Environmental Studies AQA AS Unit 1 Keywords

Keywords for Unit 1, Environmental Studies AS for AQA

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  • Created by: KatieL
  • Created on: 09-12-12 14:21
Physiological Function
Any substance that is involved in chemical reactions in a living organism has a...
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Specific Heat Capacity
The measure of the amount of heat energy needed heat up a particular mass of a material through a temperature rise. Water's is high so it heats up and cools down slowly and has an important role in moderating climatic fluctuations.
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Thermophilic
Heat loving, such as the bacteria that live around hot volcanic vents and springs
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Ambient Gases
The surrounding environmental gases that are available to organisms
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Atmosphere
The gases surrounding the Earth. Different layers are characterised by their temperature, density, turbulence and composition.
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Photolysis
The splitting of molecules by light, including the splitting of water molecules in the early atmosphere, producing oxygen
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Greenhouse Gases
A gas that absorbs infrared radiation, causing atmospheric heating
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Transpiration
The loss of water by evaporation from the stomata of leaves
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Biosphere
All the lIving organisms on Earth
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Hydrosphere
All the water on Earth, found in any state, form a variety of reserviors including the oceans, ice caps, rivers and lakes, groundwater, the atmosphere and living organisms
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Lithosphere
The relatively hard outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle
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Biomimetics
The study of living organisms so the knowledge can be applied to engineering or technological developments
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Teratology
The study of the causes of birth defects
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Indigenous Species
Species that are native to the area
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Gene pool
The total variety of different genes in all the members of a population
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Vavilov Centre
An area of the the world identified by the Russian zoologist Nikolai Vavilov, where crop plants were first domesticated and where wild varieties are still found
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CITIES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna
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Niche
The part an organism plays in its habitat, including how it uses resources and how it responds to other species
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Endemic
A species indigenous to one area and not normally found elsewhere
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Wildlife and Countryside Act
An Act of Parliament (UK) that provides protection for for many wildlife species and designated protected areas
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SSSI
Site of Special Scientific Interest
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NNR
National Nature Reserve- UK designation by the national authority
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SPA
Special Protection Area- EU designation- all wildlife
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SAC
Special Area of Conservation- EU designation- birds
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MNR
Marine Nature Reserve- UK designation
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Ramsar Site
A wetlands area of conservation- International designation
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International Whaling Commission
An international organisation that aims to to ensure the sustainable exploitation of whales
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EU Common Fisheries Policy
The EU agreement to manage fishing and aquaculture. It attempts to balance the needs of Member States with environmental sustainability
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Inbreeding
Describes breeding between closely related individuals. Increases the risk of recessive genes producing offspring with disadvantageous characteristics
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Cryopreservation
The preservation of material by freezing
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Artificial Insemination
A form of selective breeding where semen is collected from a chosen male and is inserted artificially into a chosen female to cause her to become pregnant
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Embryo Transfer
The transfer of fertilised eggs or embryos from a female of a rare species into a female of a closely related species. This enables more young to be produced than would normally be possible. It can also be used in livestock breeding
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Micro-propergation
A tissue culture method where large numbers of plants can be produced from a tissue sample of a plant without the need for seeds
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RSPB
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
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Environmental Stewardship Scheme
An agri-environmental scheme where farmers receive payments for farm management practices that benefit wildlife and the environment
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Plagioclimax
A community of species that does not develop into a climax community, but is managed.
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Ecotourism
Tourism intended to have a low environmental impact. Usually involves seeing wildlife
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NGOs
Non-governmental organisation. For example, the National Trust
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Natural England
The UK's governmental organisation with responsibility for conservation
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LNR
Local Nature Reserve- UK designation- managed by the local authority
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National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act
UK law that enabled the establishment of National Parks, AONBs, and public rights of way
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Natura 2000
A network of protected sites in the EU that combines SPAs and SACs set up under the birds and habitats directive
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Species Recovery Program
UK program to help increase the number of endangered species
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DEFRA
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs- government department in charge of the environment and agriculture
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Biodiversity
A measure of the variety and abundance of wildlife species
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BAP
Biodiversity Action Plan- the government plan for conservation
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Convention on Biological Diversity 1992
International conference held in Brazil
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Rio Summit
Alternative name for Convention on Biological Diversity 1992
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Forestry Commision
The UK governmental forestry commission, which manages the UK's woodland
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WWF
World Wild Fund for Nature- environmental pressure group for wildlife conservation
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National Trust
A UK charity that conserves historic buildings, important landscapes and habitats
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FoE
Friends of the Earth- environmental pressure group
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Greenpeace
Environmental pressure group
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Species
A group of organisms that resemble each other more than other organisms and naturally interbreed to produce fertile offspring
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Abiotic factors
