This document defines and briefly describes several key terms related to ecology, environmental science, and sustainable practices. It includes definitions for acid rain, air pollution, albedo, allochthonous, alternative energy, autotroph, organic farming, oil, organophosphates, overdrafting, overpopulation, ecotourism, and environmentalism. The definitions provide high-level information about each term and concept.

1. ECO NARY

2. A
• Acid Rain: Heavy
precipitation
with
nitric and sulfuric acid.
Most of it is generated
by sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen dioxide (air
pollution). Its pH is
less than 5.6. Results
include fish and plant
deaths,
corrosion,
groundwater
pollution, and soil
erosion. Its long-term
effects are unknown.

3. • Air Pollution: Sulfur
oxides and particles
from industrial plants
burning fossil fuels are
the current worst forms
of air pollution. Most air
pollution derives in one
form or another from
the use of petroleum
products,
oil
in
particular

4. • Albedo: The luminosity
shining from a reflective
surface. Earthshine is
one type. About 1/3 of
the sun’s radiation is
reflected back into
space,
with
the
remaining 42% warming
the land and air and 23%
moving water through
the hydrologic cycle.

5. • Allochthonous:
Something organic
imported into an
ecosystem from outside
of it (e.g., nutrients
brought by streams or
blown in on the wind).
Contrasts with
Autochthonous.
(Autochthonous means
indigenous).

6. • Alternative
energy:
Energy derived from
sources that do not use
up natural resources or
harm the environment.
(Ex: solar energy.....)

7. • Autotroph: An
organism that produces
its own food.
Autotrophs may be
photoautotrophic (fed
by using light) or
chemoautotrophic (by
using chemical
products).

8. o
• Organic Farming: A form
of small-scale
agriculture that
produces yields without
introducing artificial
fertilizers or pesticides.
The basic aim is to grow
things naturally with a
minimum of mechanical
interference.

9. • Oil: Hydrocarbon liquid
commonly drilled from
sedimentary
layers
packed
with
marine
matter left over from the
Carboniferous days. It is a
smooth dark liquid which
is found underground. It
is
a
non-renewable
energy.

10. • Organophosphates:
Chemicals that kill pests
by ruining their nervous
system. Currently the
most popular class of
pesticides.
(Chemicals
from
poisons
and
explosives, tractors from
caterpillar-treaded tanks:
over
the
years
mechanized agriculture
assumes more and more
of the features of a war
against the soil).

11. • Overdrafting:
Taking
more water from a well
or aquifer than it can
recharge.

12. • Overpopulation: An area
is overpopulated when
there are more people
there than can be
supported properly.

13. E
• Ecotourism: Responsible
travel to natural areas
that
conserves
the
environment
and
improves the well-being
of local people. (It
involves to travel to
places
such
as
rainforest, forests, deser
ts,
mountaineous
regions
and
even
beaches in economically
under-developed
or
developing nations.

14. • Environmentalism:
Movement to protect the
quality and continuity of
life through conservation
of natural resources,
prevention of pollution
and control of land use.