Terms : Hide Images
| 16424082935 | aquifer | A permeable layer of rock and sediment that contains groundwater | 0 | |
| 16424082936 | unconfined aquifer | an aquifer made of porous rock covered by soil out of which water can easily flow | 1 | |
| 16424082937 | confined aquifer | an aquifer surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay that impedes water flow | 2 | |
| 16424082938 | water table | the uppermost level at which the water in a given area fully saturates rock or soil | 3 | |
| 16424082939 | groundwater recharge | A process by which water percolates through the soil and works its way into an aquifer. | 4 | |
| 16424082940 | spring | A natural source of water formed when water from an aquifer percolates up to the ground surface. | 5 | |
| 16424082941 | Artesian well | a well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer | 6 | |
| 16424082942 | cone of depression | an area lacking groundwater due to rapid withdrawal by a well | 7 | |
| 16424082943 | saltwater intrusion | an infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced from extensive drilling of wells | 8 | |
| 16424082944 | floodplain | The land adjacent to a river | 9 | |
| 16424082945 | impermeable surface | pavement or buildings that do not allow water penetration | 10 | |
| 16424082946 | levee | An enlarged bank built up on each side of a river | 11 | |
| 16424082947 | dike | A structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land | 12 | |
| 16424082948 | dam | a barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water | 13 | |
| 16424082949 | reservoir | the water body created by a damming a river or stream | 14 | |
| 16424082950 | fish ladder | a stair-like structure that allows migrating fish to get around a dam | 15 | |
| 16424082951 | aqueduct | A canal or ditch used to carry water from one location to another | 16 | |
| 16424082952 | desalination | process of removing salt from salt water | 17 | |
| 16424082953 | distillation | A process of desalination in which water is boiled and the resulting steam is captured and condensed to yield pure water | 18 | |
| 16424082954 | reverse osmosis | a process of desalination in which water is forced through a thin semipermeable membrane at high pressure | 19 | |
| 16424082955 | water footprint | the total daily per capita use of fresh water | 20 | |
| 16424082956 | hydroponic agriculture | the cultivation of plants in greenhouse conditions by immersing roots in a nutrient-rich solution | 21 | |
| 16424082957 | gray water | wastewater from baths, showers, bathrooms, and washing machines | 22 | |
| 16424082958 | contaminated water | wastewater from toilets, kitchen sinks, and dishwashers | 23 | |
| 16424082959 | air pollution | the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or microorganisms into the atmosphere at concentrations high enough to harm plants, animals, and materials such as buildings, or to alter ecosystems | 24 | |
| 16424082960 | particulate matter | solid or liquid particles suspended in air | 25 | |
| 16424082961 | haze | reduced visibility | 26 | |
| 16424082962 | photochemical oxidant | a class of air pollutants formed as a result of sunlight acting on compounds such as nitrogen oxides | 27 | |
| 16424082963 | ozone | A secondary pollutant made up of three oxygen atoms bound together. | 28 | |
| 16424082964 | smog | A type of air pollution that is a mixture of oxidants and particulate matter | 29 | |
| 16424082965 | photochemical smog | Smog that is dominated by oxidants such as ozone. Also known as Los Angeles-type smog; Brown smog. | 30 | |
| 16424082966 | sulfurous smog | Smog dominated by sulfur dioxide and sulfate compounds. London-type smog. | 31 | |
| 16424082967 | volatile organic compound | An organic compound that evaporates at typical atmospheric temperatures. | 32 | |
| 16424082968 | primary pollutant | a polluting compound that comes directly out of a smokestack, exhaust pipe, or natural emission source | 33 | |
| 16424082969 | secondary pollutant | A primary pollutant that has undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds | 34 | |
| 16424082970 | thermal inversion | A situation in which a relatively warm layer of air at mid-altitude covers a layer of cold, dense air below. | 35 | |
| 16424082971 | inversion layer | the layer of warm air that traps emissions in a thermal inversion | 36 | |
| 16424082972 | asbestos | A long, thin, fibrous silicate mineral with insulating properties, which can cause cancer when inhaled. | 37 | |
| 16424082973 | sick building syndrome | a buildup of toxic pollutants in an airtight space, seen in newer buildings | 38 | |
| 16424082974 | global change | change that occurs in the chemical, biological, and physical properties of the planet | 39 | |
| 16424082975 | global climate change | changes in the average weather that occurs in an area over a period of years or decades | 40 | |
| 16424082976 | global warming | The warming of the oceans, land masses, and atmosphere of Earth. | 41 | |
| 16424082977 | greenhouse effect | Absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases and reradiation of the energy back toward Earth. | 42 | |
