Midterm #1 Natural Resource Science

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Natural Resource Management

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Management of Natural Resources, with the focus of how the management effects quality of life for both present and future generations

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Ecosystem

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A portion of the landscape and the life found on and in it, which is relatively uniform in structure, composition and the properties of both the biotic and abiotic environments, and there interactions overtime.

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Attributes of a terrestrial ecosystem (6)

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1) Structure

2)Function: Exchange of mater and energy between living and non-living community

3)Complexity: Multiply determined

4)interaction and interdependency

5)Spatial boundaries not defined

6)Change over time: Ecosystems arent static

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Bioclimatic Zone

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A Geographical area with a characteristic climate and mosaic of soils and vegetation the character of which broadly reflect the climate. the location and spatial boundaries of the zone are defined by veg on mesic sites with zonal soils

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Climatic Climax Vegetation

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The development of vegetation in an area over time

-Once it reaches a steady state, climatic Climax vegetation has occurred.

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Succession

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The process by which an ecological community evolves overtime

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Primary succession

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Occurs in essentially lifeless areas, regions with soils incapable of sustaining life as result of a major disturbance.

EX: Volcanic eruptions

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Secondary succession

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Occurs in areas where a community has previously existed, has since been eliminated

Smaller scale disturbances where all nutrients and life hasn't been wiped out

EX:

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Mesic Site

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.....

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Niche

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The ecological role of a species within its ecosystem

Factors: Range or tolerance, food, susceptibility to predators and how it reproduces

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Epilimnion

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The top most layer of a thermally stratified lake, occurring above the hypolimnion

-Typically warmer with a higher PH

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Hypolimnion

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The dense bottom layer of a thermally stratified lake. The layer below the Epilimnion it is the coldest layer in the summer and warmest in the winter.

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Thermal Stratification

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Thermal stratification interms of lakes refers to a change in temperatures at different depths due to density with temperature.

-Cold water is more dense

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Thermocline

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Thin but distinct layer in a large body of water where temperature changes more rapidly with depth then it does in the layer above

-Temp decreases rapidly with increase of depth

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Chemocline

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Transition between the upper and lower levels of a body of water, marked by the change of aerobic and anaerobic conditions

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Riparian Zone

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Riparian zone is the interface between land and river or stream ecosystems. Characterized by lush vegetation

- Proper nomenclature for 1 of the 15 terrestrial booms of the earth

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River Continuum Concept

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Dominent concept of how stream ecosystems vary from there headwaters down stream to larger river systems.

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Functional Feeding group

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Invasive Species

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Defined as an organism (Plant, animal, fungi or bacteria) that isn't native and has negative effects on our economy, environment and or health. not all introduced species are invasive

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Linear Development

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Linear development refers to developments that are constructed in a linear fashion across a landscape

EX: Roads, Rail, power lines, and pipeline

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Water Footprint

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An indicator or freshwater use that looks at both direct or indirect water use of a consumer or producer

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Fossile Aquifers

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A sensitive nonrenewable water resource found underground in pockets of impermeable rock layers.

- once depleted, these water resources are nonrenewable

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Land subsidence

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The sinking or settling of land to a lower level do to a variety of disturbances, both natural or anthropogenic.

EX: Extracting natural gas or water

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Nutrient Loading

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Excuse amounts of nutrients entering an ecosystem in a given amount of time.

Can have negative outcomes such as Eutrophication

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Watershed

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An area where all ground and subterranial flow, flow into

-All water from this area ends up in the same place.

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Disturbance

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Temporary change in average environmental conditions, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem.

-Disrupting the stability of an ecosystem

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Reclamation

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The process of converting disturbed land to its former or other productive land uses

EX: Minning sites into grazing areas

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Restoration

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Restoring land conditions to exactly what they were before said disturbance

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Revegitation

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The establishment of vegetation that replaces the original ground cover following a disturbance.

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Organic Matter

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Composed of organic compounds, coming from the remains of dead organisms such as plants and animals and the waste associated with them.

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Mine tailings

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The material left over after the floatation process of mining (Sand like texture) made up of rock