| agrochemicals |
pesticides and fertilizers developed artificially for agricultural
use |
| algae |
small, often microscopic, aquatic plants in a water body |
| aquaculture |
artificial cultivation or growth of fish, crayfish and other organisms
for use as food, particularly in fishpondsand similar structures |
| aquatic environment |
the combination of physical, chemical, and biological conditions
present in lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, rivers and oceans |
| bacteria |
one of the five kingdoms of living beings. Bacteria are structurally
simple single cells with no nucleus. |
| basin |
a water catchment area, including rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries,
etc. |
| bio |
life, of living beings, biological |
| biocatalyst |
a substance, such as an enzyme or hormone that activates or
speeds up a biochemical reaction |
| biocenosis |
a community of biologically integrated and interdependent plants
and animals |
| biochemistry |
the branch of chemistry that deals with plant and animals and
their life processes |
| biocide |
a poisonous chemical substance that can kill living organisms |
| bioclimatology |
the science that deals with the effects of climate on living matter |
| biodegradeable |
capable of being decomposed by biological means |
| biodiversity |
variability among living organisms and the ecosystems of which
they are a part |
| bioecology |
the science that deals with the interrelations of communities
of animals and plants with their environment |
| bioengineering |
the application of engineering science and technology to problems
of biology and medicine |
| biogechemical cycle |
the cycle in which nitrogen, carbon and other inorganic elements
of the soil, water and atmosphere are converted into the organic composition
of animals and plants and then released back into the environment |
| biogeography |
the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution
of plants and animals |
| biology |
the science that deals with the origin, history, physical characteristics
and life processes of plants and animals |
| bioluminescence |
the production of light by living organisms |
| biomanipulation |
the use of native or artificially introduced biological organisms
to treat eutrophication |
| biomass |
the total mass or amount of living organisms in a particular area
or volume |
| biome |
an extensive community of plants and animals whose makeup
is determined by soil and climatic conditions |
| biomedicine |
a branch of medicine that is combined with research in biology |
| bioremediation |
the use of living organisms to treat contaminants or remediate
contaminated soil, water or air |
| bioscience |
any science whose systematized knowledge is applied to the
functions or problems of living organisms |
| biosphere |
the zone of the earth, extending from its crust out into the surrounding
atmosphere, which contains living organisms |
| biosynthesis |
the formation of chemical compounds by the cells of living organisms |
| biota |
plant and animal life |
| biotechnology |
the application of science and engineering to study problems
and provide solutions involving living beings |
| biotreatment |
the use of living organisms to t reat contaminants |
| buffering |
capacity a measure of the ability of a system to meet changes imposed
from the environment |
| constructed wetlands |
artificial or engineered wetlands used to remediate surface water
or waste water |
| Eco |
of the environment, habitat |
| eco-engineering |
the application of science and technology to problems involving
living organisms and their environment |
| ecohydrology |
the integrated study of ecosystems and hydrological processes
and their combined potential to influence water dynamics and quality,
particularly at the catchment scale |
| ecology |
the branch of biology that deals with the relationship between
living organisms and their environment |
| ecosystem |
a system made up of a community of animals, plants and bacteria,
and the physical and chemical environment |
| ecosystem restoration |
the process of intentionally altering a site to establish
a defined, indigenous ecosystem. The goal of this process is to emulate the structure,
function, diversity and dynamics of the specified ecosystem. |
| ecotechnology |
the application of science and engineering to study problems
and provide solutions involving ecosystems |
| ecotone |
a transitional zone between two adjacent communities containing
species characteristic of both as well as other species occurr ing only
within the zone. |
| ecotype |
a group of physiological or morphological variants within a biological
species adapted to particular environmental conditions |
| environmental engineering |
the application of science and technology to environmental problems |
| euphotic zone |
the upper portion of a lake or reservoir where sufficient light
is present to support growth of aquatic plants |
| eutrophic lake or water reservoir |
a water body receiving large amounts of nutrients from its watershed.