| 16424082978 | greenhouse warming potential | An estimate of how much a molecule of any compound can contribute to global warming over a period of 100 years relative to a molecule of CO2. | 43 | |
| 16424082979 | ocean acidification | The process by which an increase in ocean CO2 causes more CO2 to be converted to carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of the water. | 44 | |
| 16424082980 | Kyoto Protocol | An international agreement to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases from all industrialized countries to 5.2 percent below their 1990 levels by 2012 | 45 | |
| 16424082981 | carbon sequestration | an approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere | 46 | |
| 16424082982 | climate | the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time | 47 | |
| 16424082983 | weather | the short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area, which include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed | 48 | |
| 16424082984 | troposphere | the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth's surface | 49 | |
| 16424082985 | stratosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere | 50 | |
| 16424082986 | albedo | the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface | 51 | |
| 16424082987 | saturation point | The maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature. | 52 | |
| 16424082988 | adiabatic cooling | the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands | 53 | |
| 16424082989 | adiabatic heating | the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume | 54 | |
| 16424082990 | latent heat release | the release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water | 55 | |
| 16424082991 | atmospheric convection current | global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of Earth | 56 | |
| 16424082992 | Hadley cell | A convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30° N and 30° S. | 57 | |
| 16424082993 | intertropical convergence zone | the latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge | 58 | |
| 16424082994 | polar cell | A convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60 degrees N and 60 degrees S and sinks at the poles, 90 degrees N and 90 degrees S | 59 | |
| 16424082995 | Ferrel cell | A convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells | 60 | |
| 16424082996 | Coriolis effect | the deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of Earth | 61 | |
| 16424082997 | rain shadow | a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side | 62 | |
| 16424082998 | gyre | A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere | 63 | |
| 16424082999 | upwelling | the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents | 64 | |
| 16424083000 | thermohaline circulation | an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water | 65 | |
| 16424083001 | El Nino-Southern Oscillation | A reversal of wind and water currents in the South Pacific | 66 | |
| 16424083002 | terrestrial biome | A geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land | 67 | |
| 16424083003 | aquatic biome | an aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow | 68 | |
| 16424083004 | tundra | A cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation. | 69 | |
| 16424083005 | permafrost | an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil | 70 | |
| 16424083006 | boreal forest | A forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons | 71 | |
| 16424083007 | temperate rainforest | a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation | 72 | |
| 16424083008 | temperate seasonal forest | A biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m (39 inches) of precipitation annually. | 73 | |
| 16424083009 | woodland/shrubland | a biome characterized by hot, dry summer and mild, rainy winters | 74 | |
| 16424083010 | temperate grassland/cold desert | A biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers. | 75 | |
| 16424083011 | tropical rainforest | a warm and wet biome found between 20 degrees N and 20 degrees S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation | 76 | |
| 16424083012 | tropical seasonal forest/savanna | a biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons | 77 | |
| 16424083013 | subtropical desert | A biome prevailing at approximately 30° N and 30° S, with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation. | 78 | |
| 16424083014 | littoral zone | the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow | 79 | |
| 16424083015 | limnetic zone | a zone of open water in lakes and ponds | 80 | |
| 16424083016 | phytoplankton | floating algae | 81 | |
| 16424083017 | profundal zone | a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes | 82 | |
| 16424083018 | benthic zone | the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean | 83 | |
| 16424083019 | oligotrophic | Describes a lake with a low level of productivity | 84 | |
| 16424083020 | mesotrophic | Describes a lake with a moderate level of productivity | 85 | |
| 16424083021 | eutrophic | Describes a lake with a high level of productivity | 86 | |
