Unit 1 Ecological niche Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 The role and resource use of an organism in its community — habitat, diet, activity time, predators, etc.
Interactive Deck
143 flashcards.
Filter by unit or priority topic. Tap or hit Space to flip. Arrow keys to navigate. Press K to mark known — your progress saves to this device. Drill a few minutes a day; cram the rest the night before.
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Unit 1 Trophic level Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Position in a food chain. Producers → primary → secondary → tertiary consumers. Energy decreases at each step.
Unit 1 10% rule Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Only ~10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level; the rest is lost as heat or used in respiration.
Unit 1 GPP vs. NPP Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Gross Primary Productivity = total energy fixed by producers. Net = GPP minus producer respiration. NPP is the energy available to consumers.
Unit 1 Food web Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Network of interconnected food chains. More realistic than a single chain because most consumers eat multiple species.
Unit 1 Decomposers Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Bacteria and fungi that break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients (esp. C, N, P) to the soil and atmosphere.
Unit 1 Mutualism Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Symbiosis where both species benefit (+/+), e.g., mycorrhizae and plant roots; bees and flowering plants.
Unit 1 Commensalism Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Symbiosis where one species benefits, the other is unaffected (+/0), e.g., barnacles on a whale.
Unit 1 Parasitism Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Symbiosis where one species (parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (host) (+/-).
Unit 1 Range of tolerance Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Range of conditions (temp, pH, salinity, etc.) within which an organism can survive. Outside zone of tolerance: mortality rises.
Unit 1 Biome Tap / Space to flip
Unit 1 Large region characterized by a distinct climate and dominant vegetation (e.g., tropical rainforest, taiga, tundra, desert).
Unit 2 Biodiversity Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Variety of life at three levels: genetic (within species), species (within community), and ecosystem (across landscape).
Unit 2 Ecosystem services Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Free benefits ecosystems provide: provisioning (food, water), regulating (climate, flood), cultural (recreation), supporting (nutrient cycling).
Unit 2 Island biogeography Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Larger islands and those closer to mainland support more species (immigration up, extinction down).
Unit 2 Primary succession Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Community development on bare rock with no soil (e.g., after volcanic eruption or glacial retreat). Pioneer species: lichens.
Unit 2 Secondary succession Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Community recovery after disturbance where soil remains intact (e.g., after a forest fire or abandoned farmland).
Unit 2 Keystone species Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Species whose impact on community structure is disproportionately large relative to its biomass (e.g., sea otters in kelp forests).
Unit 2 Indicator species Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Species sensitive to environmental change; their presence/absence signals ecosystem health (e.g., amphibians, lichens).
Unit 2 Edge effects Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Different conditions at habitat boundaries (more wind, light, predators) — fragmentation increases edge and reduces interior habitat.
Unit 2 Ecological resilience Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbance. Higher biodiversity generally = greater resilience.
Unit 2 Generalist vs. specialist Tap / Space to flip
Unit 2 Generalists tolerate a wide range of conditions and eat varied food (raccoons). Specialists have narrow niches (pandas).
Unit 3 Biotic potential Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Maximum reproductive rate of a population under ideal conditions (no resource limits, no predators).
Unit 3 Carrying capacity (K) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Maximum population size an environment can sustain. Limited by resources, predators, disease, space.
Unit 3 Exponential growth Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Population grows at a constant rate (J-curve). Occurs only when resources are unlimited.
Unit 3 Logistic growth Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Growth slows as N approaches K, producing an S-curve. dN/dt = rN[(K-N)/K].
Unit 3 r-selected species Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Many small offspring, little parental care, short lives, unstable habitat (e.g., insects, weeds, frogs).
Unit 3 K-selected species Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Few large offspring, much parental care, long lives, stable habitat (e.g., elephants, humans, oak trees).
Unit 3 Survivorship curves Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Type I (humans, late mortality), Type II (birds, constant), Type III (fish, very high early mortality).
Unit 3 Density-dependent factor Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Limiting factor whose effect intensifies as population density rises (disease, competition).
Unit 3 Density-independent factor Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Limiting factor whose effect is unrelated to population density (weather, fire, volcanic eruption).
