Glossary - Environmental Science - page 320

carcinogen A cancer-causing substance.
carnivore An animal that feeds on other animals.
carrying capacity (K) The maximum number of individuals in a population of a species that an environment
can support.
cellular respiration The process of converting glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water.
chemical energy The energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules.
chemical weathering The process by which rocks are degraded due to chemical reactions borne of interactions
with water and atmospheric gases.
chemosynthesis The formation of organic compounds using chemical reactions instead of sunlight.
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Carbon-based compounds that contain chlorine and fluorine, the primary
human-made compounds involved in the depletion of ozone. They were commonly used as refrigerants in air
conditioners, refrigerators, and aerosol propellants.
chloroplasts The organelles in plant cells involved in photosynthesis that capture the energy in light and con-
vert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
chronic exposure Repeated exposure to toxins or radioactivity over a long period of time, in small doses.
cinder cone volcanoes Violently eruptive volcanoes made of viscous, quartz-rich, extrusive deposits that plug
the volcanic neck. When they erupt, cinders are blown into the air; then they settle around the opening of the
volcano, forming a small, steep-sided mountain.
clear-cutting The process of removing all trees from an area in a forest. The process of clear-cutting leaves
nothing standing.
climate The prevailing weather patterns (temperature, precipitation, and so on) of a region averaged over an
extended period of time (usually for at least 30 years).
climate change Any change in the state of the climate (such as temperature) that persists steadily for many
years (decades or longer).
clumped distribution Organisms organized in groups, usually gathering around a necessary resource.
coal A solid combustible fossil fuel, used primarily for the production of electricity.
co-evolution The simultaneous evolution of two organisms interacting with one another.
command-and-control strategy A form of pollution control in which legal limits are set and strictly enforced
by the government.
commensalism A species interaction in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
community Multiple populations of different species in a given area.
competition A species interaction in which organisms vie for the same resources, resulting in one outperform-
ing the other.
composite volcanoes Tall, symmetrical, steep volcanoes built by alternating layers of ash, cinders, and lava;
also called stratovolcanoes.