| 16424083022 | freshwater wetlands | An aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation. | 87 | |
| 16424083023 | salt marsh | A marsh containing nonwoody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates. | 88 | |
| 16424083024 | mangrove swamp | A swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contains salt-tolerant trees with roots submerged in water. | 89 | |
| 16424083025 | intertidal zone | the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide | 90 | |
| 16424083026 | coral reef | The most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline. | 91 | |
| 16424083027 | coral bleeching | A phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white. | 92 | |
| 16424083028 | open ocean | deep ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom | 93 | |
| 16424083029 | photic zone | the upper layer of water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis | 94 | |
| 16424083030 | aphotic zone | The deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis | 95 | |
| 16424083031 | chemosynthesis | A process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide. | 96 | |
| 16424083032 | matter | anything that occupies space and has mass | 97 | |
| 16424083033 | mass | a measurement of the amount of matter an object contains | 98 | |
| 16424083034 | atom | the smallest particle that can contain the chemical properties of an element | 99 | |
| 16424083035 | element | a substance composed of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller, simpler components | 100 | |
| 16424083036 | periodic table | A chart of all chemical elements currently known, organized by their properties. | 101 | |
| 16424083037 | molecule | a particle that contains more than one atom | 102 | |
| 16424083038 | compound | a molecule containing more than one element | 103 | |
| 16424083039 | atomic number | the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular element | 104 | |
| 16424083040 | mass number | a measurement of the total number of protons and neutrons in an element | 105 | |
| 16424083041 | isotopes | atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons | 106 | |
| 16424083042 | radioactive decay | the spontaneous release of material from the nucleus of radioactive isotopes | 107 | |
| 16424083043 | half-life | the time it takes for one-half of an original radioactive parent atom to decay | 108 | |
| 16424083044 | covalent bond | the bond formed when elements share electrons | 109 | |
| 16424083045 | ionic bond | a chemical bond between two ions of opposite charges | 110 | |
| 16424083046 | hydrogen bond | a weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to one atom are attracted to another atom on another molecule | 111 | |
| 16424083047 | polar molecule | a molecule in which one side is more positive and the other side is more negative | 112 | |
| 16424083048 | surface tension | a property of water that results from the cohesion of water molecules at the surface of a body of water and that creates a sort of skin on the water's surface | 113 | |
| 16424083049 | capillary action | a property of water that occurs when adhesion of water molecules to a surface is stronger than cohesion between the molecules | 114 | |
| 16424083050 | acid | a substance that contributes hydrogen ions to a solution | 115 | |
| 16424083051 | base | a substance that contributes hydroxide ions to a solution | 116 | |
| 16424083052 | pH | the number that indicates the relative strength of acids and bases in a substance | 117 | |
| 16424083053 | chemical reaction | a reaction that occurs when atoms separate from molecules or recombine with other molecules | 118 | |
| 16424083054 | law of conservation of matter | A law of nature stating that matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form | 119 | |
| 16424083055 | inorganic compound | a compound that does not contain the element carbon or contains carbon bound to elements other than hydrogen | 120 | |
| 16424083056 | organic compound | a compound that contains carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds | 121 | |
| 16424083057 | carbohydrate | a compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms | 122 | |
| 16424083058 | protein | A critical component of living organisms made up of a long chain of nitrogen-containing organic molecules known as amino acids | 123 | |
| 16424083059 | nucleic acid | organic compound found in all living cells | 124 | |
| 16424083060 | DNA | A nucleic acid, the genetic material that contains the code for reproducing the components of the next generation, and which organisms pass on to their offspring. | 125 | |
| 16424083061 | RNA | a nucleic acid that translates the code stored in DNA, which makes possible the synthesis of proteins | 126 | |
| 16424083062 | lipid | a smaller organic biological molecule that does not mix with water | 127 | |
| 16424083063 | cell | a highly organized living entity that consists of the four types of macromolecules and other substances in a watery solution, surrounded by a membrane | 128 | |
| 16424083064 | energy | the ability to do work or transfer heat | 129 | |
