Insecta
162
Insecta class of the Arthropoda. The animals have six legs and often have one or
two pairs of wings. It is in number of species (ca. 1 million) the most successful group of animals; however, in the marine environment they are relatively rare. In brackish water and the littoral zone several groups of insects
can still be found (e.g., larvae of flies, Diptera), but the only oceanic representative is Halobates or water strider, which actually does not live in but on
the water and forms part of the neuston.
insecticide a pesticide to combat insect pests; a chemical substance for killing
insects.
in situ at the actual spot in the natural environment. Compare in vitro.
insolation energy from solar radiation reaching the earth's surface. Insolation
varies according to latitude, season, and time of the day, as well as according
to atmospheric conditions. Part of the insolation over the sea is reflected
(~albedo), part penetrates to greater depths (~optics). The insolation is a
constituent in the heat balance of the oceans.
instar the stages between molts in Arthropoda, ~molting.
intercalibration exercise to compare analytical methods as used in different laboratories on the basis of the analysis of a prepared homogeneous sample,
reflecting the matrix (water, dried sediment, dried organic tissues) for which
the methods are applied.
interface region between two neighboring phases or compartments in which
neither of the two phases can describe its characteristics, e.g., air-sea interface, sediment-water interface.
interglacial time interval between two successive glacial epochs or stages. These
periods are characterized by both the melting of ice sheets to about their present size, and the maintenance of a warm climate for a sufficient length of
time to permit certain large-scale vegetational changes to occur.
internal wave occurs in the interior of the water at the transition between two
layers of different density. The frequency is between the Coriolis parameter and
the Brunt-Vaisala frequency. At such frequencies their speed and wavelength are
smaller than those of comparable surface waves, but their amplitudes may
be much larger. Internal waves driven by tidal forces are called internal tides.
Internal waves manifest themselves by regular variations in the current or in
the vertical density structure.
162
Insecta class of the Arthropoda. The animals have six legs and often have one or
two pairs of wings. It is in number of species (ca. 1 million) the most successful group of animals; however, in the marine environment they are relatively rare. In brackish water and the littoral zone several groups of insects
can still be found (e.g., larvae of flies, Diptera), but the only oceanic representative is Halobates or water strider, which actually does not live in but on
the water and forms part of the neuston.
insecticide a pesticide to combat insect pests; a chemical substance for killing
insects.
in situ at the actual spot in the natural environment. Compare in vitro.
insolation energy from solar radiation reaching the earth's surface. Insolation
varies according to latitude, season, and time of the day, as well as according
to atmospheric conditions. Part of the insolation over the sea is reflected
(~albedo), part penetrates to greater depths (~optics). The insolation is a
constituent in the heat balance of the oceans.
instar the stages between molts in Arthropoda, ~molting.
intercalibration exercise to compare analytical methods as used in different laboratories on the basis of the analysis of a prepared homogeneous sample,
reflecting the matrix (water, dried sediment, dried organic tissues) for which
the methods are applied.
interface region between two neighboring phases or compartments in which
neither of the two phases can describe its characteristics, e.g., air-sea interface, sediment-water interface.
interglacial time interval between two successive glacial epochs or stages. These
periods are characterized by both the melting of ice sheets to about their present size, and the maintenance of a warm climate for a sufficient length of
time to permit certain large-scale vegetational changes to occur.
internal wave occurs in the interior of the water at the transition between two
layers of different density. The frequency is between the Coriolis parameter and
the Brunt-Vaisala frequency. At such frequencies their speed and wavelength are
smaller than those of comparable surface waves, but their amplitudes may
be much larger. Internal waves driven by tidal forces are called internal tides.
Internal waves manifest themselves by regular variations in the current or in
the vertical density structure.