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abiotic

answer

Pertaining to factors or things that are nonliving.

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acid

answer

Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.

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A horizon

answer

a soil horizon; the layer below the O layer is called the A layer. The A layer is formed of weathered rock, with some organic material; often referred to as topsoil.

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alkaline

answer

a basic substance; chemically, a substance that absorbs hydrogen ions or releases hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water, a measure of the base content of the water.

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aquifer

answer

an underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or clay. Aquifers are frequently tapped for wells.

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arable

answer

land that's fit to be cultivated.

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asthenosphere

answer

the part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.

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atmosphere

answer

the gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding the Earth, which is retained by the celestial body's gravitational field.

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barrier island

answer

a long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland-built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges.

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biological weathering

answer

any weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms.

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biotic

answer

living or derived from living things.

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B horizon

answer

a soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out of the A horizon.

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chemical weathering

answer

the result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the action of both water and atmospheric gases.

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C horizon

answer

a soil horizon, horizon C is made up of larger pieces of rock that have not undergone much weathering.

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clay

answer

the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter.

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convection

answer

the vertical movement of a mass of matter due to heating and cooling; this can happen in both the atmosphere and Earth's mantle.

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convection currents

answer

air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric heating and cooling.

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convergent boundary

answer

a plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other.

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coral reef

answer

an erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates.

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Coriolis effect

answer

The observed effect of the Coriolis force, especially the deflection of an object moving above the Earth, rightward in the Northern Hemisphere, and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere.

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crop rotation

answer

the practice of alternating the crops grown on a piece of land - for example, corn one year, legumes for two years, and then back to corn.

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delta

answer

a usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river.

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divergent boundary

answer

a plate boundary at which plates are moving away from each other. This causes an upwelling of magma from the mantle to cool and form new crust.

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doldrums

answer

a region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls.

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drip irrigation

answer

a method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water onto the soil at the base of each plant.

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earthquake

answer

the result of vibrations (often due to plate movements) deep in the Earth that release energy. They often occur as two plates slide past one another at a transform boundary.

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El Nino

answer

a climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven years, for a duration of about one year.

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erosion

answer

the process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water. Erosion moves the smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser, sandier, stonier texture.

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estuary

answer

the part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.

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fault

answer

the place where two plates abut each other.

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Green Revolution

answer

the development and introduction of new varieties of (mainly) wheat and rice that has increased yields per acre dramatically in countries since the 1960s.

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greenhouse effect

answer

the phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat radiated back from the Earth's surface.

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Hadley cell

answer

a system of vertical and horizontal air circulation predominating in tropical and subtropical regions and creating major weather patterns.

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Headwaters

answer

the water from which a river rises; a source.

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Horizon

answer

a layer of soil.

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humus

answer

the dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich material that results from the decomposition of organic material.

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hurricane (typhoon, cyclone)

answer

a severe tropical cyclone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains.

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inner core

answer

the molten core of the Earth.

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jet stream

answer

a high-speed, meandering wind current, generally moving from a westerly direction at speeds often exceeding 400 km (250 miles) per hour at altitudes of 15 to 25 km (10 to 15 miles).

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land degradation

answer

when soil becomes water-logged and then dries out, and salt forms a layer on its surface.

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La Nina

answer

a cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns.

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lithosphere

answer

the outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, approximately 100 km (62 miles) thick.

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loam

answer

soil composed of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter.

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mantle

answer

the layer of the Earth between the crust and the core.

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monoculture

answer

the cultivation of a single crop on a farm or in a region or country; a single, homogeneous culture without diversity or dissension.

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O horizon

answer

the uppermost horizon of soil. It is primarily made up of organic material, including waste from organisms, the bodies of decomposing organisms, and live organisms.

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physical (mechanical) weathering

answer

any process that breaks rock down into smaller pieces without changing the chemistry of the rock; typically wind and water.

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plate boundaries

answer

the edges of tectonic plates.

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prior appropriation

answer

when water rights are given to those who have historically used the water in a certain area.

