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Definition
life on Earth, through a complex system of positive and negative feedback, regulates Earth's envir. to help sustain life |
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Term
system
(feedback is a special kind of syst. response) |
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Definition
set of compontents that function together as a whole.
they respond to inputs and have outputs |
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Definition
holds that everything affects everything else. it emphasizes linkages among parts of systems |
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Definition
when it increases by a constant percentage per time period
Increase in number or size, at a constantly growing rate. It is one possible result of a reingorcing feedback.
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Definition
| community of idfferent specis and their local nonliving environment in which energy flows and chemicals cycle |
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| when there is a threat of serious ( maybe irreversible) environmental damage, we should not wait for scientific proof before taking cost effective steps to prevent potential harm to the environment |
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Definition
| is region of Earth where life exists. includes all life plus, lower atmosphere, waters, soils, and solid sediments. here, energy is received from the sun. |
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| general term used to refer to all living things |
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Term
carrying capacity
(sustainability included in this) |
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Definition
| maximum # of individuals of a species that can b sustained by an environment w/out lessening the environment's ability to sustain that same # of individuals in the future. |
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Definition
| is the time it takes for what is growing to double in size or #.Depends on rate of growth.Is a kind of exponential growth. |
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| the total area each person requires based on the resources we use and the waste we produce |
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Definition
| outputof the system also serves as input and leads to further changes in the system |
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Definition
| carrying capacity is exceeded |
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Definition
| when input is = to output, there is no net change in size of the storage compartment. it is a dynamic equilibrium, bc its not just sitting still, something is happening |
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Definition
| finding ways to ensure that future generations have equal access to Earth's resources, and that what we do today wont cause irreversible harm to the environment |
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