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Enviro Q3 Benchmark
Environmental Science Q3 Benchmark Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| population | A group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area and interbreed. |
| carrying capacity | The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support at any given time. |
| conclusion | A statement summarizing the results of an experiment, explaining whether the initial hypothesis was supported or refuted by the data collected. |
| analyze | Examining and interpreting collected data to identify patterns, relationships, and trends, ultimately leading to drawing conclusions and testing hypotheses. |
| acid rain | Precipitation that contains a high concentration of acids, often because of the pollution of the atmosphere. |
| smog | Urban air pollution composed of a mixture of smoke and fog produced from industrial pollutants and burning fuels. |
| global warming | A gradual increase in average global temperature, caused by fossil fuel emission, cutting down forest trees, and farming livestock. |
| pollution | An undesirable change in the natural environment, caused by the introduction of substances that are harmful to living organisms or by excessive wastes, heat, noise or radiation |
| runoff | The flow of water, including rainwater or melted snow, over the land surface and into bodies of water, rather than infiltrating into the ground, when the soil's capacity to absorb water is exceeded. Can carrying pollution from one place to another. |
| ozone layer | The layer of the atmosphere (altitude of 5-40 km) containing a high concentration of ozone (O3) that absorbs most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, protecting life on Earth. |
| extinction | When a species or population fails to survive and all the animals die. |
| speciation | The term for the process by which new species form. |
| natural selection | The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than less adapted individuals do |
| evolution | The development of new types of organisms from preexisting types of organisms over time. The process by which natural selection leads to the formation of new species. |
| divergent evolution | The process where a common ancestor evolves into two or more distinct species, often due to different environmental pressures or adaptive strategies. |
| tropical rainforest | A forest or jungle near the equator that is characterized by large amounts of rain and little variation in temperature and that contains the greatest known diversity of organisms on Earth. |
| photic zone | The uppermost layer of a body of water where sunlight penetrates, allowing for photosynthesis to occur. Also known as the euphotic zone. |
| algae | a group of predominantly aquatic, photosynthetic, and nucleus-bearing organisms that lack the true roots, stems, leaves, and specialized multicellular reproductive structures of plants. |
| photosynthesis | the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of sugars, using water and carbon dioxide, and releasing oxygen as a byproduct |
| cellular respiration | the process by which cells break down glucose (a type of sugar) in the presence of oxygen to produce energy in the form of ATP, releasing carbon dioxide and water as waste products |
| biotic | A living factor that affects an ecosystem. |
| abiotic | A non-living factor that affects an ecosystem. |
| predator | An organism that eats other organisms. |
| prey | An organism that is eaten by another organism. |
| precipitation | Condensed water that falls to Earth’s surface from the atmosphere as rain, snow, hail, fog, or sleet. |
| radioactive | The property of some unstable atoms to spontaneously emit nuclear radiation, which is harmful to human health and can cause cancer. |
| heavy metals | Metallic elements that have a relatively high density compared to water. Some are highly toxic to living organisms such as mercury and lead. |
| DNA markers | Specific DNA sequences used to identify or track organisms or their genetic material (eDNA) in environmental samples. |
| algae bloom | A rapid increase in the population of algae (microscopic photosynthetic organisms) in a water system, often caused by nutrient pollution, harming aquatic life through toxins, blocking sunlight, and depleting oxygen. |
| geothermal energy | The energy produced by heat within Earth. |
| carbon dioxide | A key greenhouse gas, naturally present in the atmosphere, and a product of respiration, combustion, and volcanic activity. |
| emigration | When individuals or populations move away from an area. |
| immigration | When individuals or populations move into an area. |
| mutation | A change in an organism's genetic material, which can be caused by environmental factors or errors during cell division, and is the ultimate source of genetic variation and evolution. |
| extinction | The complete and irreversible disappearance of a species from Earth. |
| limiting factor | Any environmental condition or resource that restricts the growth of a population. |
| invasive species | A non-native organism (plant, animal, or microbe) that, when introduced to a new environment, establishes itself, reproduces, and spreads, causing harm. |
| habitat destruction | The elimination or alteration of natural habitats that renders them unable to support native species, leading to a decline in biodiversity. |
| greenhouse effect | The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases in the air absorb and reradiate radiation. Without it, Earth would be too cold for life. |
| climate | The long-term, average weather conditions, typically spanning 30 years or more, of a specific region. |
| specific heat capacity | The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius. Water has a higher specific heat capacity than land and is responsible for cooler temperatures of coastal areas. |
| recycle | the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new product |
| nuclear energy | The energy released from the nucleus of an atom (by nuclear fission) which can be harnessed to generate electricity with minimal greenhouse gas emissions but also produces radioactive waste that requires careful management. |
| stakeholder | A person or group of people who has an interest in or is involved with an organization, business, or project. |
| dependent variable | The variable/factor that changes as a result of the manipulation of one or more independent variables. |
| independent variable | The variable that is deliberately manipulated in an experiment. |
| El Niño | The global weather phenomenon where trade winds weaken, characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. |
| La Niña | The global weather phenomenon where trade winds strengthen, characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. |
| sustainability | The condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely. |
| evaporation | The process by which liquid water turns into water vapor. A key part of the water cycle and is driven by solar energy. |
Created by:
Ms. Wilhjelm
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