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206 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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aesthetic justification
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an argument for conservation of nature on the grounds that nature is beautiful and valuable to people
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carrying capacity
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the maximum abundance of a species that can be maintained by an ecosystem
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ecological justification
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an argument for the conservation of nature that species, communities, or earth's biosphere provides necessary functions
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gaia hypothesis
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life affects the environment at a global level
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megacities
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urban areas with at least 8 million inhabitants
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moral justification
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an argument for the conservation of nature that aspects of the environment have a right to exist
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precautionary principle
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the idea that we should take cost-effective measures to solve environmental problems when a threat exists
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sustainability
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management of natural resources with goals of allowing the harvest of resources to remain at or above some specified level
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utilitarian justification
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an arguement for the conservation of nature on the grounds that it provides individuals with direct economic benefit
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controlled experiment
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tests the effect of independent variables on a dependent variable by changing on independent variable at a time
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deductive reasoning
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drawing a conclusion from initial definitions and assumptions by means of logical reasoning
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dependent variable
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a variable that changes in response to changes in an independent variable
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fact
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something that is known based on an actual experience and observations
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hypothesis
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an explanation set forth in a manner that can be tested and is capable of being discovered
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independent variable
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the variable that is manipulated by the investigator
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model
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a deliberately simplified explanation of complex phenomena or process
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observations
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information obtained through one or more of the five senses or through instruments that extend through the senses
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premises
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in science, initial definitions and assumptions
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pseudoscientific
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ideas that are claimed to have scientific validity, but are inherently untestable and/or lack empirical support
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qualitative data
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data that is distinguished by qualities or attributes that cannot or are not expressed as quanitities
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quantitative data
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data that is expreseed as numbers or numerical measurements
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scientific method
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a set of systematic methods by which scientists investigate natural phenomena
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scientific theory
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a grand sceme that relations and explains many observations and is supported by a great deal of evidence
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theories
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scientific models that offer broad, fundamental explanations of the related phenomena, supported by extensive evidence
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average residence time
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a measure of time it takes for a give part of the total pool or reservoir of a particular material in a system to be cycled
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biosphere
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that part of the planet where life exists
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biota
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all the organisms of all species living in an area or region up to and including the biosphere
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closed system
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a type of system in which there are definite boundaries to factors such as mass and energy
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doubling time
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the time necessary for a quantity of whatever being measure to double
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ecosystem
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an ecological community and its local, non biological community
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exponential growth
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growth in which the rate or increase is a constant percentage of the current size
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feedback
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a kind of system response that occurs which output of the system also serves as input leading to changes in the ecosystem
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negative feedback
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a type of feedback that occurs when the system's response is in the opposite direction of the output
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open system
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a type of system in which exchanges of mass or energy occur with other systems
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overshoot and collapse
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occurs when growth in one part is a system over time exceed carrying capacity
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positive feedback
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a type of feedback that occurs when an increase in output leads to further increase in output
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steady state
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when input equals output in a system, there is no net change
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system
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a set of components that are linked and interact to produce a whole
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uniformitarianism
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the principal stating that processes that operate today, operated in the past
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age structure
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a population divided into groups by age
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demographic transition
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the pattern of changing in birth and death rates as a country transformed from undeveloped to developed
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growth rate
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the net increase in some factor per unit time
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human carrying capacity
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theoretical estimates of the number of human who can inhabit the world at the same time
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life expectancy
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the estimated average number of years that an individual of a specific age will live
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logistic carrying capacity
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the population size at which births equals deaths and there is no net change in the population
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species
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a group of individuals capable of interbreeding
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zero population growth
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a population in which the number of births are equal to the number of deaths
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biogeochemical cycle
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the cycling of a chemical element through the biosphere
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carbon-silicate cycle
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included in this cycle are major geologic processes, such as weathering, transport by ground and surface waters, erosion
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chemical reaction
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the process in which compounds made the elements undergo a chemical change to become a new substance or substances
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dentrification
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the conversion of nitrate to molecular nitrogen by the action of bacteria
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limiting factor
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the single requirement for growth available in the least supply in comparison