Unit 3 CBR / CDR Tap / Space to flip
Unit 3 Crude Birth Rate / Crude Death Rate per 1000 people per year. Used to compute population growth rate.
population-dynamics Rule of 70 Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Doubling time (years) ≈ 70 ÷ growth rate (% per year). Example: 2% growth → doubles in 35 years.
population-dynamics Total fertility rate (TFR) Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Average number of children a woman has in her lifetime. TFR = 2.1 is replacement level (developed) due to child mortality.
population-dynamics Demographic transition · Stage 1 Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Pre-industrial: high birth rate, high death rate, low population growth. Pre-1700s.
population-dynamics Demographic transition · Stage 2 Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Transitional: high birth rate, falling death rate (better food, sanitation, medicine). Population explodes.
population-dynamics Demographic transition · Stage 3 Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Industrial: birth rate falls (urbanization, education, contraception). Growth slows.
population-dynamics Demographic transition · Stage 4 Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Post-industrial: low birth rate, low death rate. Stable or declining population (Japan, Germany).
population-dynamics Age-structure pyramid · expanding Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Wide base, narrow top. High birth rate, young population, rapid growth (developing nations).
population-dynamics Age-structure pyramid · stable Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Roughly equal columns from base to upper-middle ages. Birth rate ≈ death rate. Slow / no growth.
population-dynamics Age-structure pyramid · declining Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Narrow base, wider middle. Below-replacement TFR. Population shrinks (Japan, Italy).
population-dynamics Infant mortality rate (IMR) Tap / Space to flip
population-dynamics Deaths per 1000 live births before age 1. High IMR correlates with high TFR (insurance behavior).
Unit 4 Convergent boundary Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Plates collide. Subduction trenches (oceanic-continental), volcanic arcs, or mountain belts (continental-continental).
Unit 4 Divergent boundary Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Plates separate. Mid-ocean ridges (oceanic) or rift valleys (continental). New crust forms.
Unit 4 Transform boundary Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Plates slide past each other (e.g., San Andreas fault). Earthquakes; no volcanism.
Unit 4 Soil horizons Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 O (organic), A (topsoil), E (eluviation/leaching), B (subsoil/illuviation), C (parent material), R (bedrock).
Unit 4 Loam Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Ideal agricultural soil — roughly equal parts sand, silt, and clay. Drains well and holds nutrients.
Unit 4 Troposphere Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Lowest layer (0-12 km). Contains weather; temperature decreases with altitude. We live here.
Unit 4 Stratosphere Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 12-50 km. Contains the ozone layer; temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorbing UV.
Unit 4 Watershed Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Land area drained by a single river system into a body of water. Pollutants entering anywhere flow downstream.
Unit 4 El Niño Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Trade winds weaken. Warm Pacific water shifts east. Drought in Australia/SE Asia, heavy rain on west Americas.
Unit 4 La Niña Tap / Space to flip
Unit 4 Trade winds strengthen. Cold water upwells off South America. Opposite weather effects to El Niño.
biogeochemical-cycles Carbon cycle · photosynthesis Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + light → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂. Removes atmospheric C; produces O₂.
biogeochemical-cycles Carbon cycle · respiration Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂ → 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + ATP. Returns C to atmosphere as CO₂.
biogeochemical-cycles Carbon cycle · combustion Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Burning fossil fuels (or biomass) releases CO₂ stored over millions of years — main human disruption.
biogeochemical-cycles Nitrogen fixation Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Converts atmospheric N₂ → NH₃/NH₄⁺. Done by Rhizobium bacteria in legume roots, lightning, and the Haber-Bosch process.
biogeochemical-cycles Nitrification Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Soil bacteria convert NH₄⁺ → NO₂⁻ → NO₃⁻. Plants prefer to absorb nitrate.
biogeochemical-cycles Denitrification Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Anaerobic bacteria convert NO₃⁻ → N₂ (gas), returning nitrogen to the atmosphere.
biogeochemical-cycles Ammonification Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Decomposers break down organic N (proteins, urea) into NH₃/NH₄⁺.
biogeochemical-cycles Phosphorus cycle Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles No atmospheric (gaseous) component. Slow cycle. Weathering of rock → soil → plants → consumers → decomposers → soil/sediment.
biogeochemical-cycles P as limiting nutrient Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient in freshwater ecosystems; excess P (fertilizer, detergents) drives eutrophication.
biogeochemical-cycles Sulfur cycle Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Major sources: volcanic eruptions, decomposition. Human disruption: SO₂ from burning coal → acid rain.
biogeochemical-cycles Water cycle Tap / Space to flip
biogeochemical-cycles Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, percolation. Powered by solar energy.
