Title: BIS 105 Glossary
Course: BIS 105 Environmental Biology > Section: BIS 105 Environmental Biology

BIS 105 Glossary

Terms

Term | Definitions | Glossary
abiotic components | The non-living physical aspects of the environment; includes sunlight, soil, temperature, wind, water, and air; also known as abiotic factors. | Unit 2 Glossary
abyssal zone | The deepest part of the ocean at depths of 4000 m or greater. | Unit 11 Glossary
active transportation | Means of transportation that involve more physical activity, typically considered walking, biking, and use of public transit (bus and rail). | Unit 13 Glossary
aerobic | Living systems or processes that require, or are not destroyed by, the presence of oxygen. | Unit 15 Glossary
air pressure | The force of air pressing on a given area. | Unit 12 Glossary
albedo | A measure of how reflective a surface is. A perfectly black surface has an albedo of 0, while a perfectly white surface has an albedo of 1. | Unit 13 Glossary
altitude | Distance above sea level. | Unit 12 Glossary
ammonification | The release of nitrogen in the form of ammonium ions (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>−</sup>) due to the break down of organic remains and wastes by decomposers. | Unit 2 Glossary
anaerobic | A living system or process that occurs in, or is not destroyed by, the absence of oxygen. | Unit 15 Glossary
anthropocentric | Considering the needs of human beings as the most important in the universe. | Unit 1 Glossary
anthropogenic | Caused or produced by humans. | Unit 13 Glossary
aphotic zone | The part of the ocean where light does not penetrate, and therefore, photosynthesis cannot occur. | Unit 11 Glossary
aquifer | An underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock. | Unit 2 Glossary
aquifer | A geologic formation that stores water, aquifers may yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs and this water is often utilized as a primary source for municipal, industrial, irri ... | Unit 10 Glossary
aurora | A spectacular light display that occurs in the ionosphere near the poles; called the <i>aurora borealis</i> or northern lights in the Northern Hemisphere, and the <i>aurora australis</i> or southe ... | Unit 12 Glossary
autotrophs | Organisms that produce organic compounds from energy and simple inorganic molecules; also known as producers. | Unit 2 Glossary
avoided cost | A type of direct method that equates the value of an environmental improvement with a cost that can then be avoided. | Unit 7 Glossary
axial precession | The movement in the axis of rotation, which change in the direction of Earth's axis of rotation relative to the stars. | Unit 13 Glossary
axial tilt | The angle between a planet's axis of rotation and the line perpendicular to the plane in which it orbits. The Earth's current axial tilt is 23.5 degrees. | Unit 13 Glossary
benthic zone | The part of the ocean that extends along the ocean bottom from the shoreline to the deepest parts of the ocean floor. | Unit 11 Glossary
bioassay | A method for determining the concentration of a substance that causes a biological change in experimental animals. | Unit 9 Glossary
biocentric | Consideration given to living organisms other than just human beings. | Unit 1 Glossary
biochemical oxygen demand | The amount of oxygen used by aerobic (in presence of oxygen) bacterial decomposition of organic matter. | Unit 10 Glossary
biodiesel | A fuel usually made from soybean, canola, or other vegetable oils; animal fats; and recycled grease and oils. It can serve as a substitute for conventional diesel or distillate fuel. | Unit 14 Glossary
biofuels | Liquid fuels and blending components produced from biomass materials, used primarily in combination with transportation fuels, such as gasoline. | Unit 14 Glossary
biogeochemical cycle | A closed loop through which a chemical element or water moves through ecosystems. | Unit 2 Glossary
biological pest control | Also known as biocontrol, it is the deliberate introduction of a predator species into an area in order to control a pest species. | Unit 6 Glossary
biological treatment | A treatment technology that uses bacteria to consume organic fraction of municipal solid waste/wastewater. | Unit 15 Glossary
biomass | Organic, non-fossil material of biological origin that is renewable because it can be quickly re-grown, taking up the carbon that is released when it is burned. | Unit 14 Glossary
biomimicry | Using organisms to inspire technology and engineering projects. | Unit 6 Glossary
biosphere | The areas of Earth where all organisms live; extends from about 11,000 meters below sea level to 15,000 meters above sea level. | Unit 2 Glossary
biotic components | The living organisms in the environment; also known as biotic factors. | Unit 2 Glossary
bottom trawling | Fishing by dragging deep nets along the ocean floor, so that they gather up living creatures along the bottom of the ocean. | Unit 11 Glossary
car sharing | A program that allows for more than one person to have use of a car. Generally, it works like a short-term (hourly) car rental service. Cars are located near residences and work places to facilita ... | Unit 13 Glossary