A non living factor which affects the environment- e.g. temperature,
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Biotic factors
Living factors which affect the environment e.g. disease
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Nutrient
Any chemical that is essential to an organism for growth or for metabolic processes
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Microclimate
A small area that is different from the surrounding area
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Slash and burn farming
Farming in a forest where an area is burnt to create a clearing then farmed until nutrient depletion and weed growth cause it to be abandonded
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Plankton
Organisms that drift in the surface layers of the sea or other water bodies
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Symbiosis
A relationship between organisms of different species that live together
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No-Take Zone
An area where the removal of a species is banned
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Upwelling
Where the deep ocean water is pushed towards the surface, often carrying nutrients
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Albedo
A measure of the reflectivity of a surface
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UV Light
Short wavelenght electromagnatic radiation emitted by the sun. Can cause chemical reactions to take place.
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British Antarctic Survey
UK research organisation based in Antarctica
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Antarctic Treaty
International agreement to protect and manage Antarctica
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Habitat
The places where an organism lives
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Population
All the individuals of a species living in a particular area
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Exoskeleton
A skeleton on the outside of an organism
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Turbulence
The roughness of the environment caused by air or water flow
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Heterotroph
An organism that gains its organic compounds for growth and energy from other organisms
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Cullulase
An enzyme that digests cellulose produced by some bacteria, fungi and protozones
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Cellulose
Made of glucose molecules, main component of plant cell walls and wood
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Mycorrhizal fungi
Symbiotic fungi associated with plant roots that gain carbohydrates from the plants and aid the uptake of nutrients from the soil by the plants
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Pollination
The transfer of male plant gamets onto the female part of the flower, resulting in fertalisation
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Community
The population of all the species living in an area
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Taxonomy
The study of organisms to access how they might be grouped or classified
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Taxon
A group of organisms based on their biological similatrites
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Genus
A group of closely related species
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Ecosystem
The community of organisms living ina an area, their inter-relationships and interactions with their abiotic environment
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Biome
A large geographical area with particular climatic features, in which a characteristic community of species live
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Ecological succession
The sequence of changes in a community from bare rock (or a lake or a beach) to a climax community
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Lithosere
The succession from bare rock to a climax community
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Autotrophs
An organism that can capture light or chemical energy from the environment to make high energy substances
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Edaphic
A factor related to soil that affects living organisms
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Simpson's Diversity Index Formula
D=N(N-1)/En(n-1) Way to calculate biodiversity
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Density Independent Factors
Factors that are not affected by the density of a species
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Density Dependent Factors
Factors that are affected by the density of a population
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Carrying capacity
The greatest number of a species that can be supported in an area
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Sigmodial Population Growth
The growth pattern of a population where abundant resources allow rapid growth followed by stabilisation as carrying capacity is reached
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Honeypot Site
An area made attractive to tourists
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Countryside Council for Wales
Wales's equivalent to Natural England
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National Parks
Designated areas for public recreation and wildlife conservation and maintenance of the rural economy
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National Park Authority
The organisation that runs a National Park
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AONB
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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Heritage Coast
A coastline protected from development for its scenic or environmental value
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National Trails
Long distance routes for walking, cycling and horse riding
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Long Distance Footpaths
Long distance routes for walkers. Most are also National Trails
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Country Parks
An area of countryside managed for public enjoyment. Most are near urban areas and are run by local authorities
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Urban park
An area of semi-natural land in an urban area used for public recreation
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Neptune Coastline Campaign
National Trust campaign to buy and protect important coastline landscape
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Green Belt
A designated area around an urban area to restrict urban expanision
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Space Zoning
A method of avoiding land-use conflicts by allocating different areas to different users
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Time Zoning
A method of avoiding land use conflicts by allocating differnet times to different users
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Leopold Matrix
A grid used to assess and compare the environmental impacts of proposed developments
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EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment- a way of evaluating the environmental impact of a development
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CBA
Cost Benefit Analysis- giving a monetary value to everything and comparing the value of the proposed developments.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

The measure of the amount of heat energy needed heat up a particular mass of a material through a temperature rise. Water's is high so it heats up and cools down slowly and has an important role in moderating climatic fluctuations.

Back

Specific Heat Capacity

Card 3

Front

Heat loving, such as the bacteria that live around hot volcanic vents and springs

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

The surrounding environmental gases that are available to organisms

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

The gases surrounding the Earth. Different layers are characterised by their temperature, density, turbulence and composition.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

Comments

Jared

Report

Brilliant, very useful thank you!

tashifowler

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not useful AT ALL 

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