GEOG 30N Final Exam Vocabulary

the practice of cultivating soils, producing crops and raising livestock for human use and consumption

an adequate, reliable and available food supply provided to all people at all times

the simultaneous development of new varieties of food plants and altered agricultural practices to increase crops yields, starting in the 1950s

planting multiple crops in close proximity

the uniform planting of a single crop

chemicals used to kill or control unwanted organisms

the artificial addition of water to support agriculture

mined or synthetically manufactured mineral supplements

chemicals used to kill or control insects

chemicals used to control unwanted plants

chemicals used to kill fungi

chemicals used to kill rodents

chemicals that remain in the environment for a long time period in an unchanged state

chemicals that rapidly degrade through organic or inorganic processes in the environment

the buildup of toxins in the tissue of organisms

the bioaccumulation of a substance up the food chain

adverse effects that develop from exposure to a large dose of a substance

the development of negative effects as a result of exposure to small doses of a substance over long time periods

established a registry of pesticides determined to be effective and regulates pesticides available to the public vs. certified applicators

gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices; allows EPA to regulate pesticide residue on food for people or animals

updated pesticide safety standards of new pesticides used on food and required older pesticides to be reassessed using tougher standards

raising the water table so it covers plant roots

the buildup of salts in surface soil layers

the continued ability of the soil to function as a living system to sustain the life that depends on it

a change in soil health resulting in a decreased capacity of the ecosystem to provide goods and services to those using it

capable of being farmed productively

the degradation of formerly productive dryland ecosystems by inappropriate farming practices

the detachment and movement of material from one area and its deposition in another

the addition of nutrients to a waterbody because of human activities

a system of planting crops without plowing using herbicides to control weeds

furrows are plowed perpendicular to the slope, following the natural contours of the land to help prevent the formation of rills and gullies

planting alternating bands of different types of crops across a slope

cutting level platforms into steep hillsides to contain water and soil

rows of trees or other tall, perennial plants planted at the edges of fields to act a as a windbreak

established in 1977 by Wangari Maathai to combat a lack of water and food security in Kenya

a movement in the Sahel to combat desertification

the variety of life in all its forms

a group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring

the number of different species represented in a defined area

species richness generally increases as you move toward the equator

the touring of natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact

the connections that humans unconsciously seek with the rest of life

prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish, or plants, that have been illegally obtained

a treaty between the U.S. and Canada that makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell migratory birds

no activity by a government agency should lead to the extinction of an endangered species and all government agencies must use whatever means necessary to preserve the species

a species that has the high potential to become extinct in the foreseeable future

a species that has the high potential to become endangered in the foreseeable future and could become extinct if a critical factor in their environment were changed

protected endangered species by banning the international trade of their body parts

sets global initiatives to conserve biodiversity, use biodiversity in a sustainable manner, and ensure the fair distribution of the benefits of biodiversity

a charismatic species that needs a large amount of habitat to survive

individuals are bred and raised in controlled conditions with the intent of reintroducing them into the wild

created a method to set aside federal forest resources to maintain water flows and produce timber

allows the President to declare select public lands with historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of scientific or historic interest to be set aside as national monuments

established the national park service to conserve the scenery, natural and historic objects, wildlife, and provide for their enjoyment for the American people

the process of a local or regional organization purchasing land with the aim of preserving it in its natural condition

an area set aside for wildlife and its enjoyment through observation or hunting and/or fishing

a scientific discipline devoted to understanding the factors, forces, and processes that influence the loss, protection, and restoration of biodiversity within and among ecosystems

a theory to predict the number of species on an island based on its size and distance from the mainland

the number of species on an island tends to increase with size

the number of species on an island tends to decrease with distance from the mainland

areas that support an especially high number of species

native or restricted to a particular geographic area

the study of the relationship between political, economic, and social factors with environmental issues and changes

the practice of engaging local people to protect land and wildlife in their region

the elimination of all individuals of a species

non-native species that are introduced into a new ecosystem through human activities or migration

a species that has become a nuisance through rapid spread and an increase in numbers

the number of individuals removed from a population exceeds the ability of that population to replace it

action taken by a person to meet their needs based on their personal decisions

action taken by a group of people to meet the needs of the group based on a decision by the group

a scenario with a conflict between the individual interest and the group interest

shared resources tend to be overexploited unless they are regulated by the government or are turned into private property because individuals tend to act selfishly

any resource that is controlled or accessed by a group instead of an individual

the unwritten rules of society

an organism whose genes have been artificially manipulated using genetic engineering

the migration of genetically modified genes into conventional or wild relatives

the practice of alternating the kind of crop grown in a particular field from one season to another

agriculture that avoids the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides during food production/organic animal products come from animals given organic food and no antibiotics or growth hormones

large barns or pens designed to deliver energy-rich food to animals living in extremely high densities

the worth of something simply because it exists

the worth of something because of its usefulness

examines the moral basis of environmental responsibility and how to apply ethical standard to relationships between human and non-human entities

the belief that environmental responsibility is derived solely from human interest because only humans are morally significant

the belief that all forms of life have an inherent right to exist and ethical standing

the belief that the environment (both living and nonliving factors) deserves moral consideration in its own right and not just based on values derived from uses

need to manage natural resources wisely so they can be put to the best usefulness

need to preserve nature in a pristine

human should consider themselves and the land as part of the same community

defined by the EPA as an effort to provide the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, policies, and regulations

device used to make fuel from water and carbon dioxide

converting organic waste into carbon and nutrients available to plants

minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, and managing crop rotation

moving ruminants among pastures to simulate migration

reducing inefficiencies and air pollution associated with cooking

bringing abandoned lands back into productive agricultural use

carbon sink that sequesters the most carbon

adding soil and vegetation to a building to act as living insulation

block the penetration of light or heat into a building through windows

substituting fly ash or blast furnace slag for conventional clinker

reducing petroleum-based feedstocks with plant-based feedstocks