carbon cycle | Pathways of exchange that interconnect the four major reservoirs of carbon: the ocean, the atmosphere, the biosphere and organic sediments, such as fossil fuels. | Unit 2 Glossary
carcinogenic | The ability or tendency to produce cancer. | Unit 9 Glossary
carpooling | When two or more people travel to and from proximal departure and arrival destinations in the same vehicle. | Unit 13 Glossary
cassandra worldview | A worldview that predicts doom and disaster as a result of our growing environmental impacts. | Unit 1 Glossary
cellular respiration | The process by which cells oxidize glucose and produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy. | Unit 2 Glossary
chemoautotrophs | Organisms that use the energy stored in chemical compounds to make organic molecules by chemosynthesis. | Unit 2 Glossary
climate | The average of the weather. | Unit 13 Glossary
coase theorem | The idea that with property rights and frictionless negotiation, private agents will bargain to reach efficient outcomes even in the face of externalities. | Unit 7 Glossary
coevolution | Evolution of interacting species in which each species is an important factor in the natural selection of the other species. | Unit 6 Glossary
combined sewer system | A single set of underground pipes used to collect both sewage and. storm water runoff from streets for wastewater treatment. | Unit 10 Glossary
command and control | Regulations that set strict, specific guidelines to govern the behavior of polluters and resource users. | Unit 7 Glossary
commensalism | Symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits while the other species is not affected. | Unit 6 Glossary
common pool resource | A resource that is open to all users, but which is highly rival in use. | Unit 7 Glossary
community | Populations of different species that live in the same area and interact with one another. | Unit 2 Glossary
competition | Relationship between organisms that strive for the same limited resources. | Unit 6 Glossary
compost | The stable, decomposed organic material resulting from the composting process. | Unit 15 Glossary
cone of depression | The shape of the water table in the area immediately surrounding a pumping well. The water draws down in a radial cone-shape around the pumping well, with the deepest drawdown immediately at the w ... | Unit 10 Glossary
confined aquifer | An aquifer which is overlain by a confining bed (aquitard) of significantly lower hydraulic conductivity which retards the vertical movement of water. | Unit 10 Glossary
conjoint analysis | A stated preference valuation tool that allows an analyst to estimate the marginal values of multiple attributes of an environmental good. | Unit 7 Glossary
constructed wetland | Marsh built to treat contaminated water. | Unit 10 Glossary
consumers | Organisms that depend on producers or other types of organisms for food. | Unit 2 Glossary
contaminant plume | A large body of flowing polluted groundwater. | Unit 10 Glossary
continental shelf | The shallow, gradually sloping seabed around the edge of a continent. Usually less than 200 meters in depth. The continental shelf can be thought of as the submerged edge of a continent. | Unit 11 Glossary
continental slope | The sloped bottom of the ocean that extends from the continental shelf down to the deep ocean bottom. | Unit 11 Glossary
contingent valuation | A stated preference valuation tool that describes a single environmental good and elicits survey responses from which the analyst can estimate people’s value for that good. | Unit 7 Glossary
control group | A group within an experiment that is not modified to form a basis of comparison to an experimental group. | Unit 1 Glossary
controlled variables | Variables that are kept constant to prevent influencing the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. | Unit 1 Glossary
Coriolis effect | The apparent deflection of a moving object like water or air caused by Earth's rotation. | Unit 11 Glossary
Coriolis effect | The tendency of a freely moving object to appear to move right right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere. | Unit 12 Glossary
cornucopian worldview | A confidence in technological innovation to solve all social and environmental problems. | Unit 1 Glossary
corrosivity | The ability to corrode metal. Corrosive wastes are wastes that are acidic and capable of corroding metal such as tanks, containers, drums, and barrels. | Unit 15 Glossary
cretaceous period | The period between 65 and 145 million years ago, which was the final period of Earth's history that included dinosaurs. | Unit 13 Glossary
cryptofauna | The invertebrates found within the cracks and crevices of coral reefs. | Unit 11 Glossary
cultural eutrophication | Rapid aquatic plant growth, particularly algae, in a surface water body. Can often result in low oxygen levels due to the amount of decomposition that occurs. | Unit 10 Glossary