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rain shadow

answer

the low-rainfall region that exists on the leeward (downwind) side of a mountain range. This rain shadow is the result of the mountain range's causing precipitation on the windward side.

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red tide

answer

a bloom of dinoflagellates that causes reddish discoloration of coastal ocean waters. Certain dinoflagellates of the genus Gonyamfox produce toxins that kill fish and contaminate shellfish.

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R horizon

answer

The bedrock, which lies below all of the other layers of soil, is referred to as the R horizon.

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riparian right

answer

the right, as to fishing or to the use of a riverbed, of one who owns riparian land (the land adjacent to a river or stream).

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salinization

answer

the process in which soil becomes saltier and saltier until, finally, the salt prevents the growth of plants. Salinization is caused by irrigation because salts brought in with the water remain in the soil as water evaporates.

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sand

answer

the coarsest soil, with particles 0.05,2.0 mm in diameter.

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silt

answer

soil with particles 0.002,0.05 mm in diameter.

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Southern Oscillation

answer

the atmospheric pressure conditions corresponding to the periodic warming of El Nino and cooling of La Nina.

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subduction zone

answer

in tectonic plates, the site at which an oceanic plate is sliding under a continental plate.

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thermocline

answer

a layer in a large body of water, such as a lake, that sharply separates regions differing in temperature, so that the temperature gradient across the layer is abrupt.

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thermosphere

answer

the outermost shell of the atmosphere, between the mesosphere and outer space, where temperatures increase steadily with altitude.

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topsoil

answer

the A layer of soil is often referred to as topsoil and is most important for plant growth.

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trade winds

answer

the more or less constant winds blowing in horizontal directions over the Earth's surface, as part of Hadley cells.

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transform boundary

answer

also known as transform faults, boundaries at which plates are moving past each other, sideways.

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tropical storm

answer

a cyclonic storm having winds ranging from approximately 48 to 121 km (30 to 75 miles) per hour.

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upwelling

answer

a process in which cold, often nutrient-rich, waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface.

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volcanoes

answer

an opening in the Earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected.

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watershed

answer

the region draining into river system or other body of water.

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water-scarce

answer

countries that have a renewable annual water supply of less than 1,000 m3 per person.

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water-stressed

answer

countries that have a renewable annual water supply of about 1,000,2,000 m3 per person.

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weather

answer

the day-to-day variations in temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation mediated by the atmosphere in a given region.

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weathering

answer

the gradual breakdown of rock into smaller and smaller particles, caused by natural chemical, physical, and biological factors.

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wetlands

answer

a lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife.

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assimilation

answer

the process in which plants absorb ammonium (NH3), ammonia ions (NH4+), and nitrate ions (NO3) through their roots.

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autotroph

answer

an organism that obtains organic food molecules without eating other organisms or substances derived from other organisms. autotrophs use energy from the sun or from the oxidation of inorganic substances to make organic molecules from inorganic ones.

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bioaccumulation

answer

the accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism.

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biomagnifications

answer

the process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive link in the food chain.

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biosphere

answer

the part of the Earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life.

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carnivore

answer

an animal that only consumes other animals.

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chemotroph (chemoautotroph)

answer

an organism such as a bacterium or protozoan, that obtains its nourishment through the oxidation of inorganic chemical compounds, as opposed to photosynthesis.

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climax community

answer

a stable, mature community in a successive series that has reached equilibrium after having evolved through stages and adapted to its environment.

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combustion

answer

the process of burning.

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community

answer

formed from populations of different species occupying the same geographic area.

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competitive exclusion

answer

the process that occurs when two different species in a region compete and the better adapted species wins.

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consumer

answer

an organism that must obtain food energy from secondary sources, for example, by eating plant or animal matter.

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decomposer

answer

bacteria or fungi that absorb nutrients from nonliving organic matter like plant material, the wastes of living organisms, and corpses. They convert these materials into inorganic forms.

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denitrification

answer

the process by which specialized bacteria (mostly anaerobic bacteria) convert ammonia to NOy NO2, and N2 and release it back to the atmosphere.

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detritivore

answer

organisms that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter.

