Terms from APES for the exam
9866196069 | First Law of Thermodynamics | Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another. | 0 | |
9866196070 | Second Law of Thermodynamics | When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat). | 1 | |
9866196071 | Ionizing radiation | Radiation w/enough energy to free electrons from atoms forming ions, may cause cancer (ex. gamma, X-rays, UV). | 2 | |
9866196197 | High Quality Energy | energy that is organized & concentrated, can perform useful work (ex. fossil fuels & nuclear) | 3 | |
9866196072 | Low Quality Energy | energy that is disorganized, dispersed (ex. heat in ocean or air/wind, solar). | 4 | |
9866196073 | Natural radioactive decay | substances whose unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles (ex. Radon). | 5 | |
9866196074 | Half-life | the time it takes for 1⁄2 of the mass of a radioisotope to decay. A radioactive isotope must be stored for approximately 10 half-lives until it decays to a safe level. | 6 | |
9866196075 | Nuclear Fission | process in which nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons. | 7 | |
9866196076 | Nuclear Fusion | process in which 2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Happens in the Sun, very difficult to accomplish on Earth, prohibitively expensive. | 8 | |
9866196077 | Ore | a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine. | 9 | |
9866196198 | Mineral Reserve | identified deposits currently profitable to extract. | 10 | |
9866196078 | Surface mining | method of extraction that is cheaper, can remove more minerals, less hazardous to workers. | 11 | |
9866196079 | Humus | portion of the soil that is organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms. | 12 | |
9866196080 | Leaching | process of removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil. | 13 | |
9866196081 | Loam | classification of soil type that is perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, and clay. | 14 | |
9866196082 | Soil Conservation Methods | agricultural methods include conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers. | 15 | |
9866196083 | Soil Salinization | often occurs when irrigating crops in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent, southwestern US) | 16 | |
9866196199 | Water Logging | occurs when water completely saturates soil, starves plant roots of oxygen, rots roots | 17 | |
9866196084 | Hydrologic Cycle Components | steps include evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration. | 18 | |
9866196200 | Watershed | Includes all of the land that drains into a river or other body of water | 19 | |
9866196085 | Aquifer | Term describes any water-bearing layer in the ground accessible to drilling. | 20 | |
9866196086 | Cone of Depression | Phenomena that causes the lowering of the water table around a pumping well. | 21 | |
9866196087 | Salt Water Intrusion | often occurs near the coast, result of overpumping of groundwater that causes saline water to move into the aquifer. | 22 | |
9866196088 | ENSO | aka: El Nino Southern Oscillation, trade winds weaken & warm surface water moves toward South America. Diminished fisheries off South America, drought in western Pacific, increased precipitation in southwestern North America, fewer Atlantic hurricanes. | 23 | |
9866196089 | La Nina | "Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America. | 24 | |
9866196090 | Nitrogen Fixation | reaction in which atmospheric N is converted into ammonia by bacteria. This is necessary because N cannot be used directly by plants, and animals must consume through the food chain. | 25 | |
9866196201 | Ammonification | process in which decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia. | 26 | |
9866196091 | Nitrification | process in which ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO -). | 27 | |
9866196092 | Assimilation | process in which inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins. | 28 | |
9866196093 | Denitrification | Process in which bacteria convert ammonia back into N. | 29 | |
9866196094 | Phosphorus | This element does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of rocks, it is a major limiting factor for plant growth. This cycle is slow, and not atmospheric. | 30 | |
9866196257 | Soil Profile | ![]() | 31 | |
9866196095 | Photosynthesis | process by which plants convert CO2 (atmospheric C) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6). using sunlight energy. | 32 | |
9866196096 | Aerobic Respiration | oxygen consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2. | 33 | |
9866196097 | Biotic | Any living components of an ecosystem. | 34 | |
9866196202 | Abiotic | Any nonliving components of an ecosystem | 35 | |
9866196098 | Producer/Autotroph | organisms that make their own food—photosynthetic life. Form the base of the food web or energy pyramid. (2 terms) | 36 | |
9866196099 | Trophic Levels | Any of the hierarchal layers of an energy pyramid such as producers → primary consumer → secondary consumer → tertiary consumer. | 37 | |
