Essentials Of ENVT
The interdisciplinary scientific approach to studying the Earth’s natural systems, human impacts on those systems, and potential solutions to environmental problems.
What is Environmental Science?
This is the broad field Muldrow says is entering a "new era" where scientists must adapt and take on new skills.
What is Environmental Science?
According to the IPCC, human activities are the primary cause of this global trend observed since the late 1800s
What is global warming?
These include pollution, burning fossil fuels, and cutting down forests, and are cited as ways humans alter the physical environment
What are human impacts on the environment?
This animal is famous for building dams that can accidently create wetlands and improve ecosystems
What is a beaver?
The belief that values the well-being of entire ecosystems, including all the living and nonliving elements
What is ecocentrism?
According to Muldrow, besides scientific knowledge, environmental scientists now must be excellent at this so that the public and policymakers understand their work.
What is communication?
These gases are identified as the main drivers of recent climate change
What are greenhouse gases?
According to the article, human changes to the environment have helped trigger this long-term change in global weather patterns
What is climate change?
This is the scientific name for "everything alive plus the place it lives"
What is an ecosystem?
The belief that considers human beings as the most significant entity of the universe
What is Anthropocentrism?
Muldrow suggests that the environmental science community must decide on these two things that define how healthy ecosystems should be and what can truly be achieved
What are ecological baselines and environmental goals?
The IPCC emphasizes that climate change is already causing widespread impacts to ecosystems and societies, especially affecting these populations the most
Who are vulnerable or marginalized communities?
Besides climate change, there are three other negative results of human environmental impact mentioned in the article
What are soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water?
This phenonmenon turns the sky orange and makes the air smell like a campfire, even hundreds of miles away
What is wildfire smoke?
One of the types of biodiversity
What is either genetic, species, or ecosystem?
This is the emerging scientific field involving genes and the manipulation of organisms that serves as a potential tool for solving environmental problems
What is biotechnology (or genetics)?
This approach focuses on adjusting human and natural systems to reduce harm from current and future climate impacts
What is climate change adaptation?
The article notes that harmful environmental changes can influence human communities and sometimes lead to these large-scale movements or conflicts
What are mass migrations or battles over clean water?
This ocean process makes seawater more acidic and is harmful for corals and shell-forming organisms
What is ocean acidification?
What does HIPPCO stand for
What is Habitat Destruction, Invasive Species, Population Growth, Pollution, Climate Change, and Overexploitation?
Muldrow argues that environmental scientists must include everyone because science relies on this source that affects whether the scientific enterprise continues
What is public funding and public trust?
According to the IPCC this decade is critical because decisions made now largely determine whether global warming can be limited to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celcius
What is the near term or this decade?
(Often linked to energy use and resource demand) This human practice is behind many specific impacts, such as pollution and deforestation, discussed in the article
What is the human ecological footprint?
This ecological interaction occurs when members of the same species compete for limited resources, often regulating population size through density-dependent effects
What is intraspecific competition?