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macronutrients
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the big six: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur
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micronutrients
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chemical elements required in very small amounts by at least some forms of life
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missing carbon sink
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substantial amounts of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere remaining unaccounted for
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nitrogen fixations
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the process by which nitrogen is converted to ammonia, nitrate ion, or amino acids
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tectonic cycle
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the process that change earth's crust, producing external forms such as ocean basins, continents, and mountains
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autotrophs
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an organism that produces its own food from inorganic compounds and a source of energy
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decomposers
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organisms that feed on dead organic matter
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food chains
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the linkage of who feeds on whom
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food webs
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set of interacting species that occur in the same place or a set of species found in an area, whether or not they are interacting
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keystone species
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a species with a large effect on its ecosystem so its removal or addition leads to changes in the abundances of other species
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trophic level
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in an ecological community, all the organisms that are the same number of food-chain steps from the primary source of energy
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water shed
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area that drains into a common stream
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biological diversity
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three components: 1. genetic 2. species and 3. habitat or ecosystem
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biological evolution
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the change in inherited characteristics of a population from generation to generation, which can result in a new species
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competitive exclusion principle
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two populations of different species with the same requirements cannot persist indefinitely in the same habitat
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ecological niche
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species' "profession" - what is does to make a living
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gene
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a single unit of genetic information comprised of a complex segment of the four DNA base-pair compounds
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genetic drift
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changes in the frequency of a gene in a population as a result of change rather than of mutation, selection, or migration
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habitat
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where an individual, population, or species exists or can exist
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migration
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the movement of an individual, population or species from one habitat to another
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mutation
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chemical change in a DNA molecule
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obligate symbionts
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a symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which neither by themselves can exist without the other
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natural selection
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organisms with better fitted biological characteristics are represented by more descendants in future generations
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symbiosis
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an interaction between individuals of two different species
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symbiont
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each partner in symbiosis
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adaptive radiation
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occurs when a species enters a new habitat that has unoccupied niches and evolves into group of new species
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biogeography
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the large-scale geographic pattern in the distribution of species and the causes and history of this distribution
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biome
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a kind of ecosystem
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biotic province
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region inhabited by life forms of common ancestry bound by barriers that prevent spread of the distinctive life to other regions
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chaparral
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a dense shrubland found in areas with mediterranean climate
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convergent evolution
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species evolve in different places but develop similar forms and structures as a result of adaptations to similar environments
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divergent evolution
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organisms with same genetic heritage migrate to different habitats and evolve into species with
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ecological island
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an area that is biologically isolated so that a species occurring within the area cannot mix with any other of the same species
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exotic species
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species introduced into a new area, one in which it had not evolved
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realms
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major biogeographic regions of earth in which most animals have some common genetic heritage
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taiga
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forest of cold climates of high latitudes and high altitudes, also known as a boreal forest
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taxa
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categories that identify groups of living organisms based on evolutionary relationships or similarity of characters
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tundra
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treeless land area in alpine and arctic areas characterized by plants of low stature and bare areas without any plants
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biological production
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the capture of usable energy from the environment to produce organic compounds in which energy is stored
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biomass
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amount of living material, or the amount of organic material contained in living organisms, both as live and dead material
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chemoautotrophs
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autotrophic bacteria that can derive energy from chemical reactions of simple inorganic compounds
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entropy
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measure in a system of the amount of energy that is unavailable for useful work
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gross production
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production before respiration losses are subtracted
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heterotrophs
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organisms that live by feeding on other organisms
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net production
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the production that remains after utilization
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photosynthesis
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synthesis of sugars from carbon dioxide and water by living organisms using light as energy
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primary production
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the production by autotrophs
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respiration
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complex series of cellular chemical reactions in organisms that make energy available for use
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secondary production
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the production by heterotrophs
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thermodynamic system
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where the ecosystem is said to be an intermediate system between the energy source and the energy sink
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trophic-level efficiency
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the ratio of biological production of one trophic level to the biological production of the next lower trophic level
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chronic patchiness
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situation where ecological succession does not occur, no overall general temporal pattern is established
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climax state
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the final stage of ecological succession and therefore an ecological community that continues to reproduce itself over time
