vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

DEFORESTATION

A

Large-scale cutting and/or burning of forests

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2
Q

GLOBAL WARMING

A

Rise in Earth’s average surface temperature during the past 100 years

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3
Q

GREENHOUSE GAS

A

A gas in the atmosphere that absorbs Earth’s outgoing infrared radiation

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4
Q

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

A

Natural process that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere absorb and reradiate thermal energy from the Sun

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5
Q

BIOINDICATOR

A

Organism that is sensitive to environmental conditions and one of the first to respond to changes

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6
Q

NONPOINT-SOURCE POLLUTION

A

Cannot be traced to one location

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7
Q

POINT-SOURCE POLLUTION

A

Can be traced to one location

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8
Q

WATER QUALITY

A

Chemical, biological, and physical status of a body of water

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9
Q

CARRYING CAPACITY

A

Largest number of individuals of a given species that Earth’s resources can support and maintain for a long period of time

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10
Q

POPULATION

A

All the members of a species living in a given area

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11
Q

RESOURCE

A

Natural source of supply or support

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12
Q

DESERTIFICATION

A

Development of desertlike conditions due to human activities and/or climate change

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13
Q

RECLAMATION

A

The process of restoring land disturbed by mining

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14
Q

REFORESTATION

A

Planting trees to replace trees that have been cut or burned down

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15
Q

RUNOFF

A

Portion of precipitation that moves over land and eventually reaches streams, rivers, lakes and oceans

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16
Q

URBAN SPRAWL

A

Development of land near a city to build houses and other buildings

17
Q

ACID PRECIPITATION

A

Rain or snow that has a lower pH than that of normal rainwater

18
Q

AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)

A

Scale that ranks levels of ozone and other air pollutants

19
Q

PARTICULATE MATTER

A

Mix of solid and liquid particles in the air, including smoke, dust and dirt

20
Q

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG

A

Type of air pollution that occurs when nitrogen and carbon compounds, released by the burning of fossil fuels, react in sunlight