| 16424083065 | joule | the amount of energy used when a one-watt electrical device is turned on for one second | 130 | |
| 16424083066 | power | the rate at which work is done | 131 | |
| 16424083067 | work | Force exerted on an object that causes it to move | 132 | |
| 16424083068 | electromagnetic radiation | a form of energy emitted by the sun that includes, but is not limited to, visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared energy | 133 | |
| 16424083069 | photon | a massless packet of energy that carries electromagnetic radiation at the speed of light | 134 | |
| 16424083070 | potential energy | stored energy that has not been released | 135 | |
| 16424083071 | chemical energy | potential energy stored in chemical bonds | 136 | |
| 16424083072 | kinetic energy | the energy of motion | 137 | |
| 16424083073 | temperature | the measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance | 138 | |
| 16424083074 | first law of thermodynamics | A physical law which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can change from one form to another | 139 | |
| 16424083075 | second law of thermodynamics | the physical law stating that when energy is transformed, the quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes | 140 | |
| 16424083076 | energy efficiency | The ratio of the amount of energy expended in the form you want to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system | 141 | |
| 16424083077 | energy quality | the ease with which an energy source can be used for work | 142 | |
| 16424083078 | entropy | randomness in a system | 143 | |
| 16424083079 | open system | a system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries | 144 | |
| 16424083080 | closed system | a system in which matter and energy exchanges do not occur across boundaries | 145 | |
| 16424083081 | input | an addition to a system | 146 | |
| 16424083082 | output | a loss from a system | 147 | |
| 16424083083 | systems analysis | an analysis to determine inputs, outputs, and changes in a system under various conditions | 148 | |
| 16424083084 | steady state | a state in which inputs equal outputs, so that the system is not changing over time | 149 | |
| 16424083085 | negative feedback loop | A feedback loop in which a system responds to a change by returning to its original state, or by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring. | 150 | |
| 16424083086 | positive feedback loop | a feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified | 151 | |
| 16424083087 | adaptive management plan | a plan that provides flexibility so that managers can modify it as changes occur | 152 | |
| 16424083088 | biosphere | The region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on Earth. | 153 | |
| 16424083089 | producer | An organism that uses the energy of the Sun to produce usable forms of energy. Also known as Autotroph. | 154 | |
| 16424083090 | photosynthesis | The process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose | 155 | |
| 16424083091 | cellular respiration | The process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds | 156 | |
| 16424083092 | aerobic respiration | The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water. | 157 | |
| 16424083093 | consumer | An organism that is incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms (also known as heterotroph) | 158 | |
| 16424083094 | herbivore | A consumer that eats producers (also known as Primary consumer) | 159 | |
| 16424083095 | carnivore | A consumer that eats other consumers | 160 | |
| 16424083096 | secondary consumer | a carnivore that eats primary consumers | 161 | |
| 16424083097 | tertiary consumer | A carnivore that eats secondary consumers | 162 | |
| 16424083098 | trophic levels | the successive levels of organisms consuming one another | 163 | |
| 16424083099 | food chain | the sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers | 164 | |
| 16424083100 | food web | A complex model of how energy and matter move between trophic levels | 165 | |
| 16424083101 | scavenger | An organism that consumes dead animals | 166 | |
| 16424083102 | detritivore | An organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles | 167 | |
| 16424083103 | decomposers | fungi and bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem | 168 | |
| 16424083104 | gross primary productivity | The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time | 169 | |
| 16424083105 | net primary productivity | the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire | 170 | |
| 16424083106 | biomass | the total mass of all living matter in a specific area | 171 | |
| 16424083107 | standing crop | the amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time | 172 | |
| 16424083108 | ecological efficiency | the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another | 173 | |
| 16424083109 | trophic pyramid | A representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels | 174 | |
| 16424083110 | biogeochemical cycle | the movements of matter within and between ecosystems | 175 | |
