Glossary
Aquaculture
The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants in controlled environments.
Example:
While aquaculture can reduce pressure on wild fish stocks, poorly managed fish farms can release excess nutrients and antibiotics into surrounding waters.
Ecological Footprint
A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, representing the amount of biologically productive land and water area required to produce the resources an individual or population consumes and to absorb the waste they generate.
Example:
A country with a high per capita ecological footprint consumes resources and produces waste at a rate that is unsustainable for the planet if adopted globally.
Environmental Sustainability
The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, focusing on responsible resource management and conservation.
Example:
Achieving environmental sustainability requires transitioning to renewable energy sources and adopting circular economy principles to minimize waste.
Heat Island Effect
A phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to human activities and the absorption of solar radiation by dark surfaces like asphalt and concrete.
Example:
During summer, a city experiencing the heat island effect might be several degrees warmer than nearby forests, increasing energy demand for air conditioning.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
An ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.
Example:
A farmer using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) might introduce natural predators, rotate crops, and only apply targeted pesticides as a last resort.
Irrigation
The artificial application of water to land to assist in the production of crops, often in arid or semi-arid regions.
Example:
Excessive irrigation in dry climates can lead to soil salinization as water evaporates, leaving salts behind in the topsoil.
Meat Production
The industrial process of raising livestock for human consumption, which requires significant land, water, and energy resources.
Example:
Large-scale beef meat production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions due to methane released by cattle and deforestation for grazing land.
Mining
The process of extracting valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, often from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, or reef.
Example:
The extraction of copper from a large open-pit mining operation can lead to significant habitat loss and acid mine drainage.
Overfishing
Catching fish faster than they can reproduce, leading to a decline in fish populations and potential ecosystem collapse.
Example:
The collapse of the cod fishery off the coast of Newfoundland was a direct result of decades of overfishing, demonstrating the long-term ecological and economic consequences.
Pest Control
The regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, often involving the use of chemical pesticides.
Example:
Traditional pest control relying solely on broad-spectrum pesticides can harm beneficial insects and lead to pesticide resistance in target pests.
Resource Extraction
The process of removing natural resources from the Earth, including minerals, timber, fossil fuels, and water.
Example:
The extensive resource extraction for rare earth metals used in electronics can cause widespread environmental damage, including habitat destruction and toxic waste generation.
Sustainable Practices
Methods of resource use and management that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Example:
Implementing selective logging instead of clear-cutting is an example of a sustainable practice in forestry, allowing forests to regenerate naturally.
Timber Harvesting
The practice of cutting down trees for wood, which is then used for construction, paper, or fuel.
Example:
Clear-cutting, a method of timber harvesting, can rapidly deforest an area, increasing soil erosion and reducing local biodiversity.
Urbanization
The process by which populations shift from rural to urban areas, leading to the growth of cities and towns.
Example:
Urbanization often results in increased impervious surfaces, which can lead to greater stormwater runoff and reduced groundwater recharge.