9866196100 | Energy Flow through Food Webs | Reflects only 10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Reason: 90% of usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey. | 38 | |
9866196101 | Primary succession | The development of ecological communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (ex. following lava flow). | 39 | |
9866196203 | Secondary succession | The development of ecological communities in which life progresses where soil remains (ex. clear-cut forest, old farm). | 40 | |
9866196102 | Mutualism | A type of symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit (e.g. clownfish and anemone) | 41 | |
9866196103 | Commensalism | A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits & the other is unaffected (e.g. epiphytic plants, such as many orchids, that grow on trees) | 42 | |
9866196104 | Parasitism | A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism obtains nutrients at the expense of the host (e.g. mosquitoes and humans) | 43 | |
9866196105 | Carrying Capacity | Within an ecosystem, this reflects the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area. | 44 | |
9866196106 | r-strategist | reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring with little parental care(ex. insects, mice). Often seen in prey species. | 45 | |
9866196107 | K-strategist | reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, exert a lot of energy into care for offspring (ex. humans, elephants). Often seen in predator species. | 46 | |
9866196108 | Natural Selection | Process that drives evolution in which organisms that possess favorable adaptations (through mutations) pass them onto the next generation. | 47 | |
9866196109 | Thomas Malthus | Stated that the human population is kept in check by war, famine & disease. Did not foresee technological advancements like medicine. | 48 | |
9866196110 | Doubling Time | (rule of 70) this population prediction formula equals 70 divided by average growth rate. (ex. a population growing at 5% annually will reach this milestone in 70 ÷ 5 = 14 years) | 49 | |
9866196111 | Replacement Level Fertility | the number of children a couple must bear to replace themselves (2.1 developed, 2.7 developing). | 50 | |
9866196112 | World Population | currently over 7.3 billion. | 51 | |
9866196204 | Demographic Transition Model | Graphic representation of the development of nations that includes preindustrial, transitional, industrial, and postindustrial stages | ![]() | 52 |
9866196113 | Preindustrial stage | Stage of nation development in which birth & death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high. | 53 | |
9866196114 | Transitional stage | Stage of nation development in which Aid from other countries and increase in industrialization lowers death rates (infant mortality). Birth rates high (from of the amount of people in the reproductive stage). | 54 | |
9866196205 | Industrial stage | Stage of nation development that reflects a decline in birth rate, population growth slows. | 55 | |
9866196115 | Postindustrial stage | Stage of nation development that reflects a low birth & death rates. | 56 | |
9866196206 | Demographic Trap | Sometimes occurs in the transitional stage. Birth rates stay high, death rates low. Population grows faster than ever before. | 57 | |
9866196116 | Age Structure Diagrams | Graphic model that visually represents the population distribution of a country. Example: broad base → rapid growth; narrow base → negative growth (NPG); uniform shape → zero growth (ZPG) | ![]() | 58 |
9866196207 | Most populous nations | The top 4 are 1)China 2)India 3)US 4)Indonesia | 59 | |
9866196117 | Low Status of Women | Most important factor in keeping population growth rates high, can be combatted with education. | 60 | |
9866196118 | Methods to Decrease Birth Rates | Family planning, contraception, economic rewards & penalties, educate women. | 61 | |
9866196119 | Composition of Water on Earth | 97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater. 0.023% readily available freshwater for use. | 62 | |
9866196208 | Aquaculture | a method of farming aquatic species, commonly salmon, shrimp, tilapia, oysters. | 63 | |
9866196120 | Point Source | Pollution emitted from specific location such as pipe or smokestack | 64 | |
9866196121 | Non-Point Source | Pollution emitted from over a large area such as agricultural (farm) runoff, traffic. | 65 | |
9866196209 | Primary Sewage Treatment | first step of treatment; eliminates most particulate material (large solid waste, MSW, sediment) from raw using grates, screens, and settling tanks. | ![]() | 66 |
9866196210 | Secondary Sewage Treatment | second step of treatment; bacteria breakdown organic waste, aeration accelerates the process. Chlorine, ozone, or UV radiation removes pathogens and viruses. | ![]() | 67 |
9866196122 | BOD, Biological Oxygen Demand | Reflects the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials. | 68 | |
