unit two

k-selected species/k-strategists

populations that tend to stabilize over time near carrying capacity and maximize survival

r-selected species/r-strategists

populations that have a high biotic potential who invest their energy into producing lots of offspring in a short time, maximizing reproduction

survivorship

the percentage of a cohort that survives at certain ages

more-developed country/MDC

a country with a higher GDP per capita

less-developed country/LDC

a country with a lower GDP per capita

demography

the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations

natality

the production of new individuals by birth

birth rate

the number of live births per 1000 people in a population per year

life expectancy

the probable number of years of survival for an individual of a given age

infant mortality rate (IMR)

the number of deaths of infants under one year old per year per 1,000 live births

maternal mortality rate

the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births via pregnancy-related causes

demographic transition

falling death and birth rates due to improved living conditions that come with economic development

total fertility rate/TFR

the number of children born to an average woman in a population during her entire reproductive life

natural increase rate

the percent by which a population grows annually

replacement fertility rate/RFR

the number of births at which the population is simply replacing itself

age structure

the proportion of the population at each age level

population momentum

a measurement which explains why a population will continue to grow even if the fertility rate declines

ecological footprint

a figure that expresses the impact that a person or population has on the environment

environmental determinism

the theory that human activity and development is formed and controlled by environmental conditions

conservation

using fewer nonrenewable resources (leaving enough for future generations)

preservation

using no nonrenewable resources unless absolutely necessary

boiling point

the temperature at which a substance boils (water's is high)

freezing point

the temperature at which a substance freezes (water's is low)

heat capacity

the number of heat units needed to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree (water's is high)

heat of vaporization

the temperature at which a substance is turned into a gaseous state (water's is high)

universal solvent

water can dissolve a vast variety of compounds and materials

surface tension

the strength of water's surface causing it to behave like a membrane, exhibiting more similar properties to a solid than to a liquid

oxygen-demanding waste

organic waste that can be decomposed by aerobic bacteria

aerobic bacteria

bacteria that use oxygen

stream

a body of water that flows

oxygen sag

the reduction in dissolved oxygen plotted over a distance along a water body from a point at which sewage or other pollutants have been discharged

biochemical oxygen demand/BOD

the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria while they decompose organic matter

sediment/suspended matter

a pollutant; insoluble soil particles which make water turbid

turbid

water which is cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter

nutrient

a chemical that allows plants and animals to live and grow such as nitrogen and phosphorous compounds

eutrophication

the process through which a body of water receives an excessive amount of nutrients

cultural eutrophication

eutrophication caused by humans which occurs in a short time

water pollution

any physical, biological, or chemical change in water quality that adversely affects living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired uses

point source

a source which discharges pollutants at a specific location; easy to identify, monitor, and regulate

non-point source

a source which is scattered and diffused; cannot be easily traced to any single site

toxic pollutant

an organic compound that can cause illness or death

infectious agent

an organism that is harmful to human health

great lakes

a group of bodies of water which hold 20% of Earth’s surface freshwater and are surrounded by highly industrialized areas; often fall victim to water pollution

lake succession

the idea that eutrophication is a process that takes a long time in nature

watershed

the area of land that drains into a river or river system

estuary

the mouth of a river, where the freshwater of the river meets the saltwater of the ocean

sewage

wastewater

air pollution

the presence of chemicals in the air in quantities and durations that are harmful to the environment and human health

primary pollutant

a harmful substance emitted directly in that form

smog

air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog

thermal inversion

a process which occurs when a layer of cold air temporarily trapped near the ground by a warmer, upper layer

dust domes

phenomena created when pollutants including soot trapped in urban air through thermal inversions

indoor air pollution

air pollution found inside buildings and cars

radon

common indoor pollutant; a radioactive gas that comes from the ground through cracks in the foundation

formaldehyde

common indoor pollutant; a volatile organic compound (VOC) found in plywood, particle board, paneling, drapes, upholstery, dry-cleaned clothing

asbestos

common indoor pollutant; a heat-resistant mineral that does not burn or conduct electricity

carbon monoxide

common indoor pollutant; the product of incomplete combustion of wood, gas, coal, natural gas, and kerosene; has no smell

aesthetic degradation

undesirable changes in physical or chemical characteristics of the atmosphere

electromagnetic spectrum

the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic energy

polar vortex

a large area of cold air surrounding the Earth’s poles

pH

a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is

acid deposition

acid rain + acid snow + acid particles

atmosphere

a sea of air that surrounds the earth

troposphere

lowest layer of the atmosphere

tropopause

the boundary between the troposphere and upper layer

stratosphere

second layer of the atmosphere

stratopause

the boundary between the stratosphere and upper layer