AP Environmental Science Exam Review Flashcards (questions and answers)complete

Anthropocentric - regarding humans as most significant species; human-centered Tragedy of the Commons - the depletion of shared resources by people acting in individual interest Triple Bottom Line - approach to sustainability that meets environmental, economic, and social goals (business) Inorganic Compounds - compounds that lack carbon and hydrogen atoms Organic Compounds - compounds that contain carbon-based molecules Positive Feedback Loop - when the response to a stimulus increases the original stimulus Negative Feedback Loop - when the response to a stimulus decreases the effect of the original stimulus Overshoot - when a population exceeds the long term carrying capacity for an environment Open System - a system in which matter can enter from or escape to the surroundings Closed System - a system that allows the exchange of energy (not matter)between the system and its surroundings Holistic - emphasizing the functional relationship between parts and the wholeHectare - a unit of surface area equal to 100 ares Ecological Footprint - a way of measuring how much of an impact a person or community has on the earth