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ecological succession

answer

transition in species composition of a biological community, often following ecological disturbance of the community; the establishment of a biological community in any area virtually barren of life.

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edge effect

answer

the condition in which, at ecosystem boundaries, there is greater species diversity and biological density than there is in the heart of ecological communities.

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energy pyramid

answer

the structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers and consumers in an ecosystem by kilocalories per square meter, from largest to smallest.

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evaporation

answer

to convert or change into a vapor.

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evolution

answer

change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals and resulting in the development of new species.

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extinction

answer

being extinct or the process of becoming extinct.

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food chain

answer

a succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and, in turn, is preyed upon by a higher member.

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food web

answer

a complex of interrelated food chains in an ecological community.

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Gross Primary Productivity

answer

the amount of sugar that the plants produce in photosynthesis and subtracting from it the amount of energy the plants need for growth maintenance, repair, and reproduction.

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habitat

answer

the area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs.

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habitat fragmentation

answer

when the size of an organism's natural habitat is reduced, or when development occurs that isolates a habitat.

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heterotrophy

answer

an organism that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition.

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indigenous species

answer

species that originate and live, or occur naturally, in an area or environment.

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invasive species

answer

an introduced, normative species.

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keystone species

answer

a species whose very presence contributes to an ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would consequently lead to the extinction of other forms of life.

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law of conservation of matter

answer

states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.

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mutualism

answer

a symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.

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natural selection

answer

the process by which, according to Darwin's theory of evolution, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations, while those less adapted tend to be eliminated.

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net Primary Productivity (NPP)

answer

the amount of energy that plants pass on to the community of herbivores in an ecosystem.

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niche

answer

the total sum of a species' use of the biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.

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nitrification

answer

the process in which soil bacteria convert ammonium (NH4+) to a form that can be used by plants; nitrate, or NO3.

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nitrogen fixation

answer

the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds, such as ammonia, by natural agencies or various industrial processes.

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omnivores

answer

organisms that consume both producers and primary consumers.

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parasitism

answer

a symbiotic relationship in which one member is helped by the association and the other is harmed.

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photosynthesis

answer

the process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.

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pioneer species

answer

organisms in the first stages of succession.

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population

answer

a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area.

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predation

answer

when one species feeds on another.

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primary consumers

answer

this category includes organisms that consume producers (plants and algae).

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primary succession

answer

when ecological succession begins in a virtually lifeless area, such as the area behind a moving glacier.

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producer

answer

an organism that is capable of converting radiant energy or chemical energy into carbohydrates.

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realized niche

answer

when a species occupies a smaller niche than it would in the absence of competition.

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reservoir

answer

a place where a large quantity of a resource sits for a long period of time.

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respiration

answer

the process in which animals (and plants!) breathe and give off carbon dioxide from cellular metabolism.

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secondary consumers

answer

organisms that consume primary consumers.

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species

answer

organisms that are capable of interbreeding with one another and incapable of breeding with other species.

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symbiotic relationships

answer

close, prolonged associations between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but do not necessarily benefit the members.

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tertiary consumers

answer

organisms that consume secondary consumers or other tertiary consumers.

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transpiration

answer

the act or process of transpiring, or releasing water vapor, especially through the stomata of plant tissue or the pores of the skin.

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trophic level

answer

each of the feeding levels in a food chain.

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age-structure pyramids

answer

graphical representations of populations' ages.

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albedo

answer

the fraction of solar energy that is reflected back into space.

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biotic potential

answer

the amount that the population would grow if there were unlimited resources in its environment.

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birth rate (crude birth rate)

answer

the number of live births per 1,000 members of the population in a year.

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carrying capacity

answer

the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources in a region.

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death rate (crude death rate)

answer

is equal to the number of deaths per 1,000 members of the population in a year.

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demographic transition model

answer

a model that's used to predict population trends based on the birth and death rates as well as economic status of a population.

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ecological footprint

answer

the amount of the Earth's surface that's necessary to supply the needs of, and dispose of the waste from a particular population.

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emigration

answer

the movement of individuals out of a population.

