Glossary Flashcards
Species
A group of organisms that resemble each other more than other organisms and naturally interbreed to produce fertile offspring
Abiotic factors
Physical factors such as light, temperature, water
Biotic factors
Biological factor such as food and disease
Nutrient
Any chemical that is essential to an organism for growth or for metabolic processes
Microclimate
A small area with a climate that is different from the surrounding area
Biomass
The total mass of living or recently living material in an area
Carbon sequestration
Any process that is used to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere such as afforestation or underground storage
LEDC
Less economically developed country
Slash and burn farming
Farming in a forest where a clearing is created by burning and is farmed for a few years until nutrient depletion and weed growth cause it to be abandoned as a new clearing is created elsewhere
CITES
Convention on international trade in endangered species (of flora and fauna)
Plankton
Organisms that drift in the surface layers of the sea or other water bodies
Symbiosis
A relationship between organisms of different species that live together.
One benefits while the other benefits, is unaffected, or suffers
No take zone
An area where the catching or removal of a species is banned
Eg. an area where fishing is not allowed
Upwelling
An upwelling is where deep ocean water comes to the surface, often carrying nutrients and causing rich algal blooms
Albedo
A measure of the reflectivity of a surface
more reflective surfaces have a higher albedo