deadweight loss | The extent to which net benefits are lower than they could be. | Unit 7 Glossary
decomposers | Organisms that consume dead organisms and other organic waste. | Unit 2 Glossary
demographic transition model | A model that proposes that human populations pass through 4 or 5 predictable stages of population growth. | Unit 5 Glossary
denitrification | The conversion of some of the nitrates in soil back into nitrogen gas; done by denitrifying bacteria; returns nitrogen gas back to the atmosphere, where it can continue the nitrogen cycle. | Unit 2 Glossary
dependent variable | Changes in response to the independent variable. | Unit 1 Glossary
detritivores | Organisms that consume the remains of dead plants, animals, and feces (detritus). | Unit 2 Glossary
digestion | The biochemical decomposition of organic matter of MSW, resulting in its partial gasification, liquefaction, and mineralization. | Unit 15 Glossary
direct methods | Valuation tools that use data on actual market transactions to estimate the value of a change in the environment. | Unit 7 Glossary
downwelling | The downward movement of water in the ocean that transports oxygen to deep water. | Unit 11 Glossary
eccentricity | A measure of how much an ellipse departs from circularity. | Unit 13 Glossary
ecocentric | Consideration given to living and non-living entities. | Unit 1 Glossary
ecology | The scientific study of the interactions of living things with each other and their relationships with the environment. | Unit 2 Glossary
ecosystem | A natural unit consisting of all the living organisms in an area functioning together with all the nonliving physical factors of the environment. | Unit 2 Glossary
ecosystem services | Resources and processes through which the environment gives benefits to humanity. | Unit 7 Glossary
efficient | Having the feature that net benefits are maximized. | Unit 7 Glossary
energy density | The energy contained in a volume or mass divided by the volume or mass it occupies. High energy density materials pack a large energy into a small space or mass; low energy density materials requi ... | Unit 14 Glossary
environmental ethic | Includes humans as part of the natural community and may place limits on activity if it adversely affects the natural community. | Unit 1 Glossary
epidemiology | The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations. | Unit 9 Glossary
erosion | The process by which material is removed from earth's surface, primarily by wind and water. | Unit 8 Glossary
estuary | A region where fresh water and salt water mix where a river discharges into an ocean or sea. | Unit 11 Glossary
exosphere | The outermost layer of the atmosphere, where gas molecules are extremely far apart and some occasionally escape earth’s gravity and fly off into outer space. | Unit 12 Glossary
exotic species | A species that has been introduced to an ecosystem in which it did not evolve. | Unit 6 Glossary
experiment | A test that is used to eliminate one or more of the possible hypotheses until one hypothesis remains. | Unit 1 Glossary
food chain | A simple linear pathway through which energy and materials are transferred from one species to another in an ecosystem. | Unit 2 Glossary
food miles | The distance food travels from production to consumption. | Unit 8 Glossary
food security | The ability to physically and economically obtain sufficient and nutritious food to meet a person's dietary needs. | Unit 8 Glossary
food web | A diagram of feeding relationships that includes multiple intersecting food chains. | Unit 2 Glossary
free rider | A person who does not contribute to a public good in hopes that they can benefit from provision by other people. | Unit 7 Glossary
frontier ethic | Assumes that the earth has an unlimited supply of resources or if a resource becomes limited human ingenuity will find a substitute. | Unit 1 Glossary
functional unit | The basis for comparing two or more products, processes, or services that assures equality of the function delivered. | Unit 15 Glossary
genetic effects | Effects from some agent, like radiation that are seen in the offspring of the individual who received the agent. The agent must be encountered pre-conception. | Unit 15 Glossary
geothermal energy | Hot water or steam extracted from geothermal reservoirs in the earth's crust. Water or steam extracted from geothermal reservoirs can be used for geothermal heat pumps, water heating, or electrici ... | Unit 14 Glossary
geothermal plant | A power plant in which the prime mover is a steam turbine. The turbine is driven either by steam produced from hot water or by natural steam that heat source is found in rock. | Unit 14 Glossary
glacial period | A long period of time in which ice sheets and glaciers are advanced in their extent. | Unit 13 Glossary
greenhouse effect | The process by which the atmosphere acts to trap heat, warming the climate. | Unit 13 Glossary
greenhouse gases | Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere; these include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. | Unit 12 Glossary
