Glossary of Terms

Developed by Emily Weixler, Seneca High School Magnet Career Academy

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abiotic: a nonliving factor in the environment; e.g., light, water, temperature

acre: a unit of measurement of land. It is equal to the area of land inside a square that is about 209 feet on each side (43,560 square feet). An acre is the amount of area two oxen could plow in one day.

adaptation: the process of making adjustments to the environment in order to survive

algae: simple plants that do not grow true roots, stems, and leaves, and that live mainly in water; the main producer in aquatic food chains

annual: a plant that completes its life cycle from seedling to mature seed-bearing plant during a single growing season, and then dies

aquifer: an underground bed or layer of earth, gravel, or porous stone that contains water

beater: the part of the loom that presses the yard just woven into the fabric already on the loom

bedrock: a more or less solid layer of rock found on the surface of the land or below the soil

biennial: a plant that lives for two growing seasons, producing only leaves during the first season and flowers and seeds during the second

biodegradable: the property of a substance that permits it to be broken down by microorganisms into simple, stable compounds such as carbon dioxide and water

biosphere: the part of the earth's crust, water, and atmosphere where living organisms can subsist

broadleaf: the term describing a plant with wide-bladed leaves such as an oak or maple; generally refers to flowering trees in contrast to conifers

climate: the average condition of the weather as defined by temperature, precipitation, and wind velocities in a region over a long period of time

community: an association of organisms, plant and animal, each occupying a certain position or ecological niche, inhabiting a common environment, and interacting with one another; all the plants and animals in a particular habitat that are bound together by food chains and other interrelationships

competition: when two or more organisms have the potential for using the same resource

condensation: changing a gas into a liquid; for example, when stream or water vapor turns into water

conifer: a plant that bears its seeds in cones; usually refers to needleleaf trees, although some needleleaf, such as yew, do not bear cones

conservation: the use of natural resources in a way that ensures their continuing availability to future generations

consumptive use: in general terms related to wildlife, any use that involves activity resulting in the loss of wildlife

covey: a small flock or group, often a family group of birds such as bobwhite quail

dissolved oxygen (DO): a measure of the amount of oxygen available for biochemical activity in a given amount of water. Adequate levels of DO are needed to support aquatic life. Low DO concentrations can result from inadequate water treatment.

domesticated: those animals that humans have tamed, kept in captivity, and bred for special purposes. All domesticated animals have their origins in wild ancestors.

dulcimer: a musical instrument with wire strings of graduated lengths stretched over a sound box, played with two padded hammers or by plucking

ecology: the science of the interrelations between living organisms and their environment

ecosystem: a natural unit that includes living and nonliving parts interacting to produce a stable system in which the exchange of materials between the living and nonliving parts follows closed paths; all living things and their environment in an area of any size all linked together by energy and nutrient flow

edge effect: the tendency of wildlife to use the areas where two vegetative types come together, forming an edge; rabbits, for example, concentrate in an area where brushland and meadowland meet because of the diversity of available habitat components.

effluent: waste material (i.e., liquid industrial waste, sewage) discharged into the environment

environment: the total of all the surroundings, air, water, vegetation, human element, wildlife, that have influence on you and your existence, including physical, biological, and all other factors.

eutrophication: enrichment of water due to fertilization, sewage, effluent, or water that carries a high nutrient component favoring plant life over animal life

fallowfield: fields that were once used for agriculture but are currently unattended

floodplain: low area of land surrounding water bodies, which holds the overflow of water during a flood

food chain: the transfer of food energy from the source in plants through a series of animals, with repeated eating and being eaten. Any one species is usually represented in several or many food chains.

forbs: an important part of wildlife habitat. In wildlife usage, forbs are weeds and herbs; low growing, annual or perennial, herbaceous plants.

forest: a complex community of plants and animals in which trees are the most conspicuous members

grassland: a vegetation community in which grasses are the most conspicuous plants

ground water: a supply of fresh water under the earth's surface that forms a natural reservoir

habitat: the arrangement of food, water, shelter or cover, and space suitable to animals' needs

harness: a device that raises and lowers the warp threads on a loom and creates enough space for the shuttle to pass through

herb layer: the layer of soft-stemmed plants growing close to the forest floor

hibernation: the act of passing the winter, or a portion of it, in a state of sleep; a torpid or resting state

hydrologic cycle: water movement cycle from the atmosphere to the earth and back again through these steps: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, percolation, runoff, and storage

inventory: in wildlife terms, the process of identifying and counting animals in a particular area

key plant species: those plant species that are used to indicate the general condition of a habitat

life cycle: the continuous sequence of changes undergone by an organism from one primary form to the development of the same form again

lignin: the organic substance that holds together the individual fibers of wood

limestone: a shaly or sandy sedimentary rock, chiefly CaCO3; used as a building stone, and in the manufacturing of lime, carbon dioxide, and cement

limiting factors: influences in the life history of any animal, population of animals, or species, e.g., food, water, shelter, space, disease, predation, climatic conditions, pollution, hunting, poaching, and accidents. When one or more of these exceed the limit of tolerance of that animal, population of animals, or species, it then becomes a limiting factor; it then directly affects the well-being of that animal and may result in the animal's or animals' death.

loom: a machine or device from which cloth is produced by interweaving thread or yarn at right angles

macrobenthic organisms: animals living in or on the bottom of a body of water that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye

macroinvertebrate: animals without a backbone that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye

mesophyte: a land plant that grows in an environment having a fair amount of moisture

microorganisms: an organism microscopic in size, observable only through a microscope

migratory: in wildlife usage, birds or other animals that make annual migrations, i.e., travel distances in seasonal movement

mollusks: any of various members of the phylum Mollusce, of largely marine invertebrates, including the edible shellfish and some 100,000 other species

mulching: to add materials to soil in order to protect from cold, to reduce evaporation, to control weeds, or to enrich the soil. Common materials are sawdust, bark, leaves.