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genetic drift

answer

the random fluctuations in the frequency of the appearance of a gene in a small isolated population, presumably owing to chance, rather than natural selection.

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Immigration

answer

the movement of individuals into a population.

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k-selected

answer

organisms that reproduce later in life, produce fewer offspring, and devote significant time and energy to the nurturing of their offspring.

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logistic population growth

answer

when populations are well below the size dictated by the carrying capacity of the region they live in, they will grow exponentially, but as they approach the carrying capacity, their growth rate will decrease and the size of the population will eventually become stable.

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population density

answer

the number of individuals of a population that inhabit a certain unit of land or water area.

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replacement birth rate

answer

the number of children a couple must have in order to replace themselves in a population.

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r-selected

answer

organisms that reproduce early in life and often and have a high capacity for reproductive growth.

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total fertility rate

answer

the number of children an average woman will bear during her lifetime; this information is based on an analysis of data from preceding years in the population in question.

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agroforestry

answer

when trees and crops are planted together, creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between them.

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Aquaculture

answer

the raising of fish and other aquatic species in captivity for harvest.

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bottom trawling

answer

a fishing technique in which the ocean floor is literally scraped by heavy nets that smash everything in their path.

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by-catch

answer

any other species of fish, mammals, or birds that are caught that are not the target organism.

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capture fisheries

answer

fish farming in which fish are caught in the wild and not raised in captivity for consumption.

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clear-cutting

answer

the removal of all of the trees in an area.

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conservation

answer

the management or regulation of a resource so that its use does not exceed the capacity of the resource to regenerate itself.

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consumption

answer

the day-to-day use of environmental resources as food, clothing, and housing.

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contour farming a process in which rows of crops are plowed across the hillside; this prevents the erosion that can occur when rows are cut up and down on a slope.

answer

...

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deforestation

answer

the removal of trees for agricultural purposes or purposes of exportation.

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driftnets

answer

nets that are dragged through the water and indiscriminately catch everything in their path.

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ecosystem capital

answer

the value of natural resources.

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fishery

answer

the industry or occupation devoted to the catching, processing, or selling of fish, shellfish, or other aquatic animals.

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greenbelt

answer

open or forested areas built at the outer edge of a city.

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intercropping (also called strip cropping)

answer

is the practice of planting bands of different crops across a hillside.

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long lining

answer

in fishing, the use of long lines that have baited hooks and will be taken by numerous aquatic organisms.

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malnutrition

answer

poor nutrition that results from an insufficient or poorly balanced diet.

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mineral deposit

answer

an area in which a particular mineral is concentrated, mining,the excavation of the Earth for the purpose of extracting ore or minerals.

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natural resources

answer

biotic and abiotic natural ecosystems.

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nonrenewable resources

answer

resources that are often formed by very slow geologic processes, so we consider them incapable of being regenerated within the realm of human existence.

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no-till

answer

refers to when farmers plant seeds without using a plow to turn the soil.

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old growth forest

answer

one that has never been cut; these forests have not been seriously disturbed for several hundred years.

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overgrazed

answer

when grass is consumed by animals at a faster rate than it can regrow.

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preservation

answer

the maintenance of a species or ecosystem in order to ensure their perpetuation, with no concern as to their potential monetary value

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renewable resources

answer

refers to resources, such as plants and animals, which can be regenerated if harvested at sustainable yields.

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second growth forests

answer

areas where cutting has occurred and a new, younger forest has arisen.

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selective cutting

answer

the removal of select trees in an area; this leaves the majority of the habitat in place and has less of an impact on the ecosystem.

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shelter-wood cutting

answer

when mature trees are cut over a period of time (usually10,20 years); this leaves mature trees, which can reseed the forest, in place.

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silviculture

answer

the management of forest plantations for the purpose of harvesting timber.

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slash-and-burn

answer

when an area of vegetation is cut down and burned before being planted with crops.

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surface fires

answer

fires that typically burn only the forest's underbrush and do little damage to mature trees. Surface fires actually serve to protect the forest from more harmful fires by removing underbrush and dead materials that would burn quickly and at high temperatures.