greenhouse gases | Those gases in the atmosphere that warm the climate, most importantly, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. | Unit 13 Glossary
groundwater | Water in the ground that is in the zone of saturation from which wells, springs, and groundwater run-off are supplied. | Unit 10 Glossary
habitat | The physical environment to which an organism has become adapted and in which it can survive. | Unit 2 Glossary
hard water | Water with abundant calcium and magnesium, which reduces its ability to develop soapsuds and enhances scale; hard water does not have negative health effects in people. | Unit 10 Glossary
heat | A type of water pollutant that causes a drop in the dissolved oxygen content, which can stress fish. | Unit 10 Glossary
hedonic price analysis | A revealed preference tool that uses data on house prices and characteristics to estimate the value of features of the environment that vary among houses. | Unit 7 Glossary
hedonic wage analysis | A revealed preference tool that uses data on wages and risk of death by job type estimate willingness to pay to reduce the risk of death. | Unit 7 Glossary
herbivores | Organisms that consume only producers such as plants or algae; form a necessary link between producers and other consumers. | Unit 2 Glossary
heterotrophs | Organisms that depend on producers or other types of organisms for food; also called consumers. | Unit 2 Glossary
high level radioactive waste | The radioactive waste material that results from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, including liquid waste produced directly from reprocessing and any solid waste derived from the liquid that ... | Unit 15 Glossary
high pressure zone | A region where relatively cool, dense air is sinking. | Unit 12 Glossary
humidity | The amount of water vapor held in the air; usually refers to relative humidity, meaning the amount of water the air holds relative to the total amount it could hold. | Unit 12 Glossary
hypothesis | A suggested explanation based on evidence that can be tested by observation or experimentation. | Unit 1 Glossary
hypoxia | Very low oxygen water due to prolific growth of algae, algal death, and then decomposition, also called dead zone. | Unit 10 Glossary
ice sheets | Glaciers big enough to cover a continent. Currently, ice sheets are found in Antarctica and Greenland, but during glacial periods, ice sheets have covered other land masses, including North Americ ... | Unit 13 Glossary
ignitability | Ability to create fire under certain conditions. Ignitable wastes can create fires under these certain conditions. | Unit 15 Glossary
incineration | A thermal process of combusting municipal solid waste. | Unit 15 Glossary
independent variable | Factor(s) whose values are controlled by the experimenter to determine its relationship to an observed phenomenon (the dependent variable). | Unit 1 Glossary
industrial ecology | An applied science that is concerned with material and energy flows through industrial systems. | Unit 15 Glossary
infiltration | Rain that falls on land and soaks into the ground. | Unit 2 Glossary
infrared spectrum | Radiation just below the range of wavelengths visible to the human eye. Also referred to as thermal radiation. | Unit 13 Glossary
insolation | The measure of the amount of solar radiation falling on a surface. | Unit 13 Glossary
integrated waste management | A practice of using several alternative waste management techniques to manage and dispose of MSW. | Unit 15 Glossary
interglacial period | The warm periods of the Quaternary in which glaciers and ice-sheets retreat. These occur between the longer glacial periods. | Unit 13 Glossary
interspecific competition | Competition between members of different species. | Unit 6 Glossary
intertidal zone | The part of the ocean that is closest to land; parts extend above the water at low tide. | Unit 11 Glossary
intraspecific competition | Competition between members of the same species. | Unit 6 Glossary
invasive species | A species that has been introduced to an ecosystem in which it did not evolve. | Unit 6 Glossary
inversion | A situation in the troposhere in which warm air lies above cold air. | Unit 12 Glossary
ionosphere | An ionized layer contained within the thermosphere; the second to the last layer of the atmosphere. | Unit 12 Glossary
isotopes | Atoms that have same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This means that they are the same element (e.g. oxygen), have the same chemical properties, but different masses. | Unit 13 Glossary
Jevons paradox | The principle that as technological progress increases the efficiency of resource utilization, consumption of that resource will increase. | Unit 5 Glossary
keystone species | Species that plays an important role in the community by controlling the prey population and, indirectly, the populations of many other species in the community. | Unit 6 Glossary
landfill | Designed, controlled and managed disposal sites for MSW spread in layers, compacted to the smallest practical volume, and covered by material applied at the end of each operating day. | Unit 15 Glossary