9866196211 | Oxygen Sag Curve | demonstrates how pollution affects the oxygen demand within an aquatic ecosystem | ![]() | 69 |
9866196123 | Eutrophication | Phenomena that results in rapid algal growth caused by an excess of nitrogen & phosphorus, followed by decomposition and depletion of oxygen | 70 | |
9866196124 | Hypoxia | when aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the DO drops & the water cannot support life. Often results from eutrophication | 71 | |
9866196212 | CAFE standards | Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards enacted into law in 1975, established fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and light trucks. The fuel economy ratings for a manufacturer's entire line of passenger cars must currently average at least 27.5 mpg for the manufacturer to comply with the standard. | 72 | |
9866196125 | Primary Air Pollutants | pollutants that are directly produced by humans & nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hydrocarbons, particulates). | 73 | |
9866196126 | Secondary Air Pollutants | Examples are SO3, HNO3, O3, H2SO4; formed by reaction of primary pollutants and sunlight | 74 | |
9866196127 | Particulate Matter | tiny bits of airborne solid matter; sources include burning fossil fuels and car exhaust. Effects include reduced visibility, respiratory irritation. Methods of reduction include filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy. | 75 | |
9866196128 | Nitrogen Oxides | (NOx) Major source is auto exhaust. Primary and secondary effects include acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog and ozone. Reduced using catalytic converters. | 76 | |
9866196129 | Equation for acid formation for Nitrogen Oxides | NO + O2 → NO2 + H2O → HNO3. | 77 | |
9866196130 | Ozone | Secondary pollutant in troposphere that Causes respiratory irritation and plant damage. Reduced by reducing NO emissions and VOCs. In stratosphere, forms a protective barrier and absorbs UVc rays. Depleted by release of CFCs. | 78 | |
9866196131 | Sulfur Oxides | (SOx) Primary source is coal burning. Primary and secondary effects include acid deposition, respiratory irritation, plant damage. Reduction methods include: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel. | 79 | |
9866196132 | Equation for acid formation for Sulfur Oxides | SO2 + O2 → SO3 + H2O → H2SO4 | 80 | |
9866196133 | Carbon Dioxide | (CO2) Sources include the combustion of fossil fuels. Effects: greenhouse gas-contributes to global warming. Reduction accomplished by increased fuel efficiency (gas mileage), mass transit (reduction). | 81 | |
9866196213 | Carbon Monoxide | (CO) Sources include incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Effects: binds to hemoglobin reducing blood's ability to carry O2. Reduction accomplished by catalytic converters, oxygenated fuel, mass transit (reduction). | 82 | |
9866196134 | Photochemical Smog | formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O) | 83 | |
9866196135 | Acid Deposition | caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters | 84 | |
9866196136 | Greenhouse Gases | Most significant: H2O, CO2, O3, methane (CH4), CFCs. Trap outgoing infrared energy (heat) causing earth to warm in the troposphere. | 85 | |
9866196137 | Greenhouse Effect | a vital process, required for life to exist on Earth. If accelerated, can lead to global warming and climate change. | 86 | |
9866196138 | Effects of Global Warming | rising sea level (due to thermal expansion not melting ice), extreme weather, droughts (famine), and extinctions. | 87 | |
9866196139 | Ozone Depletion | caused by CFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone. Negative effects include increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, and decreased plant growth. | 88 | |
9866196140 | Municipal Solid Waste | garbage produced each year by a population, is mostly paper and mostly put into landfills. | 89 | |
9866196141 | Sanitary Landfill | Modern method of construction for waste disposal, problems include leachate, which is solved using a liner with a collection system; methane gas, which may be collected and burned and the volume of garbage, which may be compacted and/or reduced. | 90 | |
9866196142 | Incineration | Method of disposal by burning waste, Advantages-volume of waste reduced by 90% and waste heat can be used. Disadvantages-toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride, dioxin), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal. | 91 | |
9866196143 | Best Solution for Waste Problem | reduce the amount of waste at the source. | 92 | |
9866196214 | Brownfield | abandoned industrial sites characterized by lack of vegetation. | 93 | |
9866196144 | Keystone Species | species whose role in an ecosystem is important for the ecosystem to sustain itself (manatee, alligator, sea otter, etc) | 94 | |
9866196145 | Indicator Species | species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged (amphibians). | 95 | |
9866196146 | Natural Ecosystems Pest Control | 50-90% of pest species are kept under control by: predators, diseases, parasites. | 96 | |