Unit 5 Tragedy of the commons Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Shared resources (atmosphere, oceans, grazing land) are over-exploited because individuals gain while costs are diffused.
Unit 5 Green Revolution Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 1940s-60s expansion of high-yield crop varieties, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. Increased yields but environmental cost.
Unit 5 CAFO Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. High productivity but creates manure waste, methane, antibiotic resistance, water pollution.
Unit 5 Irrigation issues Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Salinization (salt buildup from evaporation), waterlogging, aquifer depletion, lower water tables.
Unit 5 Clear-cutting Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Removes all trees in an area at once. Cheap & efficient but causes soil erosion, habitat loss, sediment runoff.
Unit 5 Surface vs. subsurface mining Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Surface (strip, mountaintop removal) cheaper but devastates landscape. Subsurface less damaging on surface but more dangerous to workers.
Unit 5 IPM Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Integrated Pest Management. Combines biological, mechanical, and chemical controls to minimize pesticide use.
Unit 5 Overfishing Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Catching faster than fish can reproduce. Bycatch, bottom trawling, and ghost nets compound the damage.
Unit 5 Urban heat island Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 Cities are warmer than surrounding rural areas due to dark surfaces (asphalt, concrete) absorbing heat.
Unit 5 Sustainable agriculture Tap / Space to flip
Unit 5 No-till, cover crops, contour plowing, terracing, crop rotation, agroforestry — preserve soil and biodiversity.
Unit 6 Coal Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Most abundant fossil fuel. Highest CO₂ per unit energy. Releases SO₂, NOx, mercury, particulates. Mining damages land.
Unit 6 Petroleum (oil) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Used for transportation. Spills devastate marine ecosystems. Releases CO₂ and air pollutants when burned.
Unit 6 Natural gas (CH₄) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Cleanest fossil fuel — least CO₂ per unit energy. Methane leaks (fracking) are a major GHG concern.
Unit 6 Nuclear fission Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 U-235 splits when struck by neutron, releasing energy + more neutrons (chain reaction). No CO₂ but radioactive waste.
Unit 6 Nuclear concerns Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Long-lived radioactive waste, risk of meltdown (Chernobyl, Fukushima), uranium mining impact, weapon proliferation.
Unit 6 Solar PV Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Intermittent (no sun at night). No emissions during operation.
Unit 6 Wind power Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Turbines convert kinetic wind energy to electricity. Concerns: bird/bat mortality, noise, landscape, intermittency.
Unit 6 Hydroelectric Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Dam stores potential energy → kinetic → electricity. Reliable but disrupts rivers, sediment, fish migration, methane from reservoirs.
Unit 6 Geothermal Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Uses heat from Earth's interior. Reliable; minimal emissions. Limited to tectonically active regions.
Unit 6 Biomass Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Burning organic matter (wood, crop waste, ethanol). Carbon-neutral if sustainably grown. Indoor air pollution risk in developing nations.
Unit 6 Energy efficiency Tap / Space to flip
Unit 6 Useful energy output ÷ total energy input. Compact fluorescents are ~4× more efficient than incandescents; LEDs even more.
energy-calculations 1 kWh = ? Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations 1 kWh = 3,600,000 J = 3.6 MJ = 3.6 × 10⁶ J. The amount of energy a 1000-W appliance uses in 1 hour.
energy-calculations 1 calorie Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations 1 cal = 4.184 J. 1 Calorie (food) = 1 kcal = 4184 J. Always check capitalization!
energy-calculations 1 BTU Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations 1 BTU ≈ 1055 J. Energy to raise 1 lb of water by 1 °F. Used for fossil-fuel and heating-system ratings.
energy-calculations Power vs. energy Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations Power (W) = energy per time. Energy (J or kWh) = power × time. A 100-W bulb running 10 h uses 1 kWh.
energy-calculations Half-life formula Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations After n half-lives, fraction remaining = (1/2)ⁿ. Plutonium-239 has a half-life of ~24,000 years.
energy-calculations Dimensional analysis Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations Show every unit conversion as a fraction. APES grading rewards setup; lose units anywhere = lose the answer point.
energy-calculations Efficiency calculation Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations Efficiency (%) = (useful energy output / total energy input) × 100. A 30%-efficient power plant wastes 70% as heat.
energy-calculations Energy density (per kg) Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations Approximate energy per kg: U-235 ≫ natural gas (~55 MJ/kg) > oil (~42) > coal (~24) > wood (~16) > batteries (~0.7).
energy-calculations Rate of consumption Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations kWh/day × 365 = kWh/year. Multiply by people × $/kWh for total cost. Always carry units through.
energy-calculations CO₂ per kWh Tap / Space to flip
energy-calculations Coal ≈ 1.0 kg CO₂/kWh; natural gas ≈ 0.4 kg/kWh; nuclear, wind, solar PV near 0 (operational).
