Environmental Science Unit 10 Graded A+
land cover ✔️✔️vegetation and manufactured structures that cover land. ex: trees, grass, crops,
wetlands, water, buildings, and pavement.
land use ✔️✔️human activities that occur on land and are directly related to the land. ex: farming,
grazing, logging, mining, residential and industrial development, and recreation.
urban ✔️✔️mostly developed land covered mainly with buildings and roads that has a human
population of 2500 or more. includes towns or cities, and suburbs around them.
rural ✔️✔️countryside. generally any other type of land use or land cover that is not considered urban
and is sparsely populated.
urbanization ✔️✔️shift of population from the countryside to urban areas. occurs when people move
out of rural areas towards areas with more or better jobs and a higher population.
infrastructure ✔️✔️made up of the facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a
community - transportation, communications systems, water, power, and schools. creating this turns
the once moist and permeable surfaces, life grasslands, into dry and impermeable areas, life pavement.
heat island ✔️✔️result of infrastructure. an area in which the temperature is several degrees higher
than that of the surrounding area. they occur because the sun-heated pavement and structures of a city
can be significantly hotter that the surrounding air. they heat the air, which the rises over the city. can
collect polluting substances over a city and form smog and can also cause more rain. can be lessened by
planting shade trees and installing roofs that reflect sunlight.
sprawl ✔️✔️the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from an urban
center.
, city planning ✔️✔️the attempt to design cities so as to maximize their functionality and beauty. use
tools such and strategies such as zoning, geographic information systems, urban growth boundaries,
ideas of smart growth, and concepts of new urbanism.
geographic information system (gis) ✔️✔️a computerized system for storing, manipulating, and
viewing geographic data. city planners can see a map of the sewers, roads, parks, bodies of water, etc.
zoning ✔️✔️the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use. controls
what can be built and where. involved a government restriction on the use of private land and limits
personal property rights so people feel that it violates their freedoms. most people support it however.
urban growth boundaries ✔️✔️a line that city planners draw on a map to separate urban areas from
areas the city would prefer to remain rural. all have similar goal of concentrating development;
preventing sprawl; and preserving orchards, ranches, forests, and working farms. they require less
investment in infrastructure. supports the idea of building up and not out.
smart growth ✔️✔️a philosophy of urban growth that focuses on economic and environmental
approaches that lead to sustainable growth and the avoidance of sprawl. aims to maintain open spaces
by developing and revitalizing existing urban areas, waterfronts, and former industrial sites.
redevelopment.
ecological resoration ✔️✔️the practice of restoring native communities.
greenways ✔️✔️strips of vegetated open space that connect parks or neighborhoods, are often
located along rivers, streams, or canals. extremely valuable to both humans and wildlife.
rangeland and cropland ✔️✔️the vast grasslands that once covered the middle of north america have
mainly been replaced by _____________________.
cities and industrial areas ✔️✔️the deciduous forest lands of the northeast have been replaced mainly
by _______________________.
land cover ✔️✔️vegetation and manufactured structures that cover land. ex: trees, grass, crops,
wetlands, water, buildings, and pavement.
land use ✔️✔️human activities that occur on land and are directly related to the land. ex: farming,
grazing, logging, mining, residential and industrial development, and recreation.
urban ✔️✔️mostly developed land covered mainly with buildings and roads that has a human
population of 2500 or more. includes towns or cities, and suburbs around them.
rural ✔️✔️countryside. generally any other type of land use or land cover that is not considered urban
and is sparsely populated.
urbanization ✔️✔️shift of population from the countryside to urban areas. occurs when people move
out of rural areas towards areas with more or better jobs and a higher population.
infrastructure ✔️✔️made up of the facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a
community - transportation, communications systems, water, power, and schools. creating this turns
the once moist and permeable surfaces, life grasslands, into dry and impermeable areas, life pavement.
heat island ✔️✔️result of infrastructure. an area in which the temperature is several degrees higher
than that of the surrounding area. they occur because the sun-heated pavement and structures of a city
can be significantly hotter that the surrounding air. they heat the air, which the rises over the city. can
collect polluting substances over a city and form smog and can also cause more rain. can be lessened by
planting shade trees and installing roofs that reflect sunlight.
sprawl ✔️✔️the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from an urban
center.
, city planning ✔️✔️the attempt to design cities so as to maximize their functionality and beauty. use
tools such and strategies such as zoning, geographic information systems, urban growth boundaries,
ideas of smart growth, and concepts of new urbanism.
geographic information system (gis) ✔️✔️a computerized system for storing, manipulating, and
viewing geographic data. city planners can see a map of the sewers, roads, parks, bodies of water, etc.
zoning ✔️✔️the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use. controls
what can be built and where. involved a government restriction on the use of private land and limits
personal property rights so people feel that it violates their freedoms. most people support it however.
urban growth boundaries ✔️✔️a line that city planners draw on a map to separate urban areas from
areas the city would prefer to remain rural. all have similar goal of concentrating development;
preventing sprawl; and preserving orchards, ranches, forests, and working farms. they require less
investment in infrastructure. supports the idea of building up and not out.
smart growth ✔️✔️a philosophy of urban growth that focuses on economic and environmental
approaches that lead to sustainable growth and the avoidance of sprawl. aims to maintain open spaces
by developing and revitalizing existing urban areas, waterfronts, and former industrial sites.
redevelopment.
ecological resoration ✔️✔️the practice of restoring native communities.
greenways ✔️✔️strips of vegetated open space that connect parks or neighborhoods, are often
located along rivers, streams, or canals. extremely valuable to both humans and wildlife.
rangeland and cropland ✔️✔️the vast grasslands that once covered the middle of north america have
mainly been replaced by _____________________.
cities and industrial areas ✔️✔️the deciduous forest lands of the northeast have been replaced mainly
by _______________________.
