Renewable Resources

Can be replenished by biochemical cycles

Example: tree, water, air, solar

Nonrenewable Resources

Cannot be replenished by natural processes

Example: coal, oil, natural gas

Sustainable Development

A way of using resources without depleting them and causing environmental harm

Earth's forests are an important resource....

1. provide wood for products and fuel
2. remove CO₂ and produce O₂
3. provide habitats and food for organisms
4. control soil erosion
5. store nutrients

Are forests renewable or nonrenewable?

Depends on the forest.

Forests in northeast are renewable

Old Growth Forest (Cal.) are nonrenewable because they take centuries to grow back

Pollutant

A harmful material that can enter the biosphere through the land, air or water

Smog

A mixture of chemicals that occurs as a gray-brown haze in the atmosphere

Acid Precipitation

Nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the atmosphere combine with water vapor  and fall to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet or fog

Boom or Barrier

Helps contain an oil spill and makes it easier to skim off the surface

Skimmer

Used to remove oil from the surface of the water and they work best in calm water

Sorbents

Materials used to soak up oil spills

Example: straw, sawdust, pine bark, hair

Chemical Dispersants, Detergents and Solvents

Used to degrade the oil, but most of these chemicals are toxic to animals

Flames

Used to burn the oil, but the black smoke contains toxic components

Bioremediation

Genetically engineered microorganisms that can be used to degrade petroleum products

Biodiversity

The number and/or variety of species that live in an area

Which biome has the greatest amount of biodiversity?

Tropical Rain Forest

The biggest threat to biodiversity is...

Habitat Loss

Threatened Species

When the population of a species begins declining rapidly

Endangered Species

When species numbers become so low that extinction is possible

Extinction

The disappearance of a species

Habitat Fragmentation

The separation of wilderness areas from other areas

Habitat Degradation

The damage to a habitat by pollution

Exotic or Invasive Species

Organisms that are not native to a particular area

Why are invasive species bad?

Because they have no natural predators and tend to take over and kill off native species

Conservation Biology

The management of natural resources and the preservation

U.S. Endangered Species Act

This law made it illegal to harm any species on the endangered or threatened species lists

Reintroduction Programs

Release organisms into an area where their species once lived

Ozone Layer

Atmospheric layer in which ozone gas is relatively concentrated

Global Warming

the increase in the average temperature of the biosphere

Greenhouse Effect

The warming up of the Earth's surface due to heat getting trapped