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tailings

answer

piles of gangue, which is the waste material that results from mining.

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traditional subsistence agriculture

answer

when each family in a community grows crops for themselves and rely on animal and human labor to plant and harvest crops.

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terracing

answer

creating flat platforms in the hillside that provide a level planting surface, which reduces soil runoff from the slope.

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tree farms

answer

also known as plantations, these are planted and managed tracts of trees of the same age that are harvested for commercial use.

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Uneven-aged management

answer

the broad category under which selective cutting and shelter-wood cutting fall; selective deforestation.

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active collection

answer

the use of devices, such as solar panels, to collect, focus, transport, or store solar energy.

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anthracite

answer

the cleanest-burning coal; almost pure carbon.

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barrels

answer

the unit used to describe the volume of fossil fuels.

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bituminous

answer

the second-purest form of coal.

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crude oil

answer

the form petroleum takes when in the ground.

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energy

answer

the capacity to do work.

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fission

answer

a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus, especially a heavy nucleus such as an isotope of uranium, splits into fragments, usually two fragments of comparable mass, releasing from 100 million to several hundred million electron volts of energy.

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fossil fuel

answer

a hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.

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First Law of Thermodynamics

answer

says that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transferred and transformed.

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fly ash

answer

a waste product produced by the burning of coal.

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Half-life

answer

the amount of time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to disappear.

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Hubbert peak (peak oil)

answer

an influential theory that concerns the long-term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline.

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hydroelectric power

answer

power generated using water.

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kinetic energy

answer

the energy of motion.

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lignite

answer

the least pure coal.

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nuclear fusion

answer

the process of fusing two nuclei.

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overburden

answer

the rocks and Earth that is removed when mining for a commercially valuable mineral resource.

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passive solar energy collection

answer

the use of building materials, building placement, and design to passively collect solar energy that can be used to keep a building warm or cool.

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peak oil (Hubbert peak)

answer

an influential theory that concerns the long, term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline.

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petroleum

answer

a hydrocarbon that forms as sediments are buried and pressurized.

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photovoltaic cell (PV cell)

answer

a semiconductor device that converts the energy of sunlight into electric energy.

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potential energy

answer

energy at rest, or stored energy.

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proven reserve

answer

an estimate of the amount of fossil fuel that can be obtained from reserve.

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radiant energy

answer

sunlight.

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scrubbers

answer

devices containing alkaline substances that precipitate out much of the sulfur dioxide from industrial plants.

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Second Law of Thermodynamics

answer

says that the entropy (disorder) of the universe is increasing. One corollary of the Second Law of thermodynamics is the concept that, in most energy transformations, a significant fraction of energy is lost to the universe as heat.

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strip mining

answer

involves the removal of the Earth's surface all the way down to the level of the mineral seam.

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subbituminous

answer

the third purest form of coal.

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underground mining

answer

involves the sinking of shafts to reach underground deposits. In this type of mining, networks of tunnels are dug or blasted and humans enter these tunnels in order to manually retrieve the coal.

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wind farm

answer

a group of modern windmills.

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acid precipitation

answer

acid rain, acid hail, acid snow; all of which occur as a result of pollution in the atmosphere.

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acute effect

answer

the effect caused by a short exposure to a high level of toxin.

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catalytic converter

answer

a platinum, coated device that oxidizes most of the VOCs and some of the CO that would otherwise be emitted in exhaust, converting them to CO2.

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closed-loop recycling

answer

when materials, such as plastic or aluminum, are used to rebuild the same product. An example of this is the use of the aluminum from aluminum cans to produce more aluminum cans.

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composting

answer

a process that allows the organic material in solid waste to be decomposed and reintroduced into the soil, often as fertilizer.

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building-related illness

answer

when the signs and symptoms of an illness can be attributed to a specific infectious organism that resides in the building.

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chronic effect

answer

an effect that results from long,term exposure to low levels of toxin.

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deep well injection

answer

drilling a hole in the ground that's below the water table to hold waste.

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disease

answer

occurs when infection causes a change in the state of health.