last glacial maximum | The time at which ice sheets were at their greatest extent during the latest glacial period. | Unit 13 Glossary
leachate | Wastewater that collects contaminants as it trickles through municipal solid waste disposed in a landfill. | Unit 15 Glossary
life cycle assessment (LCA) | An applied science that is concerned with material and energy flows through industrial systems. | Unit 15 Glossary
life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) | The stage of an LCA in which the environmental impacts associated with the manufacture and delivery use and disposal of a product are calculated. | Unit 15 Glossary
life cycle inventory (LCI) | The stage of an LCA in which information on the use of energy and various materials used to make a product or service at each part of the manufacturing process is collected. | Unit 15 Glossary
lightweighting | Making a product out of materials that weigh less than were previously used. | Unit 13 Glossary
locavore | Someone who eats food produced in the local area. | Unit 8 Glossary
low level radioactive waste | Radioactive waste material that is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct material (see HLW). | Unit 15 Glossary
low pressure zone | A region where relatively warm, less dense air is rising. | Unit 12 Glossary
low-emittance coatings | Microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow. | Unit 13 Glossary
Malthusians | Individuals who believe that human population growth cannot continue without dire consequences. | Unit 5 Glossary
marginal benefit | The additional benefit of doing one more unit of something. | Unit 7 Glossary
marginal cost | The additional cost of doing one more unit of something. | Unit 7 Glossary
market failure | A condition that causes a market not to yield the efficient outcome. | Unit 7 Glossary
mechanical biological treatment | The process that combines sorting with a form of biological treatment such as composting or anaerobic digestion. | Unit 15 Glossary
medical waste | Any municipal solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunisation of human beings or animals. | Unit 15 Glossary
mesosphere | The layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere; temperature decreases with altitude. | Unit 12 Glossary
mid-ocean ridge | Mountain range on the ocean floor where magma upwells and new ocean floor is formed. | Unit 11 Glossary
Milankovitch Cycles | Periodic variations in the Earth's orbit that influence its climate. These cycles are named after Milutin Milankovitch, a mathematician who quantified the theory. | Unit 13 Glossary
mill tailings | Waste material from a conventional uranium recovery facility. | Unit 15 Glossary
mimicry | Using appearance to resemble another organism. | Unit 6 Glossary
municipal solid waste (MSW) | Includes non-hazardous waste generated in households, commercial and business establishments, institutions, and non-hazardous industrial process wastes, agricultural wastes and sewage sludge. | Unit 15 Glossary
mutualism | Symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit. | Unit 6 Glossary
neap tide | A tide that occurs when the Moon, Sun, and Earth are at 90° angles to one another. Tides have the smallest tidal range during a neap tide. | Unit 11 Glossary
negative externality | A cost that is borne by someone who did not agree to the activity that caused the cost. | Unit 7 Glossary
Neo-Malthusians | Like Malthusians, they believe that human population growth cannot continue without dire consequences. They are generally more concerned than Malthus was with environmental degradation and catast ... | Unit 5 Glossary
neritic zone | The part of the ocean that extends from low tide to the edge of the continental shelf. | Unit 11 Glossary
net benefits | The difference between total benefits and total costs. | Unit 7 Glossary
niche | The role of a species in its ecosystem; includes all the ways species’ members interact with the abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. | Unit 2 Glossary
nitrification | The process of converting ammonium ions to nitrites or nitrates. | Unit 2 Glossary
nitrogen fixation | The process of converting nitrogen gas to nitrate ions that plants can absorb; carried out mainly by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. | Unit 2 Glossary
noble gases | Gases that usually do not react chemically and have no color, taste, or odor; these are helium, neon, argon, xenon and krypton. | Unit 12 Glossary
non-use values | Values people have for nature that do not stem from direct interaction. | Unit 7 Glossary
nonpoint source | Large and diffuse location where a pollution source occurs. | Unit 10 Glossary
nonrenewable fuels | Fuels that will be used up, irreplaceable. | Unit 14 Glossary
oceanic zone | The part of the ocean that begins offshore where the water measures 200 m deep or deeper. | Unit 11 Glossary
organism | A life form consisting of one or more cells. | Unit 2 Glossary
ozone | A molecule made of three oxygen atoms; ozone in the lower atmosphere is a pollutant, but in the upper atmosphere it filters out the sun’s most harmful ultraviolet radiation. | Unit 12 Glossary