It is characterized by high photosynthetic activity and low water transparency. |
| forensic ecology |
investigation of a site to determine the history and causes of
the current flora and fauna |
| gene |
the physical unit of inheritance, made up of a particular sequence
of nucleotides on a particular site on a particular chromosome. |
| gene expression |
the conversion of the gene’s nucleotide
sequence into an actual process or structure in the cell. Some genes
are expressed only at certain times during an organism’s life and
not at others. |
| genetically modified organisms (GMOs) |
the product of biotechnology, which enables genes and their
properties to be transferred from one organism, unconstrained by natural
reproductive barriers. |
| genome |
all the genes in a complete set of chromosomes |
| hydrodynamics |
the branch of physics which pertains to the motion and action
of water and other liquids |
| hydrology |
the science dealing with the waters of the earth, their distribution
on the surface and underground, and the cycle involving evaporation,
precipitation and flows |
| impoundments |
man-made lakes, usually created by the construction of a dam
across a river channel; in contrast to natural lakes, impoundments exist
because they were constructed for a specific purpose or water use |
| integrated pest management (IPM) |
the use of combined strategies to combat pests, including chemical,
physical, and biological methods of control |
| limnology |
the study of lakes, reservoirs, wetlands and rivers, including
their physical, chemical and biological aspects |
| littoral zone |
water in a lake or reservoir that is closest to the shore |
| macrophytes |
macroscopic (polycellular) plants which can either be submerged
(i.e., completely covered by water) or emergent (i.e., only partly covered
by water). A distinction can also be made between rooted plants, which
have their roots in the sediment, and floating plants, which are floating
on the water surface. |
| mesotrophic lake or water reservoir |
a water body receiving moderate amounts of nutrients from its
watershed. Phytoplankton and other aquatic organisms are not numerous. |
| micropropagation |
the mass production of plants from small amounts of cells or
tissue |
| nitrification |
the process where ammonium is converted to nitrate nucleotides
a compound consisting of a base, a phosphate group, and a sugar. DNA
and RNA are linear chains (polymers) of nucleotides |
| oligotrophic lake or water reservoir |
a water body receiving a relatively small amount of nutrients
from the watershed. The biomass of the phytoplankton is not high, nor
is the quantity of other aquatic organisms |
| organic matter |
any molecules containing carbon produced by plants, animals
and humans |
| photosynthesis |
the process by which plants and some bacteria use energy from
light to form organic matter from inorganic substrates |
| phyto |
plant, flora, vegetation |
| phytoaccumulation |
like phytoextraction, refers to the uptake and translocation of
contaminants in soil by plant roots into the other parts of the plant |
| phytodegradation |
like phytotransformation, refers to the breakdown of contaminants
taken up by plants through metabolic processes within the plant, or the
breakdown of contaminants external to the plant through the effect of compounds
(such as enzymes) produced by the plants. |
| phytoextraction |
like phytoaccumulation, refers to the uptake and translocation
of contaminants in soil by plant roots into the other parts of the plant |
| phytofortification |
the fortification of plants with essential nutrients, vitamins and
metabolites during their growth and development, there by making these
additives more readily available for human/animal consumption |
| phytogenesis |
the science of the origin and development of plants |
| phytogeography |
the geography of the distribution of plant life |
| phytohormone |
plant hormone |
| phytohydraulics |
the use of plants to rapidly uptake large volumes of water to
contain or control the migration of subsurface water |
| phytopathology |
the study of plant diseases and their control |
| phytopharmaceuticals |
medicinal preparations obtained from plants |
| phytoplankton |
the community of predominantly single cell plants inhabiting
the water mass |
| phytoremediation |
the use of plants to treat contaminants or remediate contaminated
soil, water or air |
| phytostabilization |
the use of certain plant species to immobilize contaminants in
the soil and groundwater through absorption and accumulation by roots,
adsorption onto roots, or precipitation within the root zone of plants. |
| phytotechnology |
the application of science and engineering to study problems
and provide solutions involving plants |
| phytotoxic |
toxic to plants |
| phytotransformation |
like phytodegradation, refers to the breakdown of contaminants
taken up by plants through metabolic processes within the plant, or the
breakdown of contaminants external to the plant through the effect of compounds
(such as enzymes) produced by the plants. |
| phytovolatilization |
the uptake and transpiration of a contaminant by a plant, with
release of the contaminant or a modified form of the contaminant to the
atmosphere from the plant. |
| recombinant |
DNA novel DNA made by joining DNA fragments from different
sources |
| recuperation |
the act or process of regaining or restoring stability or balance |
| remediation |
the act or process of overcoming problems or deficiencies |
| restoration |
the act or process of bringing something back to its original condition |
| rhizofiltration |
the adsorption or precipitation of contaminants in solution onto
plant roots. It also refers to the absorption of contaminants into the
roots. |
| riparian corridor |
the corridor along the bank or shore of a body of water sediments
materials in a lake or reservoir which are either suspended in the water
column or deposited on the bottom. They usually consist of the remains
of aquatic organisms, precipitated minerals and eroded material from
the watershed. |
| transgenic |
organism an organism into which the genes of other species have been
engineered |
| treatment |
the act, manner, or method of addressing or dealing with something |
| vegetative cover |
a long term, sustaining cap composed of soil and plants growing
in and/or over waste such as mine tailings, or in a landfill |
| watershed |
the area drained by a river or river system |
| wetland |
the aquatic habitat in which plants, in contrast to microalgae,
are predominant. This includes swamps, marshes, bogs and shallow lakes. |
| zooplankton |
a community of invertebrate organisms inhabiting the water
mass, usually feeding on bacteria, phytoplankton and/or detritus. |