| 16424083111 | hydrologic cycle | the movement of water through the biosphere | 176 | |
| 16424083112 | transpiration | the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis | 177 | |
| 16424083113 | evapotranspiration | The combined amount of evaporation and transpiration | 178 | |
| 16424083114 | runoff | Water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers | 179 | |
| 16424083115 | carbon cycle | The movement of carbon around the biosphere | 180 | |
| 16424083116 | macronutrient | One of six key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. | 181 | |
| 16424083117 | limiting nutrient | a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients | 182 | |
| 16424083118 | nitrogen cycle | The movement of nitrogen around the biosphere | 183 | |
| 16424083119 | nitrogen fixation | A process by which some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules directly into ammonia | 184 | |
| 16424083120 | nitrification | the conversion of ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate | 185 | |
| 16424083121 | assimilation | The process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues | 186 | |
| 16424083122 | mineralization | The process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic compounds | 187 | |
| 16424083123 | ammonification | The process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrogen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium | 188 | |
| 16424083124 | denitrification | The conversion of nitrate in a series of steps into the gases nitrous oxide and, eventually, nitrogen gas, which is emitted into the atmosphere | 189 | |
| 16424083125 | leaching | the transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater | 190 | |
| 16424083126 | phosphorous cycle | the movement of phosphorous around the biosphere | 191 | |
| 16424083127 | algal bloom | A rapid increase in the algal population of a waterway | 192 | |
| 16424083128 | hypoxic | low in oxygen | 193 | |
| 16424083129 | sulfur cycle | the movement of sulfur around the biosphere | 194 | |
| 16424083130 | disturbance | an event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in population size or community composition | 195 | |
| 16424083131 | watershed | all land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland | 196 | |
| 16424083132 | resistance | a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem | 197 | |
| 16424083133 | resilience | the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance | 198 | |
| 16424083134 | restoration ecology | the study and implementation of restoring damaged ecosystems | 199 | |
| 16424083135 | intermediate disturbance hypothesis | the hypothesis that ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels | 200 | |
| 16424083136 | well-being | the status of being health, happy, and prosperous | 201 | |
| 16424083137 | economics | the study of how humans allocate scarce resources in the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services | 202 | |
| 16424083138 | genuine progress indicator | A measure of economic status that includes personal consumption, income distribution, levels of higher education, resource depletion, pollution, and the health of the population. | 203 | |
| 16424083139 | technology transfer | The phenomenon of less developed countries adopting technological innovations that originated in wealthy countries. | 204 | |
| 16424083140 | leapfrogging | the phenomenon of less developed countries using new technology without first using the precursor technology | 205 | |
| 16424083141 | natural capital | the resources of the planet, such as air, water, and minerals | 206 | |
| 16424083142 | human capital | human knowledge and abilities | 207 | |
| 16424083143 | manufactured capital | all goods and services that humans produce | 208 | |
| 16424083144 | market failure | when the economic system does not account for all costs | 209 | |
| 16424083145 | environmental economics | a subfield of economics that examines costs and benefits of various policies and regulations that seek to regulate or limit air and water pollution and other causes of environmental degradation | 210 | |
| 16424083146 | ecological economics | the study of economics as a component of ecological systems | 211 | |
| 16424083147 | valuation | The practice of assigning monetary value to seemingly intangible benefits and natural capital. | 212 | |
| 16424083148 | environmental worldview | A worldview that encompasses how people think the world works, how they view their role in it, and what they believe to be proper environmental behavior. | 213 | |
| 16424083149 | anthropocentric worldview | A worldview that focuses on human welfare and well-being. | 214 | |
| 16424083150 | stewardship | The careful and responsible management of Earth and its resources. | 215 | |
| 16424083151 | biocentric worldview | A worldview that holds that humans are just one of many species on Earth, all of which have equal intrinsic value. | 216 | |
| 16424083152 | ecocentric worldview | a worldview that places equal value on all living organisms and the ecosystems in which they live | 217 | |
