T - Z

Question 1

Theoretical model

Answer 1

A scientific model constructed from previously established theories and relationships designed to simulate the real world based on the theoretical understand of processes rather than direct observations of them.

Question 2

Theoretical modelling

Answer 2

Based on theory or logic, rather than experiments, lbs or exp.

Question 3

Thermophilic

Answer 3

Heat loving, such as thermophilic bacteria that thrive at high temps, such as hot springs.

Question 4

Through fall

Answer 4

Water than drops from the canopy of plants.

Question 5

Time step

Answer 5

The gap in time between successional states simulated by a numerical model. It’s temporal resolution.

Question 6

Top down control

Answer 6

Controls on population or biomass that acts from above. Ie from higher tropic levels such as predation.

Question 7

Trade off

Answer 7

An evolved trait whereby an organism benefits from one characteristic (large stomata) allowing more rapid carbon uptake at the expense of another characteristic (faster water loss), leading to less efficient use of transpired water.

Question 8

Transpiration

Answer 8

The flux of water from its liquid state in plants to its gas state in the atm

Question 9

Tropic cascade

Answer 9

Phenomenon in which even quite subtle effects on predictors can be magnified in a downward flow of effects on grazers and plants in the lower tropic levels. Ie a series of effects down the food chain.

Question 10

Turnover rate

Answer 10

The fraction of material that enters or leaves a pool over a specific time.

Question 11

Validate

Answer 11

A testing process which determines how well the model output agrees with the behaviour of the real system.

Question 12

Valley of attraction

Answer 12

Low-lying area of stability landscape that represents a fairly stable equilibrium condition of an ecosystem in that it resists change following perturbation

Question 13

Verify

Answer 13

A checking process used to determine whether the model and its behaviour are a reasonable representation of the system under investigation

Question 14

Vertical water balance

Answer 14

Including only the elements of a water balance that relate to vertical fluxes, ie precipitation and ET, but excluding horizontal flows, ie surface flows, throughflow and runoff.

Question 15

Vesicular arbuscular mychorrizas VAM

Answer 15

Endomychorriza characterised by absence of a fungal sheeth and intracellular fungal structures such as vesicles and arbuscules

Question 16

Volatilisation

Answer 16

Process by which substances are lost from the soil by conversion to gases which escape to the atmosphere

Question 17

Wallows

Answer 17

Shallow depressions, about 4-6m across where soil is bare and impacted, where bison habitually scratch and roll.

Question 18

Water balance

Answer 18

The sum of water inputs and outputs of a subcatchment, which indicates whether storage within the subcatchment is expected to have changed.

Question 19

Water deficit

Answer 19

When a vertical water balance is negative, water may be drawn from stores such as the soil; the reduction in stored water is referred to a deficit. Sometimes referred to as moisture deficit.

Question 20

Wind throw

Answer 20

Uprooting or stem break of trees due to wind.

Question 21

Xenobiotic

Answer 21

Chemicals in the natural env that are of human origin

Question 22

Zoophagous

Answer 22

Organism that gains nourishment by consuming animals tissues. Ie beetles and wasps.

Question 23

Zooplankton

Answer 23

Component of plankton that is not PS but grazes on the PPk. Ie tiny crustaceans like water fleas.