Download Ecology and Environmental Studies: Key Terms and Concepts and more Quizzes Conflictology in PDF only on Docsity!
Ecology
The study of how living organisms interact with the natural environment. TERM 2
Natural
Environment
DEFINITION 2 Earth's surface and atmosphere, including air, water, soil, and other resources necessary to sustain living organisms. TERM 3
Technology
DEFINITION 3 Knowledge that people apply to the task of living in a physical environment. TERM 4
Ecosystem
DEFINITION 4 The interaction of all living organisms and their natural environment. TERM 5
Environmental Deficit
DEFINITION 5 Serious, long-term harm to the environment caused by humanity's focus on short-term material affluence.
Acid
Rain
Precipitationmade acidic by air pollution that destroys plant and animal life. TERM 7
Rain Forests
DEFINITION 7 Regions of dense forestation, most of which circle the globe close to the equator. TERM 8
Environmental Racism
DEFINITION 8 A pattern of discrimination in which environmental hazards are greatest for poor people, especially minorities. TERM 9
Ecologically Sustainable Culture
DEFINITION 9 A way of life that meets the needs of the present generation without threatening the environment for future generations. TERM 10
What are Environmental Issues?
DEFINITION 10 Social Problems all products of the way humans organize social life
Logic of Growth
People may use the planet's resources for their own purposes. material things are "good" "people are clever" "life will improve" TERM 17
What are some flaws in the 'logic of growth'?
DEFINITION 17 wrongly assumes finite materials (oil, clean air, fresh water, topsoil) are infinite environmentalists doubt human ingenuity can solve any problems of scarcity TERM 18
Limits-to-Growth Thesis
DEFINITION 18 Humanity must limit growth of the population and our use of finite resources to avoid eventual environmental collapse. TERM 19
What was the significance of the book "The
Limits to Growth" (1972)?
DEFINITION 19 Helped launch the environmental movement. neo-Malthusian - people who agreed with Malthus' pessimism about the future of humanity TERM 20
What are some threats of dumping grounds?
DEFINITION 20
- Landfills across the country are filling up2. Materials in landfills contribute to water pollution3. What goes into landfills may end up being there for centuries
What is the solution to the landfill
problems?
Recycle TERM 22
Hydrologic Cycle
DEFINITION 22 Earth naturally recycles water and refreshes the land. TERM 23
What are the problems associated with
water?
DEFINITION 23
- Inadequate water supply many regions relying on groundwater are beginning to run low
- Water pollution contaminated drinking water results in waterborne microorganisms causing infectious diseases TERM 24
Global Warming
DEFINITION 24 The rising of the Earth's average temperature. TERM 25
Why are rainforests important to our planet's
future?
DEFINITION 25 Earth's natural extremities (plants, oceans, and rainforests) remove CO2 from the air and produce O2.
Planned Obsolescence
Strategies to maximize profits may include designing products with a limited useful life. TERM 32
Conservatives in the
Environment
DEFINITION 32 Take anoptimistic view on environmental issues - that society is able to recognize environment problems and take action to solve them. Julian Simon TERM 33
Julian Simon (1995)
DEFINITION 33 Claims world has done well due to human ingenuity. Opposes Malthus' View - expresses support for the current system, in the belief that problems people create are problems people can solve TERM 34
Liberals in the
Environment
DEFINITION 34 Environmentalists predict catastropheif humanity doesn't change its ways - neo-Malthusian. realize humans have devised new and productive technologies, but unequal distribution = unequal benefits as production and population rise, finite resources are used Call for reforms: mandatory recycling programs limits on the consumption of natural resources (clean water) Ask for people in rich nations to make some sacrifices in their living standards for the interest of a better natural environment. TERM 35
Radical Lefts in the
Environment
DEFINITION 35 Support Liberal agenda, yet doubt reforms will solve problem. Marxist View - significant environmental change is impossible under capitalist system that places profits above all other concerns solution => replace capitalist economy
adding about half a year to the typical
lifespan.
Research shows that improvement in U.S. air quality over the last several decades has resulted in? TERM 37
Silent Spring.
DEFINITION 37 The title of Rachel Carson's book about growing environmental problems due to the widespread use of chemicals was TERM 38
Each year, how many people are added to the
planet's population?
DEFINITION 38 87 million TERM 39
In all, the world's rain forests cover what
percentage of Earth's total land surface?
DEFINITION 39 10 percent TERM 40
The world's rain forests are
DEFINITION 40 shrinking by about 1 percent or 21,000 square miles annually.
