosphere
Residence Time
a global agreement to phase CFCs out of production if refrigerators, aerosols, and other uses
Montreal Protocol
the angle earth’s axis is tilited with respect to Earth’s orbital plane
Obliquity
the shape of Earth’s orbit
Eccentricity
a convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30°N and 30° S
Hadley Cell
an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water
Thermohaline Circulation
