A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Abiotic- part of the environment that includes all the things that are not living such as the soil, climate, and noise.
Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD) -When organic (living) matter decomposes, micro-organisms
(such as bacteria and fungi) feed upon it and eventually it becomes oxidized
(combined with oxygen). Biochemical oxygen demand is a measure of the
quantity of oxygen used by these micro-organisms in the aerobic oxidation
of organic matter.
Biome- Entire community of living organisms in a single major ecological area.
Biosphere- The portion of Earth and its atmosphere that can support life.
Biotic
-Part of the environment that includes all the living things
such as the fish, plants, and people.
Carnivores- animals that eat other animals.
Coliform Bacteria (Fecal Coliform
Bacteria) – This bacterium is naturally present in the human
digestive tract. It is also found in the feces of warm-blooded mammal
and birds. Coliform bacteria should not be found in well water or other
sources of drinking water. The presence of coliform bacteria in water
is an indication of sewage or fecal contamination. Although coliform bacteria
occur within the human body, their presence may indicate contamination
of other pathogens that can be dangerous to your health.
Community Action Plan- a
plan that is established based upon an apparent need within your environment
(community).
Data- Information that you collect.
Decomposer- An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, thus making organic nutrients available to the ecosystem.
Decomposition-
The breakdown or decay of organic (living) materials.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) - All
aquatic animals need oxygen to survive. When a high level of dissolved
oxygen is present in water, the water can support a diversity of aquatic
organisms and is considered healthy. Temperature can impact the level
of dissolved oxygen. Cold water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm
water.The level of dissolved oxygen can fluctuate throughout the day.
These levels can affect the ability of plants and animals to thrive.
Ecology - The relationship of living things to one another and their environment, or the study of such relationships.
Ecological - relating to the interrelationships of organisms and their environment.
Ecosystem - A biological community together with
its environment, functioning as a unit.
Effluent - Wastewater--treated or untreated--that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters.
Endangered Species -Animals, birds, fish, plants, or other living organisms threatened with extinction by anthropogenic (man-caused) or other natural changes in their environment. Requirements for declaring a species endangered are contained in the Endangered Species Act
Environment-
all of the physical, chemical and biological conditions
that act together on an organism or an ecological community and influence
its growth and development.
Environmental Issues-Issues that pertain
to the environment.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-A government agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment. Since 1970, the EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
Food Chain – A succession
of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation
of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member
and in turn is preyed upon by a higher member.
Food Web - A complex of interrelated food chains in an ecological community. Also called a food cycle.
Glaciers - a mass of ice that originates on land, usually having an area larger than one tenth of a square kilometer.
Groundwater –Underground
sources of water
Habitat-The place where a population (e.g. human, animal, plant, micro-organism) lives and its surroundings, both living and non-living.
Habitat Loss- An ecological
problem caused when changes in the environment occur, rendering an area
uninhabitable by a given species. That species suffers a "habitat
loss".
Herbivores- animals that eat plants.
Hydrology – Periodic or continuous presence
of water from precipitation, runoff, stream flow, flooding and/or ground
water.
Hydrologic Cycle- The natural process recycling water from the atmosphere down to (and through) the earth and back to the atmosphere again.
Hydrology - The science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water
Impervious Surface- mainly man-made surfaces - rooftops, sidewalks, roads, and parking lots - covered by tightly packed materials such as asphalt, concrete, brick, and stone. These materials seal surfaces, repel water and prevent precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.) and meltwater from getting absorbed into the soil.
Invasive Species – plants and animals that
do not normally live in a particular environment.
Land Cover- The surface cover on the ground
(vegetation, buildings, water, soil, etc.)
Macro-organism- An organism which, unlike a micro-organism, can be seen by the naked eye.
Micro-organism- An organism that needs to be magnified in order to be seen by the human eye.
Nitrates – Nitrogen
is an element needed by all living plants and animals to build proteins.
The decomposition of dead plants and animals
and the waste from living animals release nitrate into the water systems.
Non-point source pollution - Discharges of contaminants that do not come from a single place such as a factory. Non-Point Source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. Examples include fertilizers, oil, grease, and excess pet waste.
Oxygen- Oxygen forms approximately one fifth of
the Earth's atmosphere. It is odorless and invisible and is essential
to all living things.
pH –Positive Hydrogen ion concentration-
pH is a measurement of the acidic or basic quality of water. The pH scale
ranges from a value of 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic), with 7 being
neutral. The pH of natural water is usually between 6.5 and 8.2.