Unit 7 Primary pollutants Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Emitted directly: CO, NOx, SO₂, VOCs, particulate matter (PM), lead. Mostly from combustion.
Unit 7 Secondary pollutants Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Form in atmosphere from reactions: ground-level O₃, photochemical smog, sulfuric & nitric acid (acid rain).
Unit 7 Photochemical smog Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 NOx + VOCs + sunlight → ozone (O₃) and other oxidants. Brownish haze, irritates lungs (LA, Beijing).
Unit 7 Industrial smog Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Particulates + SO₂ from burning coal. Gray haze. Worse in cool, damp climates (London Fog of 1952).
Unit 7 Acid rain Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 SO₂ + NOx + H₂O → H₂SO₄ + HNO₃. Damages lakes (low pH kills fish), forests, statues, soil.
Unit 7 Particulate matter (PM) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Tiny solid/liquid particles. PM2.5 (≤2.5 μm) penetrates deep in lungs. Causes asthma, heart disease.
Unit 7 Carbon monoxide (CO) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Colorless, odorless. From incomplete combustion. Binds hemoglobin → suffocation. Indoor cause: faulty heaters.
Unit 7 Thermal inversion Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Warm air layer traps cool polluted air below, preventing dispersion. Worsens smog in valleys (LA, Mexico City).
Unit 7 Radon Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Radioactive gas seeping from soil/bedrock into basements. #2 cause of lung cancer. Test homes, ventilate.
Unit 7 Asbestos Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 Fibrous mineral once used in insulation/fireproofing. Inhaled fibers cause asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Unit 7 Clean Air Act Tap / Space to flip
Unit 7 US 1970 (amended 1990). Sets NAAQS for criteria pollutants. Massive reductions in lead, SO₂, CO since.
pollution-and-climate BOD Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Biological Oxygen Demand. Amount of dissolved O₂ used by decomposers to break down organic matter. High BOD = polluted water.
pollution-and-climate Dissolved oxygen (DO) Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate O₂ available in water for aquatic life. Inversely related to BOD; higher temperature lowers DO solubility.
pollution-and-climate Eutrophication Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Nutrient enrichment (N, P) → algal bloom → algae die → bacterial decomposition spikes → O₂ depleted → fish kill.
pollution-and-climate Bioaccumulation Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Buildup of toxin (e.g., DDT, mercury) within an individual organism over its lifetime.
pollution-and-climate Biomagnification Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Toxin concentration increases up the food chain because each predator eats many prey. Top predators most affected.
pollution-and-climate Stratospheric ozone (good) Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate O₃ in 12-50 km layer; absorbs UV-B and UV-C. Depleted by CFCs/halons (Antarctic ozone hole).
pollution-and-climate Tropospheric ozone (bad) Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Ground-level O₃; secondary pollutant from NOx + VOCs + sunlight. Lung irritant; component of photochemical smog.
pollution-and-climate Major greenhouse gases Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate Water vapor (largest %), CO₂ (anthropogenic driver), CH₄ (~25× CO₂), N₂O (~300×), CFCs (1000s×).
pollution-and-climate Global Warming Potential (GWP) Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate CO₂-equivalent warming over 100 yr. CO₂ = 1, CH₄ ≈ 25, N₂O ≈ 298, SF₆ ≈ 22,800.
pollution-and-climate CFCs · Montreal Protocol Tap / Space to flip
pollution-and-climate 1987 treaty phased out CFCs (refrigerants, aerosols). Successful — Antarctic ozone is recovering.
Unit 8 Point-source pollution Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Comes from a single, identifiable source — pipe, factory smokestack, tanker spill. Easier to regulate.
Unit 8 Non-point-source pollution Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Diffuse, multiple sources — agricultural runoff, urban stormwater. Hardest to regulate. Largest share of water pollution.
