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Population Growth

Increase in the number of individuals in a population.

Unsustainable Resource Use

Excessive and wasteful consumption of natural resources.

Poverty

The state of being extremely poor and unable to meet basic economic needs.

Natural Capital

The natural resources and natural services that contribute to the economy.

Reliance on Solar Energy

Dependence on energy from the sun for power and sustenance.

Life Expectancy

The average period that a person may expect to live.

Aquifer

A geological formation that can yield water, often tapped for irrigation and drinking.

Overhunting

Hunting a species to unsustainable levels, leading to population decline.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including provisioning, regulating, and cultural services.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustainably support.

Tragedy of the Commons

A situation in which shared resources are overused and depleted.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that spread widely in a new habitat and cause harm to native species.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic material between populations of the same species.

Genetic Drift

Random changes in allele frequencies in a population, leading to changes in genetic makeup.

Bottleneck Effect

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities.

Founder Effect

Reduced genetic diversity that results when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Natural cycles that involve the movement of elements and compounds through living organisms and the environment.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

Hydrologic Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Carbon Cycle

The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment.

Negative Feedback Loop

A process in which a system responds in a way that counteracts the change.

Positive Feedback Loop

A process that amplifies change, leading to an increase in the effects.

Ecosystem Resilience

The capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Clearing Vegetation

Removing plant life from an ecosystem, often leading to soil erosion and habitat destruction.

Urbanization

The process of making an area more urban in character, often resulting in population density increases.

Desalination

The process of removing salt and minerals from seawater to produce freshwater.

Soil Horizons

The distinct layers of soil that vary in properties and composition.

Sustainability

The ability to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment in water bodies leading to excessive growth of algae.

Green Revolution

A period of technological advancement in agriculture that increased food production significantly.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

A sustainable approach to controlling pests by combining ecological, biological, and chemical practices.

Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds.

Soil Erosion

The displacement of the upper layer of soil, which can cause loss of fertile land.

Nutrient Cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Affluenza

A term used to describe the excessive consumption and materialism prevalent in society.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities.

Oligotrophic Lake

A lake with low nutrient levels and high oxygen concentration.

Eutrophic Lake

A lake with high nutrient levels, often leading to algal blooms.

Species Richness

The number of different species represented in a given ecological community.

Species Evenness

The relative abundance of each species in a community.

Niche Specialist

A species that has a specific habitat or dietary requirements.

Niche Generalist

A species that can thrive in a variety of environmental conditions.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop over a wide area for many consecutive years.

Pollution

The introduction of harmful substances into the environment.

Waste Management

The activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.

Ecosystem Stability

The ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function over time despite perturbations.

Carbon Sequestration

The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change.

Endangered Species

Species that are at risk of extinction due to loss of habitat, changes in climate, or overexploitation.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that can be replenished naturally over short periods of time, such as solar energy and wind.

Waste-to-Energy

The process of generating energy in the form of electricity or heat from the primary treatment of waste.