Exam 2 Environmental Science Review Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms and concepts for Exam 2, including segments on Human Population, Agriculture and Food, and Freshwater and Marine Systems.

Demography

The study of human population including terms like infant mortality rate, total fertility rate, and age structure.

Infant mortality rate

The rate at which infants die, which influences overall life expectancy and population growth.

Total fertility rate (TFR)

The average number of children born per woman during her lifetime; influenced by factors like female education, literacy, and wealth.

Replacement fertility

The levels of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next without migration.

Demographic transition

A process of change in a population's condition from a high birth and death rate to a low birth and death rate through four distinct stages.

Demographic fatigue

A state where a government cannot face the overwhelming challenges caused by rapid population growth.

IPAT model

A model used to represent human impact ($I$) as a product of population ($P$), affluence ($A$), and technology ($T$).

Age pyramid

Also known as an age structure diagram, it is used to interpret current population status and predict future growth.

Reproductive window

The period of time in a woman's life during which she can become pregnant and bear children.

Skewed sex ratios

An imbalance between the number of males and females in a population, which can be caused by cultural preferences and lead to societal problems.

Food security

The guarantee of an adequate, safe, nutritious, and reliable food supply for all people at all times.

Monocultures

The uniform planting of a single crop over a large area, common in industrialized agriculture.

Green Revolution

An intensification of industrialized agriculture starting in the mid-$20^{th}$ century that used specific techniques to increase food production worldwide.

Soil degradation

The decline in soil quality caused by human activities such as erosion, overgrazing, and certain agricultural practices.

Precision agriculture

A farming management concept using technology to monitor and optimize crop yields and soil health.

Conservation tillage (no-till farming)

Agricultural techniques used to conserve soil and prevent erosion by reducing or eliminating the plowing of soil.

Salinization

The buildup of salts in surface soil layers, often caused by improper irrigation.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

A suite of various techniques used to manage pests with a goal of minimizing environmental impact and pesticide resistance.

Colony collapse disorder

A phenomenon where worker bees in a colony disappear, involving various stressors and impacting pollination.

Feedlots

Concentrated animal feeding operations used to efficiently produce meat, but which have varied environmental pros and cons.

Genetic engineering / GM organisms

The process of creating Genetically Modified organisms to enhance food production; approximately a large percentage of modern food is made using these.

Ogallala aquifer

A massive groundwater source in the United States that is currently experiencing significant depletion.

Xeriscaping

A landscaping method developed especially for arid and semi-arid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques.

Thermohaline circulation

A worldwide system of ocean currents in which warmer, fresher water moves along the surface and colder, saltier water moves deep beneath the surface.

Ocean acidification

The ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), which negatively affects corals.

Coral bleaching

A phenomenon where coral loses its symbiotic algae and turns white, often triggered by stressors like rising ocean temperatures.

Desalination

The process of removing salt from seawater to create fresh water, which has specific logistical and environmental disadvantages.

Point-source vs Non-point source pollution

Point-source refers to pollution from a single, identifiable location; non-point source refers to diffuse pollution from many different sources like runoff.

Harmful algal blooms (Red tides)

Nutrient pollution in water that causes an explosion of algae population, which can be toxic to marine life and humans.

By-catch

Unwanted marine creatures that are caught in the nets while fishing for another species.

Benthic ecosystem

The ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, including the sediment surface and sub-surface layers.

Pelagic ecosystem

The ecological zone occurring in the open waters of the ocean, away from the shore and the bottom.