ozone hole | A region around Antarctica in which ozone levels are reduced in springtime, due to the action of ozone-destroying chemicals. | Unit 12 Glossary
ozone layer | A region of the stratosphere where ozone gas is more highly concentrated. | Unit 12 Glossary
parasitism | Symbiotic relationship in which one species (the parasite) benefits while the other species (the host) is harmed. | Unit 6 Glossary
pathogen | A disease-causing microorganism, e.g., viruses, bacteria, parasitic worms, and protozoa, which cause a variety of intestinal diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, hepatitis, and cholera. | Unit 10 Glossary
pelagic zone | The open ocean waters that are not close to the bottom or near the shore. | Unit 11 Glossary
permafrost | Soil that has a temperature that has remained below freezing (0°C or 32°F) for at least two years | Unit 13 Glossary
permeable | Permits water to move through the material. | Unit 8 Glossary
phantom load | Refers to the electrical load of appliances and chargers when they are not in use but plugged in, as they still draw power but provide no service. | Unit 13 Glossary
photic zone | The upper layer of ocean water in which photosynthesis is able to take place. | Unit 11 Glossary
photoautotrophs | Organisms that use energy from sunlight to make food by photosynthesis; includes plants, algae, and certain bacteria. | Unit 2 Glossary
photochemical smog | This type of air pollution results from a chemical reaction between pollutants in the presence of sunshine. | Unit 12 Glossary
photosynthesis | The process by which carbon dioxide and water are converted to glucose and oxygen, using sunlight for energy. | Unit 2 Glossary
photovoltaic cells | An electronic device consisting of layers of semiconductor materials that are produced to form adjacent layers of materials with different electronic characteristics and electrical contacts and be ... | Unit 14 Glossary
phytoplankton | All the tiny photoautotrophs found on or near the surface of a body of water; usually is the primary producer in aquatic ecosystems; includes both cyanobacteria and algae. | Unit 2 Glossary
pioneer species | First colonizer species in an area undergoing ecological succession. | Unit 6 Glossary
planktivore | An animal that eats plankton. | Unit 11 Glossary
plankton | Large communities of producers and herbivores; made up of phytoplankton and zooplankton. | Unit 2 Glossary
plankton | Microscopic organisms that drift in the ocean's currents. They include organisms such as krill, copepods, algaes, diatoms, and larval crustaceans and fish. | Unit 11 Glossary
point of production | The first (or at least an early) step in the energy chain, where the energy that ultimately will perform a function at the point of use is put into its working form. For gasoline-driven cars, this ... | Unit 14 Glossary
point of use | The last step in the energy chain, where energy accomplishes its intended function. For vehicles, this is the conversion of chemical energy in gasoline cars or electric energy in battery cars to m ... | Unit 14 Glossary
point source | Readily identifiable and relatively small location where a pollution source occurs. | Unit 10 Glossary
polar stratospheric clouds | Clouds that form in the stratosphere when it is especially cold; PSCs are necessary for the breakup of CFCs. | Unit 12 Glossary
population | Organisms of the same species that live in the same area and interact with one another. | Unit 2 Glossary
positive externality | A benefit that accrues to someone who did not agree to the activity that caused the benefit. | Unit 7 Glossary
positive feedback | A runaway process which amplifies the effect of an initial change. | Unit 13 Glossary
precautionary principle | An approach that puts the burden of proof on showing an action or policy is not harmful before that action or policy can be implemented. | Unit 1 Glossary
predation | Relationship in which members of one species (the predator) consume members of other species (the prey). | Unit 6 Glossary
preservationists | Advocate for protection of the environment in a pristine, unaltered state due to its intrinsic value. | Unit 1 Glossary
primary succession | Ecological succession that occurs in an area that has never been colonized before. | Unit 6 Glossary
producers | Organisms that produce organic compounds from energy and simple inorganic molecules. | Unit 2 Glossary
proxy data | Information about the climate that accumulates through natural phenomena. | Unit 13 Glossary
public good | A good with two features: (i) it has a benefit that does not diminish with the number of people enjoying it, and (ii) no one can be excluded from consuming it. | Unit 7 Glossary
quaternary period | The most recent geological period, spanning the time from 2.6 million years ago to today. | Unit 13 Glossary
radiative forcing | Change in net irradiance (an energy flux) measured at some boundary. For this text the boundary is typically at the surface of the earth or the top of atmosphere. A positive change indicates warmi ... | Unit 13 Glossary
