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Acc. Biology Ecology 3
Simon Kenton
30
Biology
10th Grade
10/24/2011

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Cards

Term

 

Renewable Resources

Definition

 

Can be replenished by biochemical cycles

Example: tree, water, air, solar

Term

 

Nonrenewable Resources

Definition

 

Cannot be replenished by natural processes

Example: coal, oil, natural gas

Term

 

Sustainable Development

Definition

 

A way of using resources without depleting them and causing environmental harm

Term

 

Earth's forests are an important resource....

Definition
  1. provide wood for products and fuel
  2. remove CO2 and produce O2
  3. provide habitats and food for organisms
  4. control soil erosion
  5. store nutrients
Term

 

Are forests renewable or nonrenewable?

Definition

 

Depends on the forest.

Forests in northeast are renewable

Old Growth Forest (Cal.) are nonrenewable because they take centuries to grow back

Term

 

Pollutant

Definition

 

A harmful material that can enter the biosphere through the land, air or water

Term

 

Smog

Definition

 

A mixture of chemicals that occurs as a gray-brown haze in the atmosphere

Term

 

Acid Precipitation

Definition

 

Nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the atmosphere combine with water vapor  and fall to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet or fog

Term

 

Boom or Barrier

Definition

 

Helps contain an oil spill and makes it easier to skim off the surface

Term

 

Skimmer

Definition

 

Used to remove oil from the surface of the water and they work best in calm water

Term

 

Sorbents

Definition

 

Materials used to soak up oil spills

Example: straw, sawdust, pine bark, hair

Term

 

Chemical Dispersants, Detergents and Solvents

Definition

 

Used to degrade the oil, but most of these chemicals are toxic to animals

Term

 

Flames

Definition

 

Used to burn the oil, but the black smoke contains toxic components

Term

 

Bioremediation

Definition

 

Genetically engineered microorganisms that can be used to degrade petroleum products

Term

 

Biodiversity

Definition

 

The number and/or variety of species that live in an area

Term

 

Which biome has the greatest amount of biodiversity?

Definition

 

Tropical Rain Forest

Term

 

The biggest threat to biodiversity is...

Definition

 

Habitat Loss

Term

 

Threatened Species

Definition

 

When the population of a species begins declining rapidly

Term

 

Endangered Species

Definition

 

When species numbers become so low that extinction is possible

Term

 

Extinction

Definition

 

The disappearance of a species

Term

 

Habitat Fragmentation

Definition

 

The separation of wilderness areas from other areas

Term

 

Habitat Degradation

Definition

 

The damage to a habitat by pollution

Term

 

Exotic or Invasive Species

Definition

 

Organisms that are not native to a particular area

Term

 

Why are invasive species bad?

Definition

 

Because they have no natural predators and tend to take over and kill off native species

Term

 

Conservation Biology

Definition

 

The management of natural resources and the preservation

Term

 

U.S. Endangered Species Act

Definition

 

This law made it illegal to harm any species on the endangered or threatened species lists

Term

 

Reintroduction Programs

Definition

 

Release organisms into an area where their species once lived

Term

 

Ozone Layer

Definition

 

Atmospheric layer in which ozone gas is relatively concentrated

Term

 

Global Warming

Definition

 

the increase in the average temperature of the biosphere

Term

 

Greenhouse Effect

Definition

 

The warming up of the Earth's surface due to heat getting trapped

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