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early-successional species
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species that occur only or primarily during first stages of succession
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ecological succession
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the process of the development of an ecological community of ecosystem, usually view as a series of stages
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facilitation
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during succession, one species prepares the way for the next (and may even be necessary for the occurrence of the next)
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interference
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during succession, one species prevents the entrance of later successional species into an ecosystem
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late-successional species
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species that occurs only or primarily in, or are dominant in, late stages in succession
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life history difference
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allows some to arrive first and grow quickly, while others arrive later and grow more slowly
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primary succession
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the initial establishment and development of an ecosystem
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secondary succession
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the reestablishment of an ecosystem where there are remnants of a previous biological community
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aquaculture
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production of food from aquatic habitats
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crop rotation
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a series of different crops planted successively in the same field, with the field occasionally left fallow
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genetically modified crops
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crops modified by genetic engineering-produce high crop yields, increase resistance to drought, toxins, pests, and disease
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green revolution
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post ww2 agricultural programs; led to strains of crops with higher yield, better resistance to disease, and better ability to grow
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mariculture
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production of food from marine habitats
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monoculture
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the planting of large areas with a single species or even a single strain or subspecies in farming
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organic farming
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farming that is more "natural" in the sense that it does not involve the use of artificial pesticides and genetically modified crops
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pasture
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land plowed and plated to provide forage for domestic herbivorous animals
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rangeland
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land used for grazing
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synergistic effect
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when the change in availability of one resource affects the response of an organism to some other resource
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biological control
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methods to control pest organisms by using natural ecological interactions, including predation, parasitism, and competition
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contour plowing
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plowing land along topographic contours, as much in a horizontal plane as possible thereby decreasing the erosion rate
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desertification
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the process of creating a desert where there was not one before
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integrated pest management
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control of agricultural pests using several methods together, including biological and chemical agents
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no-till agriculture
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combination of farming practices that includes not plowing the land and using herbicides to keep down weeds
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over grazing
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when the carrying capacity of land for an herbivore, such as cattle or deer, is exceeded
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terminator gene
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a genetically modified crop that has a gene to cause the plant to become sterile after the first year
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clear-cutting
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the practice of cutting all trees in a stand at the same time
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dominants
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the tallest, most numerous, and most vigorous trees in a forest community
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old-growth forest
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nontechnical term that often means a virgin forest (one that has never been cut)
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plantation
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managed forests, in which a single species is planted in straight rows and harvested at regular intervals
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public service functions
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functions performed by ecosystems that improve other forms of life in other ecosystems ex. cleansing of the air by trees
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second-growth forests
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a forest that has been cut and regrown
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seed-tree cutting
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logging method in which mature trees with good genetic characteristics and high seed production are preserved
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selective cutting
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the practice of cutting some, but not all, trees leaving some on site
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shelterwood-cutting
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a logging method in which dead and less desirable trees are cut first; mature trees are cut later
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silviculture
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the practice of growing trees and managing forests, traditionally with an emphasis on the production of timber for sale
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stand
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an informal term used by foresters to refer to a group of trees
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strip-cutting
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in timber harvesting, the practice of cutting narrow rows of forest, leaving wooded corridors
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suppressed
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in forestry, the species growing in the understory, beneath the dominant and intermediate species
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thinning
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the timber-harvesting practice of selectively removing only smaller or poorly formed trees
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wilderness
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an area unaffected now or in the past by human activities and without a noticeable presence of human beings
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catch per unit effort
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number of animals caught per unit of effort; used to estimate a species' population
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historical range of variation
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the known range of an environmental variable such as the abundance of a species, over some past time interal
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minimum viable population
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the minimum number of individuals that have a reasonable chance of persisting for a specified time period
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optimum sustainable population
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the population that is in some way best for the population, its ecological community its ecosystem or the biosphere
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area sources
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diffused sources of pollution such as urban runoff or automobile exhaust, may be over a broad area
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asbestos
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a term for several minerals that have the form of small elongated particles that may be inhaled and cause lung damage
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biomagnification
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tendency for some substances to concentrate with each trophic level, also called biological concentration
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carcinogen
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any material that is known to produce cancer in humans or other animals
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contamination
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presence of undesirable material that makes something unfit for a particular use
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dose response
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the principle that the effect of a certain chemical on an individual depend on the dose or concentration of that chemical