radioactive half-lives | The amount of time necessary to decrease the radioactivity of radioactive material to one-half the original level. | Unit 14 Glossary
radioactive waste | Any waste that emits energy as rays, waves, or streams of energetic particles. | Unit 15 Glossary
reactivity | Materials susceptible to unstable conditions. Reactive wastes are unstable under normal conditions and can create explosions and or toxic fumes, gases, and vapors when mixed with water. | Unit 15 Glossary
recycling | Separation physical/mechanical process by which secondary raw materials (such as paper, metals, glass, and plastics.) are obtained from MSW. | Unit 15 Glossary
remote responsibilities | Our moral obligation to consider the impact of our actions on people and places far removed from us. | Unit 1 Glossary
renewable fuels | Fuels that are never exhausted or can be replaced. | Unit 14 Glossary
replacement fertility | The number of births per female required to maintain current population levels; includes 2 children to replace the parents and a fraction of a child extra to make up for early mortality and sex ra ... | Unit 5 Glossary
residence time | A measure of the average time an individual water molecule stays in a particular reservoir. | Unit 10 Glossary
reuse | Using a component of MSW in its original form more than once. | Unit 15 Glossary
revealed preference | Valuation tools that use behaviors such as job choice, housing choice, and recreational site choice to reveal information about the values people have for features of the environment. | Unit 7 Glossary
salinization | A process where salts accumulate in soil, potentially rendering is unfit for agriculture. | Unit 8 Glossary
saprotrophs | Organisms that complete the breakdown of any remaining organic matter, such as bones, feathers, and fur of dead animals, and wood and other indigestible plant material. | Unit 2 Glossary
scientific methods | Based on gathering observable, empirical (produced by experiment or observation) and measurable evidence that is critically evaluated. | Unit 1 Glossary
scoping | The stage of a LCA in which the rationale for carrying out the assessment is made explicit, where the boundaries of the system are defined, where the data quantity, quality, and sources are specif ... | Unit 15 Glossary
seamount | A mountain rising from the seafloor that does not reach above the surface of the water. Usually formed from volcanoes. | Unit 11 Glossary
secondary succession | Ecological succession that occurs in a formerly inhabited area that was disturbed. | Unit 6 Glossary
sediment | A type of water pollutant that degrades drinking water and can kill underwater plants that need sunlight for photosynthesis. | Unit 10 Glossary
septic tank system | An individual sewage treatment system for homes in rural and even some urban settings. | Unit 10 Glossary
sewage treatment plant | A facility that processes wastewater with the main goal of removing organic matter (oxygen-demanding waste) and killing bacteria. | Unit 10 Glossary
sludge | Concentrated organic solid produced during primary and secondarytreatment of sewage treatment. | Unit 10 Glossary
snowball earth | A condition in which the entire planet is covered in ice, last thought to have happened 650 million years ago. | Unit 13 Glossary
soil | Comprised of organic and inorganic materials, water, air, and living organisms. | Unit 8 Glossary
soil profile | A vertical section of soil from the surface to the parent rock. | Unit 8 Glossary
solid waste | According to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), solid waste is: garbage; refuse; sludge from a waste treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facilit ... | Unit 15 Glossary
somatic effects | Effects from some agent, like radiation that are seen in the individual who receives the agent. | Unit 15 Glossary
species evenness | Relative abundance of each species in a community. | Unit 6 Glossary
species richness | The number of different species in a community. | Unit 6 Glossary
spring tide | A tide that occurs when the Moon, Sun, and Earth area all in a line. Tides will have the greatest tidal range during a spring tide. | Unit 11 Glossary
stated preference | Valuation tools that use survey responses to hypothetical questions rather than data on actual choices. | Unit 7 Glossary
stratosphere | The second layer of the atmosphere, where temperature increases with altitude due the presence of ozone. | Unit 12 Glossary
succession | Process by which a whole community changes through time following a disturbance. | Unit 6 Glossary
sustainable development | Meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. | Unit 1 Glossary
symbiosis | Close association between two species in which at least one species benefits. | Unit 6 Glossary
theory | Hypotheses which have stood up to repeated attempts at falsification and are thus supported by a great deal of data and evidence regarding a scientific phenomenon or process. | Unit 1 Glossary