9866196147 | Major Insecticide Groups | chlorinated hydrocarbons—ex. DDT; organophosphates—ex. malathion; carbamates—ex. aldicarb | 97 | |
9866196148 | Pesticide Pros | saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, and increases profits for farmers. | 98 | |
9866196149 | Pesticide Cons | genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, and biological magnification. | 99 | |
9866196150 | Natural Pest Control | better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural predators, and biopesticides, sex attractants. | 100 | |
9866196215 | Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) | new organisms created by altering the genetic material (DNA) of existing organisms; usually in an attempt to remove undesirable or create desirable characteristics in the new organism. | 101 | |
9866196216 | Electricity Generation | steam, from water boiled by fossils fuels or nuclear energy, or falling water is used to turn a turbine and generate a generator. | 102 | |
9866196217 | Petroleum (Crude Oil) Formation | microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat & pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons. | 103 | |
9866196218 | Petroleum Pros | cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy. | 104 | |
9866196151 | Petroleum Cons | reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes CO2. | 105 | |
9866196219 | Coal Formation | prehistoric plants buried undecomposed in oxygen-depleted water of swamps/bogs converted by heat and pressure. | 106 | |
9866196220 | Ranks of Coal | Most moisture and least carbon, to least moisture and pure carbon: peat, lignite, bituminous coal, anthracite coal. | 107 | |
9866196152 | Nuclear Reactor | consists of a core, control rods, moderator, steam generator, turbine, containment building. | 108 | |
9866196221 | Alternate Energy Sources | wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells | 109 | |
9866196222 | Remediation | return a contaminated area to its original state | 110 | |
9866196153 | LD-50 (Lethal Dose) | the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population | 111 | |
9866196223 | Troposphere | first layer of atmosphere 0-10 miles above the Earth's surface. Contains weather, greenhouse gases (bad ozone) | 112 | |
9866196224 | Stratosphere | second layer of atmosphere 10-30 miles above the Earth's surface. Contains protective ozone layer (good ozone) | 113 | |
9866196225 | Temperature Inversion | a warm layer of air above a cooler layer traps pollutants close to the Earth's surface. | 114 | |
9866196226 | Mutagen | a chemical substance that alters DNA, causes hereditary changes. | 115 | |
9866196154 | Teratogen | a chemical substance that causes fetus deformities. | 116 | |
9866196155 | Carcinogen | a chemical substance that causes cancer. | 117 | |
9866196227 | Dioxin | one of the most toxic human-made chemicals. Stable, long-lived, by-product of herbicide production enters environment as fallout from the incineration of municipal and medical waste and persists for many years | 118 | |
9866196228 | PCBs | stable, persistent, carcinogenic chlorinated hydrocarbons. Produced by the electronics industry | 119 | |
9866196156 | Multiple Use Public Lands | National Forest & National Resource lands | 120 | |
9866196157 | Moderately Restricted Use Public Lands | National Wildlife Refuges | 121 | |
9866196158 | Restricted Use Public Lands | National Parks, National Wilderness Preservation System | 122 | |
9866196229 | Divergent plate boundaries | tectonic plates spreading apart, new crust being formed (Mid Ocean Ridge) | 123 | |
9866196230 | Convergent plate boundaries | tectonic plates with the oldest crustal material on Earth moving together, one moving under another. Mineral deposits and volcanoes are most abundant at convergent plate boundaries (Volcanic arc like Japan) | 124 | |
9866196231 | Transform Fault | tectonic plates sliding past one another (San Andreas Fault Line) | 125 | |
9866196232 | Most Endangered species | have a small range, require large territory, have long generations, have very specialized niche, or live on an island | 126 | |
9866196159 | Biome | large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants & animals. | 127 | |
9866196160 | Tropical Rain Forests | characterized by the greatest diversity of species, believed to include many undiscovered species. Occur near the equator. Soils tend to be low in nutrients. Distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry). | 128 | |
9866196161 | Temperate Forests | occur in eastern North America, Japan, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe. Dominated by tall deciduous trees. Well-defined seasons include a distinct winter. Logged extensively, only scattered remnants of original temperate forests remain. | 129 | |
9866196162 | Boreal Forests or Taiga | represent the largest terrestrial biome. Dominated by needleleaf, coniferous trees. Found in the cold climates of Eurasia and North America: two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. Extensive logging may soon cause their disappearance. | 130 | |
