malnutrition

A state of poor health that results from inadequate or unbalanced food intake; includes diets that provide too few or too many calories and/or do not provide the proper nutrients (deficient in one or more nutrients). (Chapter 16)

Milankovitch cycles

Predictable variations in Earth’s position in space relative to the Sun that affect climate. (Chapter 21)

minimum viable population

The smallest number of individuals that would still allow a population to be able to persist or grow, ensuring long-term survival. (Chapter 9)

mitigation

Efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of a problem such as climate change. (Chapter 21)

monoculture

Farming method in which a single variety of one crop is planted, typically in rows over huge swaths of land, with large inputs of fertilizer, pesticides, and water. (Chapter 17, 32)

Montreal Protocol

An international treaty that laid out plans to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFCs. (Chapter 2)

more developed country

A country that has a moderate to high standard of living on average and an established market economy. (Chapter 4)

mountaintop removal

Surface mining technique that uses explosives to blast away the top of a mountain to expose the coal seam underneath; the waste rock and rubble is deposited in a nearby valley. (Chapter 18)

municipal solid waste (MSW)

Everyday garbage or trash (solid waste) produced by individuals or small businesses. (Chapter 7)

mutualism

A symbiotic relationship between individuals of two species in which both parties benefit. (Chapter 10)