glossary flash cards

• What does abiotic refer to in an ecosystem?

  Non-living features like light and temperature
• What is an adaptation in organisms?

  A feature that helps an organism survive
• What is an agrochemical?

  A chemical that improves crop production
• What does albedo measure?

  The proportion of light reflected by a surface
• What is an algal bloom?

  Rapid growth of microscopic algae in water
• What is anaerobic digestion?

  Decomposition of organic matter without oxygen
• What does anthropogenic mean?

  Caused or influenced by human activity
• What are anthropogenic emissions?

  Natural greenhouse gases enhanced by humans
• What is aquaculture?

  Rearing aquatic animals or cultivating plants
• What is an aquifer?

  Underground layer of water-bearing rock
• What is assimilation in biology?

  Conversion of nutrients into useful forms
• What is an autotroph?

  An organism that produces its own food
• What is base flow in hydrology?

  Water flowing from groundwater to streams
• What is bauxite?

  An ore rich in aluminium oxide
• What is bioaccumulation?

  Build-up of chemicals in living organisms
• What is biocrude oil?

  A biofuel obtained from dried biomass
• What is biodiesel derived from?

  Oils and fats from plants or animals
• What is biodiversity?

  • Variety of species and ecosystems on Earth
  • Includes ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity
• What is bioethanol?

  An alcohol made from plant carbohydrates
• What is biogas?

  Gas produced from fermentation of organic matter
• What is biological oxidation?

  Process where microorganisms consume oxygen
• What does biological oxygen demand (BOD) measure?

  Amount of dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms
• What is biological weathering?

  Physical weathering caused by living organisms
• What is biomagnification?

  Increase of pollutants in organisms up the food chain
• What is biomass?

  Mass of organisms in a given area
• What is a biome?

  A regional land area with specific climate and organisms
• What is biomethanol?

  A biofuel produced by gasification of biomass
• What does biotic refer to?

  Living features of an ecosystem
• What is a biotic index?

  A scale showing environmental quality based on organisms
• What is blackwater?

  Wastewater from toilets and sewage
• What is brown earth soil?

  A soil type found under deciduous forests
• What is capillary action?

  Movement of soil moisture through pore spaces
• What is capture-mark-recapture?

  A method to estimate population size in ecology
• What is a carnivore?

  An animal that consumes other animals
• What is carrying capacity?

  Maximum population size an environment can sustain
• What is a catalyst?

  A substance that speeds up chemical reactions
• What is chemical weathering?

  Rainwater reacts with minerals to form new substances
• What is a circular economy?

  Minimizing waste through reuse and recycling
• What is climate?

  Long-term weather patterns in a region
• What is climate change?

  Long-term shift in weather patterns or temperatures