Environmental Science CFE Vocabulary

This contains nitric acid and sulfuric acid. It is caused by pollutants and can cause damage to ecosytems and even stone structures when it falls as rain.

• carbon dioxide

• acid rain

• eutrophication

• habitat

The maximum (the most) organisms or individuals that the environment is capable of supporting.

• limiting factor

• immigration

• carrying capacity

• emigration

It harms ecosystems when we lose this. This is a term for all of the different life forms.

• parasites

• abiotic

• biotic

• biodiversity

This can result in massive (large) fish kills. It happens when there is a thick growth of plant life (such as algae) due to excessive nutrients like fertilizers in the water resulting in the death of organisms living in the water from a lack of oxygen.

• commensalism

• competition

• eutrophication

• bioremediation

Examples would include excessive carbon into the atmosphere from cars or water pollution from factories. These are changes to the environment caused by humans

• anthropogenic

• logistic growth

• heterotroph

• carnivore

What are some abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

• elephants, zebras, tigers

• water, air, rocks

• clams, fish, seaweed

When parts of a habitat are destroyed leaving behind smaller unconnected areas. This leaves the species with a smaller area to survive.

• sustainability

• bioremediation

• eutrophication

• habitat fragmentation

The greenhouse gas that has caused the most warming.

• carbon dioxide

• methane

• cfc's

• ozone

Using resources in such a way that we leave some behind for future generations

• anthropogenic

• sustainability

• carbon cycle

• exploitation

The layer that blocks the sun's radiation. But, close to the Earth it acts as a pollutant that helps to trap heat near the surface of the Earth.

• methane

• carbon dioxide

• ozone

• cfc's