thermosphere | The second to the last layer of the atmosphere where gases are extremely thinly distributed. | Unit 12 Glossary
tide | The daily rise and fall in the level of the ocean water. | Unit 11 Glossary
total fertility rate | The average number of children born per female. | Unit 5 Glossary
toxicity | The degree to which a chemical substance (or physical agent) elicits a deleterious or adverse effect upon the biological system of an organism exposed to the substance over a designated time perio ... | Unit 15 Glossary
toxicology | (empty) | BIS 105 Glossary
transgenic | An organism containing genetic information that was artificially introduced from an unrelated species. | Unit 8 Glossary
transuranic radioactive waste | TRU waste contains more than 100 nanocuries of alpha-emitting transuranic isotopes, with half-lives greater than twenty years, per gram of waste. | Unit 15 Glossary
travel cost analysis | A revealed preference tool that estimates the values of natural resource amenities by analyzing data on recreational site characteristics and people’s visitation patterns and travel costs. | Unit 7 Glossary
trench | Deepest areas of the ocean; found where subduction takes place. | Unit 11 Glossary
triple bottom line | A comprehensive method of measuring success that includes people, profit, and the planet (social, economic, and environment). | Unit 1 Glossary
trophic levels | The different feeding positions in a food chain or web. | Unit 2 Glossary
troposphere | The lowermost layer of the atmosphere. | Unit 12 Glossary
true predation | Type of predation in which the predator kills its prey. | Unit 6 Glossary
U-factor | The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the of a window assembly. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating properties. | Unit 13 Glossary
ultraviolet radiation | High energy radiation that comes from the Sun; there are three types of UV radiation: UVA, UVB, and UVC. The shortest wavelength, and therefore the most dangerous, is UVC. | Unit 12 Glossary
upwelling | Cold, nutrient-rich water that rises from oceanic depths usually near the continents, when wind blows the overlying surface away or along the equator. | Unit 11 Glossary
use values | A revealed preference tool that estimates the values of natural resource amenities by analyzing data on recreational site characteristics and people’s visitation patterns and travel costs. | Unit 7 Glossary
utilitarian conservation | Use and conservation of resources for the good of the public. | Unit 1 Glossary
valuation | The process of estimating a dollar value for an amenity or a disamentity. | Unit 7 Glossary
variable | A factor that can change over the course of an experiment. | Unit 1 Glossary
visible spectrum | Radiation that is in the range of wavelengths that is visible to the human eye. | Unit 13 Glossary
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Pollutants that evaporate into the atmosphere from solvents and other humanmade compounds. Some VOCs occur naturally. | Unit 12 Glossary
waste minimization | Measures or techniques that reduce the amount of wastes generated during industrial production processes; the term is also applied to recycling and other efforts to reduce the amount of waste goin ... | Unit 15 Glossary
waste to energy | Combustion of MSW to generate electrical energy or heat. | Unit 15 Glossary
wate prevention | The design, manufacture, purchase or use of materials or products to reduce their amount or toxicity before they enter the municipal solid waste stream. Because it is intended to reduce pollution ... | Unit 15 Glossary
water pollution | Contamination of water by an excess amount of a substance that can cause harm to human beings and the ecosystem. | Unit 10 Glossary
water vapor | The gas form of water. | Unit 12 Glossary
watts per square meter (W/m^2) | Energy (Joules) per second moving through a surface (square meter). A flux of energy through a surface area. | Unit 13 Glossary
weather | The temporary state of the atmosphere in a region; the weather in a location depends on the air temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and other features of the atmosphere. | Unit 12 Glossary
weather | A description of the short term state of the atmosphere. | Unit 13 Glossary
wedge approach | A way of expressing the concept that there is no one solution to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Each technology, action or change is represented by a triangular wedge in a cha ... | Unit 13 Glossary
welfare | Broadly defined, welfare is well-being. | Unit 7 Glossary
well-mixed gas | A gas that can be found at the same concentration throughout the lower atmosphere regardless of location. | Unit 13 Glossary
willingness to accept | The amount of money you would have to pay someone to compensate them for a deleterious change. | Unit 7 Glossary
willingness to pay | The amount of money someone is willing to pay for something good. | Unit 7 Glossary
zooplankton | All the small organisms that feed on phytoplankton; includes both single-celled organisms such as protozoa and multicellular organisms such as jellyfish. | Unit 2 Glossary