9866196163 | Temperate Shrub Lands | occurs along the coast of Southern California and the Mediterranean region. Characterized by areas of Chaparral-miniature woodlands dominated by dense stands of shrubs. | 131 | |
9866196164 | Savannas | grassland with scattered individual trees. Cover almost half the surface of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America, and India. Warm or hot climates where the annual rainfall is 20-50 inches per year. The rainfall is concentrated in six or eight months of the year, followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur. | 132 | |
9866196165 | Temperate Grasslands | dominated by grasses, trees and large shrubs are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less than in savannas. Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Occur in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, the steppes of the former Soviet Union, and the plains and prairies of central North America. | 133 | |
9866196166 | Deserts | covers about one fifth of the Earth's surface and occur where rainfall is less than 50 cm/year. Most deserts occur at low latitudes, have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation, as well as specialized animals. Soils have abundant nutrients, need only water to become productive, and have little or no organic matter. Common disturbances include occasional fires or cold weather, and sudden, infrequent, but intense rains that cause flooding. | 134 | |
9866196167 | Tundra | treeless plains that are the coldest of all the biomes. Occur in the arctic and Antarctica. Dominated by lichens, mosses, sedges, and dwarfed shrubs Characterized by extremely cold climate, permanently frozen ground (permafrost) low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, limitation of drainage, short season of growth and reproduction. | 135 | |
9866196168 | Wetlands | areas of standing water that support aquatic plants including marshes, swamps, and bogs. Reduce flooding. Species diversity is very high. | 136 | |
9866196169 | Fresh Water | defined as having a low salt concentration (less than 1%). Plants and animals are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration (i.e., ocean). There are different types of freshwater regions: ponds and lakes, streams and rivers, and estuaries. | 137 | |
9866196170 | Oceans | the largest of all the ecosystems. The ocean regions are separated into separate zones: intertidal, pelagic, abyssal, and benthic. All four zones have a great diversity of species. | 138 | |
9866196171 | Chernobyl, Ukraine | April 26, 1986, unauthorized safety test (irony), leads to fire and explosion at nuclear power plant—millions exposed to unsafe levels of radiation. | 139 | |
9866196172 | Three-Mile Island, Pennsylvania | March 29, 1979, nuclear power plant loses cooling water 50% of core melts, radioactive materials escape into atmosphere, near meltdown (disaster). | 140 | |
9866196173 | Yucca Mountain, Nevada | controversial as proposed site for permanent storage of high-level nuclear waste, 70-miles northwest of Las Vegas, near volcano and earthquake faults. | 141 | |
9866196233 | Aral Sea, Uzbekistan/Kazakhstan | large inland sea is drying up as a result of water diversion | 142 | |
9866196174 | Love Canal, NY | chemicals buried in old canal, school and homes built over it led to birth defects and cancers. | 143 | |
9866196175 | Aswan High Dam, Egypt | The silt that made the Nile region fertile fills the reservoir. Lack of irrigation controls causes waterlogging and salinization. The parasitic disease schistosomiasis thrives in the stagnant water of the reservoir. | 144 | |
9866196234 | Three Gorges Dam, China | world's largest dam on Yangtze River drowned ecosystems, cities, archeological sites, fragmented habitats, and displaced 2 million people | 145 | |
9866196235 | Ogallala Aquifer | world's largest aquifer; under parts of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas (Midwest). Holds enough water to cover the U.S with 1.5 feet of water. Being depleted for agricultural and urban use. | 146 | |
9866196176 | Minamata, Japan | Mental impairments, birth defects, and deaths caused by mercury dumped in Minamata Bay by a factory. Mercury entered humans through their diet (fish). | 147 | |
9866196177 | Bhopal, India | December 2,1984, methyl isocyanate released accidentally by Union Carbide pesticide plant kills over 5,000. | 148 | |
9866196236 | Exxon Valdez | March 24,1989, tanker hits submerged rocks in Alaska's Prince William Sound-worst oil spill in US waters. | 149 | |
9866196178 | Safe Drinking Water Act | set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health. | 150 | |
9866196179 | Ocean Dumping Ban Act | bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge & industrial waste. | 151 | |
9866196237 | National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act | protects rivers due to aesthetic, recreational, wildlife, historical, or cultural reasons | 152 | |
