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APES Definitions

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Term
Definition
First Law of Thermodynamics   Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another  
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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)  
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Ionizing radiation   Radiation with enough energy to free electrons from atoms forming ions, may cause cancer (ex. gamma, X-rays, UV)  
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High Quality Energy   Organized & concentrates, can perform useful work (ex. fossil fuels & nuclear)  
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Low Quality Energy   Disorganized, dispersed (ex. heat in ocean or air/wind, solar)  
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Natural radioactive decay   Unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles (ex. Radon)  
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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  
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Nuclear Fission   Nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons  
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Nuclear Fusion   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  
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Ore   A rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine  
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Mineral Reserve   Identified deposits currently profitable to extract  
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Surface mining   Cheaper, can remove more minerals, less hazardous to workers  
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Humus   Organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms  
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Leaching   Removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil  
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Loam   Perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, and clay  
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Soil Conservation Methods   Conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers  
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Hydrologic Cycle Components   Evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration  
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Aquifer   Any water-bearing layer in the ground  
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Cone of Depression   Lowering of the water table around a pumping well  
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Salt Water Intrusion   Near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer  
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ENSO   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  
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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  
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Nitrogen Fixation   because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria  
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Ammonification   Decomposers convert organic waste into ammonia  
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Nitrification   Ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-)  
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Assimilation   Inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins  
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Denitrification   Bacteria convert ammonia back into N  
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Phosphorus   Does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of phosphate rocks, it is a major limiting factor for plant growth. Phosphorus cycle is slow, and not atmospheric  
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Photosynthesis   Plants convert CO2 (atmospheric C) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6)  
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Aerobic Respiration   Oxygen consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2  
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Largest reservoirs of Carbon   (1) carbonate rocks (2) oceans  
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Biotic/Abiotic   Living & nonliving components of an ecosystem  
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Producer/Autotroph   Organisms that make their own food; photosynthetic life  
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Trophic Levels   Producers - Primary Consumer - Secondary Consumer - Tertiary Consumer - Decomposers  
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Energy Flow through Food Webs   10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Reason: usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey  
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Primary succession   Development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (ex. lava)  
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Secondary succession   Life progresses where soil remains (ex. clear-cut forest, old farm)  
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Mutualism   Symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit  
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Commensalism   Symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected  
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Parasitism   Relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients at the expense of the host  
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Carrying Capacity   The number of individuals that can be sustained in an area  
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r-strategist   Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring (ex. insects, mice)  
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K-strategist   Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, cared for offspring (ex. humans, elephants)  
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Natural Selection   Organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation  
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Thomas Malthus   "Human population cannot continue to increase. Consequences will be war, famine, and pestilence."  
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Doubling Time   (Rule of 70) equals 70 divided by percent growth rate (ex. a population growing at 5% annually doubles in 70/5 = 14 years)  
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Replacement Level Fertility   The number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 more developed, 2.7 less)  
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Demographic Transition Model   Preindustrial stage, transitional stage, industrial stage, postindustrial stage  
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Preindustrial stage   Birth & death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high  
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Transitional stage   Death rate (infant mortality) lower, birth rates remain high, better health care, population grows fast  
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Industrial stage   Decline in birth rate, population growth slows  
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Postindustrial stage   Low birth & death rates  
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Age Structure Diagrams   Broad base - rapid growth; narrow base - negative growth; uniform shape - zero growth  
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Most Populous Nations   (1) China (2) India  
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Low Status of Women   Most important factor keeping population growth rates high  
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Methods to Decrease Birth Rates   Family planning, contraception, economic rewards, and penalties  
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Composition of Water on Earth   97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater  
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Soil Salinization   In arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind (ex. Fertile Crescent, southwestern US)  
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Point Source   From specific location such as pipe or smokestack  
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Non-Point Source   From over an area such as agricultural (farm) runoff, traffic  
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BOD   Biological Oxygen Demand, amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials  
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Eutrophication   Rapid algal growth caused by an excess of nitrogen & phosphorus  
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Hypoxia   When aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the DO drops & the water cannot support life  
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Primary Air Pollutants   Produced by humans & nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hydrocarbons, particulates)  
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Secondary Air Pollutants   Formed by reaction of primary pollutants  
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Particulate Matter   Sources include burning fossil fuels and car exhaust. Effects include reduced visibility, respiratory irritation. Methods of reduction include filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy.  
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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  
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Ozone   Secondary pollutant. Causes respiratory irritation and plant damage. Reduced by reducing NO emissions and VOCs  
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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  
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Carbon Oxides   (CO2 and CO) Sources include burning fossil fuels, incomplete combustion. Effects: CO binds to hemoglobin reducing blood's ability to carry O; CO2 contributes to global warming. Reduction accomplished by catalytic converters, oxygenated fuel, mass transit  
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Industrial Smog   Found in cities that burn large amounts of coal  
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Photochemical Smog   Formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O)  
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Acid Deposition   Caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters  
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Greenhouse Gases   Most significatn: H2O, CO2, O3, methane (CH4), CFCs. Trap outgoing infrared energy (heat) causing earth to warm  
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Greenhouse Effect   A vital process, required for life to exist on Earth. If accelerated, bad, leads to global warming  
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Effects of Global Warming   Rising sea level (due to thermal expansion not melting ice), extreme weather, droughts (famine), and extinctions  
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Ozone Depletion   Caused by CFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone  
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Effects of Ozone Depletion   Increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, and decreased plant growth  
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Municipal Solid Waste   Is mostly paper and mostly put into landfills  
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Sanitary Landfill   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  
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Incineration   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  
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Best Solution for Waste Problem   Reduce the amount of waste at the source  
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Keystone Species   Species whose role in an ecosystem is more important than others  
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Indicator Species   Species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged  
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Major Insecticide Groups   Chlorinated hydrocarbons - ex. DDT; organophosphates - ex. malathion; carbamates - ex. aldicarb  
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Pesticide Pros   Saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, and increases profits for farmers  
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Pesticide Cons   Genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, and biological magnification  
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Natural Pest Control   Better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, and biopesticides, sex attractants  
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Electricity Generation   Steam, from water boiled by fossil fuels or nuclear energy, or falling water is used to turn a generator  
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Petroleum Formation   Microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat & pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons  
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Petroleum Pros   Cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy  
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Petroleum Cons   Reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes CO2  
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Coal Formation   Peat, lignite, bituminous coal, anthracite coal  
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Nuclear Reactor   Consists of a core, control rods, moderator, steam generator, turbine, containment building  
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Alternate Energy Sources   Wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells  
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LD-50   The amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test populations  
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Mutagen   Causes hereditary changes  
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Teratogen   Causes fetus deformities  
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Carcinogen   Causes cancer  
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Multiple Use Public Lands   National Forest & National Resource Lands  
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Moderately Restricted Use Public Lands   National Wildlife Refuges  
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Restricted Use Public Lands   National Parks, National Wilderness Preservation System  
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Volcanoes and Earthquakes   Occur at tectonic plate boundaries; divergent - spreading (ex. mid-ocean ridges); convergent - (ex. trenches); transform fault, sliding - (ex. San Andreas)  
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Mineral Deposits   Most abundant at convergent plate boundaries  
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