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ecological gradient
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changes in vegetation with distance from a toxic source
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ED-50
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effective dose that causes effect in 50% of the population on exposure to a particular toxicant
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electromagnetic fields
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produced naturally by out land and also by appliances such as toasters, electric blankets and computers
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heavy metals
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refers to a number of metals that have a relatively high atomic number, often toxic at low concentrations
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hormonally active agents
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chemicals in the environment able to cause reproductive and developmental abnormalities in animals, including humans
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LD-50
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a crude approximation of a chemical toxicity defined as the dose at which 50% of the population dies on exposure
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mobile sources
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sources of air pollutants that move from place to place ex. cars
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noise pollution
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a type of pollution characterized by unwanted or potentially damaging sound
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organic compounds
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a compound of carbon; originally used to refer to the compounds found in and formed by living things
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particulates
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small particles of solid or liquid substances that are released into the atmosphere by many activities
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persistent organic pollutants
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synthetic carbon-based compounds, often containing chlorine, that do not break down in the environment
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point sources
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sources of pollution such as smokestacks, pipes or accidental spills that are readily identified and stationary
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pollution
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the process by which something becomes impure, defiled, dirty or otherwise unclean
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risk assessment
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the process of determining potential adverse environmental health effects to people following exposure to pollutants
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synergism
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cooperative action of different substances such that the combined effect is greater than the sum of the effects taken separately
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thermal pollution
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a type of pollution that occurs when heat is released into water or air and produces undesirable effects on the environment
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threshold
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point in operation of a system at which change occurs
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toxic
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harmful, deadly, or poisonous substance
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toxicology
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the science concerned with study of poisons and their effects on living organism
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acceptable risk
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the risks that individuals or society are willing to take
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catastrophe
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event that causes sufficient damage to people, property or society from which recovery is a long and involved process
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direct effects
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refers to the number of people killed, injured, dislocated, made homeless by a naturally hazardous event
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disaster
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a hazardous event that occurs over a limited span of time in a defined geographic area, causes deaths and property damage
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drought
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a period of months or, more commonly, years of unusually dry weather
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heat wave
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period of days or weeks of unusually hot weather
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hurricane
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a tropical storm with circulating winds in excess of 120 km per hour that moves across warm ocean waters of the tropics
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landslides
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comprehensive term for earth materials moving down a slope
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natural hazard
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any process that is a potential threat to human life and property
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risk assessment
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process of determining potential adverse environmental health effects to people following exposure to pollutants
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cogeneration
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the capture and use of waste heat; ex using waste heat from a power plant to heat other buildings
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conservation
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with respect to resources such as energy, refers to changing our patterns of use or simply getting by with less
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energy
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referring to the ability of capacity to do work
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first-law efficiency
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ratio of the actual amount of energy delivered where it is needed to the amount of energy supplied in order to meet that need
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first law of thermodynamics
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the principle that energy may not be created or destroyed but is always conserved
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hard path
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energy policy based on the emphasis of energy quantity generally produced from large, centralized powerplants
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micropower
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the production of electricity using smaller distributed systems rather than relying on large central power plants
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second-law efficiency
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ratio of the minimum availble work needed to perform a particular task to the actual work used to perform that task
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second law of thermodynamics
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principle of energy that states that energy always tends to go from a more usable form to a less usable form
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soft path
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energy policy that relies on renewable energy resources and other sources that are diverse, flexible and matched to end-use
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work
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force times the distance through which it acts. when work is done, we say energy is expended
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allowance trading
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approach to managing coal resources and reducing pollution through buying, selling, trading of allowances to emit pollutants
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coal
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solid, brittle carbonaceous rock that is one of the world's most abundant fossil fuels
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crude oil
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naturally occurring petroleum, normally pumped from wells in oil fields
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fossil fuels
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forms of stored solar energy created from incomplete biological decomposition of dead organic matter
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methane hydrate
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a white ice-like compound made up of frozen water in the sediments of the deep sea floor
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natural gas
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naturally occurring gaseous hydrocarbon produced in association with crude oil or from gas wells
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oil shale
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sedimentary rock containing organic material known as kerogen, yields significant amounts of hydrocarbons, including oil
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peak oil
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the time when one-half of the earth's oil has been exploited
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scrubbing
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process of removing sulfur from gasses emitted from power plants burning coal
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synfuels
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derived from solid fuels, such as oil from kerogen in oil shale or oil and gas from coal
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tar sands
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sedimentary rocks or sands impregnated with tar oil, asphalt or bitumen
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