Environmental Notes

Continents

There are 7 continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania.

Oceans

There are 5 oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, Southern.

Pacific Ocean

Covers 33% of Earth's surface, the largest ocean, and contains the Mariana Trench (11,034 m deep).

Atlantic Ocean

Covers 20% of Earth's surface and is divided into North and South.

Arctic Ocean

The smallest ocean located around the North Pole.

LICs

Low-Income Countries with GNI per capita ≤ $1,086, examples include Ethiopia and Haiti.

MICs

Middle-Income Countries with GNI per capita between $1,086 - $13,205, examples include India and Brazil.

HICs

High-Income Countries with GNI per capita > $13,205, examples include the USA and Sweden.

Sustainability

The ability to meet present needs without compromising future generations.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can be replenished, such as timber, soil, and freshwater.

Nonrenewable Resources

Resources that cannot be replenished, such as fossil fuels and minerals.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through different stages: through-flow, interception, infiltration, run-off, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and groundwater.

Troposphere

The lowest atmosphere layer, where weather occurs and contains water vapor.

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer containing the ozone layer, where temperature increases with altitude.

Biodiversity

The variety of different species in a given area, measured using indices.

Simpson's Index

A measure of biodiversity that ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (maximum diversity).

Population (in ecology)

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Community (in ecology)

Different species that live and interact in a particular area.

Ecosystem

The interactions between living organisms and their environment.

Trophic Levels

Levels in an ecosystem that categorize organisms based on their energy source: producers and consumers.

Energy Transfer Efficiency

Approximately 10% of energy is transferred at each trophic level, with 90% lost as waste.

Environmental Research

Studies focusing on reliable data collection, biases, and challenges in climate research.

Quadrats and Sampling

Techniques used in environmental data collection to estimate cover and record species.

Mark-Release-Recapture

A method to estimate the population size of mobile species based on captured individuals.

Population Density

The number of people living per square mile or kilometer.

Environmental Factors Influencing Population Density

Includes climate, topography, natural resources, and hazards.

Economic Factors Influencing Population Density

Job opportunities, industry presence, infrastructure, and cost of living.

Social Factors Influencing Population Density

Access to social services, quality of life, and cultural identity.

Political Factors Influencing Population Density

Government policies and conflicts that shape population distribution.

Historical Factors Influencing Population Density

Legacy of settlement, urbanization effects, and patterns of land use.

Population Change Factors

Factors that affect changes in population size include immigration, emigration, birth rate, and death rate.

Natural Change

Refers to changes in population due only to birth and death rates.

Population Size Formula

Population Size = Population + [(Immigration + Birth) - (Emigration + Death)].

Age Structure Diagram

Visual representation showing the distribution of age groups in a population.

Dependency Ratio

The ratio of dependent populations (under 15 and over 65) to the working-age population (15-64).

Impacts of Aging Populations

Lower tax revenues, higher pension spending, pressure on healthcare resources, and increased dependency ratio.

Pro-natalist Policies

Policies that encourage higher birth rates through financial incentives.

Anti-natalist Policies

Policies aimed at reducing birth rates through family planning and disincentives.

United Nations Agenda 21

A program focused on sustainable development and awareness of population-related issues.

The Club of Rome

An organization advocating for awareness of the impacts of population growth on the environment.