Ch 27 Flashcards
Exponential growth
A pattern of growth in which a population grows faster as it increases in size
Carrying capacity
The number of organisms a given environment can support. If population size has not yet reached this, there will still be more births than deaths.
Density-independent factors
Environmental factors that affect population growth, such as storms, extreme temperature changes, floods, and other disasters. Affects all organisms that come in contact with them, regardless of population size
Density-dependent factors
Environmental factors that affect population growth that get worse with population growth
Reclamation
The Reclamation Act of 1977 requires mining companies to restore the land in this process. Although this restores most of the land, it is very hard to restore land to its original condition
Biodiversity
A wide variety of different species
Monoculture
The planting of only one species in a field. Makes life easier for the farmer in that he/she can more easily sow, fertilize, and harvest a crop. Brings risks of doom
Deforestation
The removal of trees from an area without replanting adequately
Bioremediation
The use of organisms to clean up toxic wastes
Smog
A type of air pollution, a photochemical haze caused by the action of solar radiation on an atmosphere polluted with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
Ozone
Major chemical in smog, a gas molecule made of 3 oxygen atoms. Beneficial to the upper atmosphere in that it filters out harmful solar radiation, but not so much on the surface
Global warming
Phenomena related to the greenhouse effect…it’s the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature
Acid precipitation
Precipitation with a pH of less than 5.0. A major air pollution problem
Point sources
Sources that generate pollution from a single point of orgin
Nonpoint sources
Generates pollution from widely spread areas