| 16424083153 | human development index | a measurement index that combines three basic measures of human status: life expectancy, knowledge, and education. | 218 | |
| 16424083154 | human poverty index | A measurement index developed by the United Nations to investigate the proportion of a population suffering from deprivation in a country with a high HDI | 219 | |
| 16424083155 | command-and-control approach | a strategy for pollution control that involves regulations and enforcement mechanisms | 220 | |
| 16424083156 | incentive-based approach | a strategy for pollution control that constructs financial and other incentives for lowering emissions based on profits and benefits | 221 | |
| 16424083157 | green tax | a tax placed on environmentally harmful activities or emissions in an attempt to internalize some of the externalities that may be involved in the life cycle of those activities or products | 222 | |
| 16424083158 | triple bottom line | An approach to sustainability that advocates consideration of economic, environmental, and social factors when making decisions about business, the economy, the environment, and development. | 223 | |
| 16424083159 | fracking | hydraulic fracturing, a method of oil and gas extraction that uses high-pressure fluids to force open cracks in rocks deep underground | 224 | |
| 16424083160 | environment | the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life | 225 | |
| 16424083161 | environmental science | the field of study that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature | 226 | |
| 16424083162 | ecosystem | a particular location on Earth distinguished by its mix of interacting biotic and abiotic components | 227 | |
| 16424083163 | biotic | living | 228 | |
| 16424083164 | abiotic | nonliving | 229 | |
| 16424083165 | environmentalist | a person who participates in environmentalism, a social movement that seeks to protect the environment through lobbying, activism, and education | 230 | |
| 16424083166 | environmental studies | The field of study that includes environmental science and additional subjects such as environmental policy, economics, literature, and ethics. | 231 | |
| 16424083167 | ecosystem services | the processes by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced | 232 | |
| 16424083168 | environmental indicator | an indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system | 233 | |
| 16424083169 | Biodiversity | the diversity of life forms in an environment | 234 | |
| 16424083170 | genetic diversity | a measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population | 235 | |
| 16424083171 | species | a group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in its morphology (body form and structure), behavior, or biochemical properties | 236 | |
| 16424083172 | species diversity | the number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat |  | 237 |
| 16424083173 | speciation | the evolution of new species | 238 | |
| 16424083174 | background extinction rate | The average rate at which species become extinct over the long term | 239 | |
| 16424083175 | greenhouse gases | Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface | 240 | |
| 16424083176 | anthropogenic | derived from human activities | 241 | |
| 16424083177 | development | improvement in human well-being through economic advancement | 242 | |
| 16424083178 | sustainability | Living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources | 243 | |
| 16424083179 | sustainable development | development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations | 244 | |
| 16424083180 | biophilia | love of life | 245 | |
| 16424083181 | ecological footprint | a measure of how much an individual consumes, expressed in area of land | 246 | |
| 16424083182 | scientific method | an objective method to explore the natural world, draw inferences from it, and predict the outcome of certain events, processes, or changes | 247 | |
| 16424083183 | hypothesis | a testable conjecture about how something works | 248 | |
| 16424083184 | null hypothesis | A prediction that there is no difference between groups or conditions, or a statement or an idea that can be falsified, or proved wrong. | 249 | |
| 16424083185 | replication | The data collection procedure of taking repeated measurements | 250 | |
| 16424083186 | sample size | the number of times a measurement is replicated in data collection | 251 | |
| 16424083187 | accuracy | how close a measurement is to the true value | 252 | |
| 16424083188 | precision | how close the repeated measurements of a sample are to one another | 253 | |
| 16424083189 | uncertainty | an estimate of how much a measured or calculated value differs from a true value | 254 | |
| 16424083190 | theory | a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of researchers and has reached wide acceptance | 255 | |
| 16424083191 | control group | In a scientific investigation, a group that experiences exactly the same conditions as the experimental group, except for the single variable under study. | 256 | |
| 16424083192 | natural experiment | a natural event that acts as an experimental treatment in an ecosystem | 257 |