9866196180 | Clean Water Act | Aim: to make all US waterways safe for fishing and swimming. set maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways. Require the repairment of damaged wetlands. | 153 | |
9866196181 | Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act | (SMCRA) requires coal strip mines to reclaim the land. | 154 | |
9866196182 | National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) | Environmental Impact Statements must be done before any project affecting federal lands can be started. | 155 | |
9866196183 | Clean Air Act | NAAQ set air quality standards. Set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air pollutants. | 156 | |
9866196184 | Kyoto Protocol | International treaty to control global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries. | 157 | |
9866196185 | Montreal Protocol | International treaty to phase out ozone depleting substances such as CFCs. | 158 | |
9866196186 | Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) | controls hazardous waste with a cradle to grave system. | 159 | |
9866196187 | Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA) | Superfund, designed to identify and clean up abandoned hazardous waste dumpsites. | 160 | |
9866196188 | Endangered Species Act | identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations. | 161 | |
9866196189 | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species | (CITES) lists species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products. | 162 | |
9866196190 | Lacey Act | prohibits interstate transport of wild animals dead or alive without federal permit. | 163 | |
9866196238 | US Marine Mammal Protection Act | prohibits taking marine mammals in U.S. waters by U.S. citizens; prohibits the importing marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S. | 164 | |
9866196191 | Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) | Legislation that regulates the use and effectiveness of pesticides | 165 | |
9866196192 | Food Quality Protection Act | Legislation that set pesticide limits in food, & all active and inactive ingredients must be screened for estrogenic/endocrine effects. | 166 | |
9866196193 | Low-Level Radioactive Policy Act | Legislation that requires that all states must have facilities to handle low-level radioactive wastes. | 167 | |
9866196194 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act | US government must develop a high level nuclear waste site by 2015 (see Yucca Mountain). | 168 | |
9866196239 | Rachel Carson | author who published "Silent Spring" in 1962; documented the environmental damage done by DDT and other pesticides. Which heightened public awareness at the start of the modern environmental movement | 169 | |
9866196240 | John Muir | founded the Sierra Club in 1892; fought unsuccessfully to prevent the damming of the Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park | 170 | |
9866196241 | Gifford Pinchot | first chief of the US Forest Service; advocated managing resources for multiple use using principles of sustainable yield. | 171 | |
9866196242 | Garrett Hardin | published "The Tragedy of the Commons" in the journal Science in 1968; argued that rational people will exploit shared resources (commons) | 172 | |
9866196243 | Aldo Leopold | wrote "A Sand County Almanac" published a year after his death in 1948; promoted a "Land Ethic" in which humans are ethically responsible for serving as the protectors of nature | 173 | |
9866196244 | Rowland and Molina | Scientific researchers, in 1974, determined that CFCs destroy stratospheric (good) ozone | 174 | |
9866196245 | Herbicide | a toxic chemical that kills plants | 175 | |
9866196246 | Insecticide | a toxic chemical that kills insects | 176 | |
9866196247 | Rodenticide | a toxic chemical that kills rodents | 177 | |
9866196248 | Fungicide | a toxic chemical that kills fungi | 178 | |
9866196249 | Superpests | pests resistant to pesticides | 179 | |
9866196250 | Niche | organism's job in the ecosystem of which it lives | 180 | |
9866196251 | Invasive Species | introduced into an ecosystem and out-compete native species | 181 | |
9866196252 | Active Solar Heating | silicon photo-voltaic cells: light absorbing semi-conductor which uses the photons from the sun to disrupt unstable compounds, freeing electrons to generate electricity | 182 | |
9866196253 | Passive Solar Heating | absorbs and stores heat from the sun directly within a structure without the need for pumps to distribute the heat | 183 | |
9866196254 | Cap and Trade Program | government limits air pollutant emissions and countries sell their excess emissions | 184 | |
9866196255 | Photosynthesis | process by which plants convert CO2 (atmospheric C) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6). using sunlight energy. | 185 | |
9866196256 | Producer/Autotroph | organisms that make their own food—photosynthetic life. Form the base of the food web or energy pyramid. (2 terms) | 186 |