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dose-response analysis

answer

a process in which an organism is exposed to a toxin at different concentrations, and the dosage that causes the death of the organism is recorded.

question

dose-response curve

answer

the result of graphing a dose-response analysis.

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ED50

answer

the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms show a negative effect from a toxin.

question

global warming

answer

an intensification of the Greenhouse Effect due to the increased presence of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.

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gray smog (industrial smog)

answer

smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal.

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hazardous waste

answer

any waste that poses a danger to human health; it must be dealt with in a different way from other types of waste.

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heat islands

answer

urban areas that heat up more quickly and retain heat more than do nonurban areas.

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high-level radioactive waste

answer

radioactive wastes that produce high levels of ionizing radiation.

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industrial smog (gray smog)

answer

smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

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Infection

answer

the result of a pathogen invading a body.

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LD50

answer

the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms die from a toxin.

question

leachate

answer

the liquid that percolates to the bottom of a landfill.

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low-level radioactive waste

answer

radioactive wastes that produce low levels of ionizing radiation.

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noise pollution

answer

any noise that causes stress or has the potential to damage human health.

question

non-point source pollution

answer

pollution that does not have a specific point of release, open,loop recycling,when materials are reused to form new products.

question

ozone holes

answer

the thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica (and to some extent, over the Arctic).

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pathogens

answer

bacteria, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease.

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photochemical smog

answer

when photochemical smog, NOx compounds, VOCs, and ozone combine to form smog with a brownish hue.

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point source pollution

answer

a specific location from which pollution is released; an example of a point source location is a factory where wood is being burned.

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poison

answer

any substance that has an LD50, of 50 mg or less per kg of body weight.

question

physical treatment

answer

in a sewage treatment plant, the initial filtration that is done to remove debris such as stones, sticks, rags, toys, and other objects that were flushed down the toilet.

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primary pollutants

answer

pollutants that are released directly into the lower atmosphere.

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primary treatment

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when physically treated sewage water is passed into a settling tank, where suspended solids settle out as sludge; chemically treated polymers may be added to help the suspended solids separate and settle out.

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risk assessment

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calculating risk, or the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen.

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risk management

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using strategies to reduce the amount of risk (the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen).

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secondary pollutants

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pollutants that are formed by the combination of primary pollutants in the atmosphere.

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secondary treatment

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the biological treatment of wastewater in order to continue to remove biodegradable waste.

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sick building syndrome

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when the majority of a building's occupants experience certain symptoms that vary with the amount of time spent in the building.

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sludge

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the solids that remain after the secondary treatment of sewage.

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sludge processor

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a tank filled with aerobic bacteria that's used to treat sewage.

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solid waste

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can consist of hazardous waste, industrial solid waste, or municipal waste. Many types of solid waste provide a threat to human health and the environment.

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stationary sources

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non-moving sources of pollution, such as factories.

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Superfund Program

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a program funded by the federal government and a trust that's funded by taxes on chemicals; identifies pollutants and cleans up hazardous waste sites.

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threshold dose

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the dosage level of a toxin at which a negative effect occurs.

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toxicity

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the degree to which a substance is biologically harmful.

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toxin

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any substance than is inhaled, ingested, or absorbed at dosages sufficient to damage a living organism.

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tropospheric ozone

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ozone that exists in the trophosphere.

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U.S. Noise Control Act

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gave the EPA power to set emission standards for major sources of noise, including transportation, machinery, and construction.

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vector

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the carrier organism through which pathogens can attack.

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wastewater

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any water that has been used by humans. This includes human sewage, water drained from showers, tubs, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, water from industrial processes, and storm water runoff.

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Waste-to-Energy (WTE) program

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when the energy released from waste incineration is used to generate electricity.

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green tax

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a fiscal policy that lowers taxes on income, including wages and profit, and raises taxes on consumption, particularly the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable resources.

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market permits

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when companies are allowed to buy permits that allow them a certain amount of discharge of substances into certain environmental outlets. If they can reduce their amount of discharge, they are allowed to sell the remaining portion of their permit to another company.

AP Environmental Science Exam Review

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