Unit 8 Dead zone (hypoxic zone) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Region with O₂ too low to sustain life. Caused by eutrophication (e.g., Gulf of Mexico from Mississippi runoff).
Unit 8 Sewage treatment Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Primary (physical screening, settling) → secondary (aerobic bacteria reduce BOD) → tertiary (chemical removal of N, P) → disinfection.
Unit 8 Thermal pollution Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Heated water (often from power-plant cooling) lowers DO and stresses aquatic life. Mitigation: cooling towers, ponds.
Unit 8 Mercury (Hg) pollution Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 From coal burning & gold mining. Bacteria methylate it (CH₃Hg) → biomagnifies in fish → neurotoxic in humans.
Unit 8 POPs Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Persistent Organic Pollutants. Long-lived (DDT, PCBs, dioxins). Lipid-soluble; biomagnify; cross continents on wind.
Unit 8 Municipal solid waste Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Household & business trash. US: ~50% landfill, ~25% recycle/compost, ~25% incinerate. Plastics are biggest growth.
Unit 8 Sanitary landfill Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Lined with clay/plastic to prevent leachate. Vented to release methane (often captured for energy).
Unit 8 Incineration Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Burns waste → 90% volume reduction. Produces ash, dioxins, heavy metals. Energy can be recovered ("waste-to-energy").
Unit 8 Recycling tradeoff Tap / Space to flip
Unit 8 Reduces virgin resource use & landfill, but costs energy & water. Order of priority: Reduce > Reuse > Recycle.
Unit 9 Greenhouse effect Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 GHGs absorb outgoing infrared, warming the lower atmosphere. Natural & necessary; the enhanced effect is anthropogenic.
Unit 9 Climate change impacts Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Sea-level rise, melting ice, intensified storms, droughts, range shifts, ocean acidification, coral bleaching.
Unit 9 Ocean acidification Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃ → H⁺ + HCO₃⁻. Lowers pH, dissolves calcium-carbonate shells (corals, mollusks, plankton).
Unit 9 Coral bleaching Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Stressed coral expel symbiotic zooxanthellae, turn white. Caused by warm water; corals die without algal photosynthesis.
Unit 9 Ozone depletion Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 CFCs release Cl in stratosphere; one Cl atom destroys ~100,000 O₃ molecules. UV-B reaches ground → skin cancer, cataracts.
Unit 9 IPCC Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. UN body that synthesizes climate research and issues assessment reports.
Unit 9 Paris Agreement (2015) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Voluntary pledges to keep warming "well below" 2 °C, ideally 1.5 °C. Each country sets its own NDCs (commitments).
Unit 9 Invasive species Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Non-native species that spread aggressively, outcompete natives, lack predators (zebra mussels, kudzu, Asian carp).
Unit 9 Habitat loss Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 The #1 cause of biodiversity loss globally. Driven by agriculture, logging, urbanization, mining.
Unit 9 HIPPO (drivers of extinction) Tap / Space to flip
Unit 9 Habitat destruction · Invasive species · Pollution · Population growth · Overharvesting. E.O. Wilson's mnemonic.
Unit 0 Precautionary principle Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 When risk is uncertain and harm is severe, act to prevent it. Used to justify climate mitigation, banning POPs.
Unit 0 NEPA / EIS Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 National Environmental Policy Act (1970). Federal projects with major environmental impact require an Environmental Impact Statement.
Unit 0 Clean Water Act Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 1972 US law regulates pollutant discharge into navigable waters. Made point-source dumping require permits.
Unit 0 Endangered Species Act Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 1973 US law. Lists threatened/endangered species; prohibits "take" and protects critical habitat.
Unit 0 CITES Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (1975). Restricts trade of ~38,000 species (e.g., ivory, rhino horn).
Unit 0 Cap-and-trade Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 Government caps total emissions; companies trade allowances. Successful for SO₂ (acid rain) under 1990 CAA amendments.
Unit 0 Carbon tax Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 Fee on each ton of CO₂ emitted. Internalizes externality. Implemented in Sweden, BC, others.
Unit 0 Affluence vs. impact Tap / Space to flip
Unit 0 I = P·A·T (Impact = Population × Affluence × Technology). Wealthy nations have higher per-capita ecological footprint.
Keyboard: ← / → to move · Space to flip · K mark known · S shuffle.