Permeability - The rate at which liquids pass through soil or other materials in a specified direction.
Phosphate – Phosphate is a nutrient needed for plant and animal growth and is also a fundamental element in metabolic reactions. High levels of this nutrient can lead to overgrowth of plants, increase bacterial activity, and decreased dissolved oxygen levels. Phosphate comes from several sources including human and animal waste, industrial pollution, and agricultural runoff.
Photosynthesis- using the sun’s energy to convert inorganic (non-living) compounds into organic (living) compounds.
Point source pollution – The discharges of contaminants that come from a stationary or fixed facility, for example from a pipe, ditch or drain.
Pollution- The presence of a substance in
the environment that because of its chemical composition or quantity prevents
the functioning of natural processes and produces undesirable environmental
and health effects. Under the Clean Water Act, for example, the term has
been defined as "the man-made or man-induced alteration of the physical,
biological, chemical, and radiological integrity of water and other media."
Porosity - Degree to which soil, gravel, sediment, or rock is permeated with pores or cavities through which water or air can move
Primary
Consumer- An animal that eats grass and other green plants in a
food chain; an herbivore.
Producer- An organism that can create food it requires for growth through processes like photosynthesis.
Protocols - A series of formal steps for conducting a test.
Raw Sewage - Untreated wastewater and its contents.
Renewable Resources - Resources that can be "harvested"
in such and are then replenished by the normal operation of natural processes.
Timber can be harvested in a renewable fashion, petroleum cannot be. The
processes that create new trees operate on a timescale similar to mankinds,
while those that create petroleum operate on a geologic timescale.
Riparian corridors – Vegetated lands along
rivers and streams. They help to maintain healthy streams and aquatic
life and improve streamside property values.
Runoff – Excess sediment, pesticides, nutrients,
bacteria, oil, grease and trace metals run directly from impervious
surfaces into streams.
Secondary Consumer- An animal that feeds on smaller plant-eating animals in a food chain.
Solar
Energy-
energy radiated by the sun. Solar energy is needed by green plants for
the process of photosynthesis, which is
the ultimate source of all food.
Temperature - Water temperature
is important for fish spawning and aquatic life. Between May and September,
when trout are spawning, water should be less than 12°C. Between October
and April, water should be less than 20°C for general trout health
and less than 25°C for most native fish. Water temperature is affected
by climate and by discharges of cooling water from industry.
Trophic Levels - The energy levels or steps in a food chain or food web, i.e., producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, and so forth.
Turbidity - Turbidity is a measure
of the murkiness of water, reflecting the amount of sediment in the water.
High turbidity reduces the amount of light available to the plants and
animals living in the water. It reduces the ability of plants to photosynthesize.
It also makes it difficult for fish and other animals to see their prey.
Turbidity should be less than 5 NTU (turbidity measurement scale) for
water to support plant growth.
Urbanization – The dispersal of people moving
to previously undeveloped land the related increases in the amount of
impervious coverage.
Water Quality Criteria - Levels of individual pollutants or water quality characteristics, or descriptions of conditions of a water body that, if met, will generally protect the designated use of the water.
Water Quality Standards - Includes three major components: designated uses, water quality criteria, and antidegradation provisions.
Water Sample – A collection of water in a sterile container that will be used to conduct various tests. The sample should be approximately 1 liter. It should be capped to prevent the loss of dissolved gases.
Watershed –an area of land that drains precipitation (rain and snowmelt) to a stream, river, or lake. Watersheds are influenced by soil type, topography, geology, vegetation, groundwater, and land use.
Water Sample – A water sample is a collection of water in a sterile container that will be used to conduct various tests. The water sample should be used within one hour of collection. The sample should be approximately 1 liter. It should be capped to prevent the loss of dissolved gases.
Water Quality Criteria - levels of individual pollutants
or water quality characteristics, or descriptions of conditions of a water
body that, if met, will generally protect the designated use of the water.
Water Quality Standards - Includes three major components:
designated uses, water quality criteria, and antidegradation provisions.
Water sample – A water sample is a collection
of water in a sterile container that will be used to conduct various tests.
The sample should be approximately 1 liter. It should be capped to prevent
the loss of dissolved gases.
Watershed – Friendly policies, site development design, and redevelopment techniques can help to restore and protect our local streams, especially when implemented in a multi-community watershed context.