mutualism: a close association between two different species whereby each species benefits from the relationship

natural selection: a process in nature resulting in the survival and perpetuation of plant and animal species that have certain favorable characteristics enabling them to survive in a specific environment

nematodes: microscopic, elongated worms that live on other organisms in the soil

nitrogen fixation: the conversion of elemental nitrogen from the atmosphere to organic combinations or to forms readily utilizable in biological processes; normally carried out by bacteria, living symbiotically in legumes or by free-living soil bacteria

nonconsumptive use: in general terms related to wildlife, any use that does not directly kill wildlife, e.g., most forms of bird watching, photography, hiking, and other low-impact pursuits

nongame: all wildlife species that are not commonly hunted, killed, or consumed by humans, such as songbirds and raptors

nonpoint source: a type of pollution whose source is not readily identifiable such as pollution caused by car exhausts, which might then be carried off city streets by rainwater

order: a grouping of biological families of organisms with similar characteristics

Ordovician period: of the geological time system of rocks, and sedimentary deposits of the second period of the Paleozoic era, characterized by the appearances of early fish

organism: a living thing; a form of life composed of mutually dependent parts that maintain various vital processes

perennial: plants that grow back year after year, generally from the same root stock

pH: a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a material, liquid or solid; pH is represented on a scale of 0 (acid)14 (base) 7 is considered neutral.

photosynthesis: the process in which green plants combine water and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight to form sugars and oxygen gas as a by-product

pinch period: that period of an annual cycle when the factors necessary for life are least favorable

plant communities: an association of plants, each occupying a certain position or ecological niche, inhabiting a common environment, and interacting with one another. Dominant plants usually define the community, e.g., a grassland community.

point source: pollution that can be tracked down to an easily noticeable cause such as discharge pipes and people putting chemicals and trash into the water

pole: a young tree usually between four and eight inches (10 and 20 centimeters) in diameter

pore spaces: the area of soil through which water and air move; the spaces between soil particles

raptor: pertaining to eagles, hawks, and owls; birds that prey upon other animals

rare: wildlife species not presently in danger, but of concern because of low population numbers

reforestation: the replanting of trees in forests affected by cutting, fire, disease, or other intrusion

resident wildlife: animals living in a specific area on a year-round basis, as opposed to migratory

respiration: the process by which organisms obtain energy when sugars combine with oxygen. Carbon dioxide and water are given off as by-products during this process.

riffles: a rocky shoal or sandbar lying just below the surface of a waterway

row crops: agricultural crops, such as corn and soybeans, that are grown in rows

runoff: water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the ground and returns to streams, lakes, or wetlands. It can collect pollutants from air or land and carry them to the receiving waters.

sapling: a young tree normally more than 4 1/2 feet (1.5 meters) high and less than 4 inches ( 10 centimeters) in diameter

scavenger: an organism that habitually feeds on refuse or carrion. A coyote is a part-time scavenger; a turkey vulture is a full-time scavenger.

season: a period of time, usually when something specific occurs; for example, any of the four times of year characterized by differences or changes, as in plant growth and temperature

sedimentation: the process whereby soil particles (sediment) settle to the bottom of a waterway

seedling: a young tree grown from the seed up to the sapling stage, that is a height of 4 1/2 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2 meters)

sere: the series of communities that follow one another in a natural succession, as in the change from a bare field to a mature forest

shelter: cover from elements, for natal activity, to travel in, for bedding, etc.; varies depending upon species

shuttle: a device used in weaving to carry the wool thread back and forth between the warp threads

silt: fine particles of soil that can be picked up by air or water and deposited as sediment

sinkhole: a natural depression in a land surface indicating a subterranean passage, generally occurring in limestone regions and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof

spawning: the act of producing or depositing eggs; usually refers to fish and amphibians

species: a population of individuals that are able to breed and produce fertile offspring

stewardship: related to the environment, the concept of responsible caretaking; based on the premise that we do not own resources, but are managers and are responsible to future generations for their condition

stoma: a microscopic opening in the surface of a leaf that allows gases to pass in and out

succession: the orderly, gradual, and continuous replacement of one plant or animal community by another

sustained yield: the yield that a forest produces continuously at a given intensity of management

territory: the concept of ownership or dominance over a unit of habitat; an area defended by an animal against others of the same species; used for breeding, feeding, or both. Many species of wildlife are territorial. Best known are certain birds and wolves.

tree: a woody plant 12 or more feet (four or more meters) tall with a single main stem (trunk) and a more or less distinct crown of leaves

turbid: having sediment or foreign particles stirred up or suspended in water

understory: the layer of plants growing under another higher layer of plants, e.g., grass, weeds, and brush under forest trees

virgin forest: primeval forest or original forest; primarily a forest undisturbed by people

warp: the threads that run lengthwise in a fabric, crossed at right angles by the wool

waterfowl: water birds, usually ducks, but including shore and wading birds, geese, etc.

watershed: all the land that serves as a drainage area for a stream, pond, river, lake or wetland

wild: not tamed or domesticated, living in a basically free condition. A wild animal provides for its own food, shelter, and other needs in an environment that serves as a suitable habitat.

wildlife: animals that are not tamed or domesticated; may be small organisms only visible to humans if seen through a microscope, or animals as large as a dinosaur. Wildlife includes, but is not limited to, insects, spiders, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and mammals, if nondomesticated.

woodland: a wooded area in which the trees are often small, short bowled, and open grown; farm woodland any wooded area that is part of a farm

woof: the threads that run crosswise in a woven fabric at right angles to the warp threads