Connecting People with Nature

Nature Terms

A Brief Glossary for Nature Lovers, Natural Historians, and other folks interested in Biology.


A

Aquatic
Plant or animal life adapted to water


B

Bog
An acidic wetland habitat with no natural surface water inlet or outlet, with an accumulation of Sphagnum moss.
Buffer
An area of natural vegetation along a stream, wetland, or other natural feature, which acts as a filter to keep the environment more healthy


C

Canopy
The highest vertical level of vegetation in a forested habitat.


D

Diversity
Having a wide range of variation, either genetically, in terms of species present,habitat type, or otherwise.


E

Ecosystem
A complex, interwoven community of plants, animals, and their environment, linked by natural processes and geography.
Ecotone
An edge; a transitional area between two habitat types, or between successional stages of a single habitat type.
Emergent
Aquatic plants having some or most of the leaf area extending out of the water.
Estuarine
Areas of high biological productivity found where a river meets the sea.
Even-aged
A forestry term meaning that the dominant trees in a forest stand are roughly of the same age.


F

Fen
A wetland with an alkaline pH, often fed by groundwater seeps or springs, and occurring on calcareous substrates.
Floodplain
The flat area adjacent to a stream or river, where floodwaters may accumulate and dissipate their destructive energy.


H

Habitat
An environment providing for the basic needs of a plant or animal organism.
Hydric
Having an abundance of water, or being adapted to such conditions.


I

Indicator
An easy to observe element that provides useful information beyond the simple observation. For example, observing Sphagnum moss may indicate that the soil in the area is acidic and wet, which in turn may allow a naturalist to look for certain other plant


J



K



L

Litter
The organic debris on a forest floor; Leaves, twigs, and other lightweight decomposing material.


M

Marsh
A wetland dominated by emergent grasses.
Meadow
A field of grasses and forbs.
Mesic
Intermediate in moisture level, between hydric (wet) and xeric (dry).
Monoculture
A stand of plants containing only one species, such as a cornfield, or a wetland completely overtaken by reed canary grass.


N



O

Old Growth
A forest stand near or at its peak of development, including trees of great age, pit and mound topography, an abundance of down and standing dead wood, and limited or no evidence of human influences, such as stumps, logging roads, or other man-made disturbance.
Overstory
Trees composing the canopy layer of a forest; the highest trees.


P

Palustrine
Related to or near a marsh or wetland.


Q



R

Riparian
Related to or near a river or stream bank.
Riverine
Related to or in a river.


S

Shrub
Low growing (to 15 feet) woody plants, usually composed of multiple stems radiating from the same point near the ground.
Swamp
A forested wetland with significant areas of standing water for at least portions of the year.


T

Topography
The lay of the land, in terms of vertical relief, portrayed on maps as contour lines of elevation.


U

Understory
A layer of woody vegetation under the canopy of a forest, the shrub and tree layer below the dominant stratum.


V

Vertical Structure
The different layers of vegetation in a forest, from groundcover to canopy trees.
Virgin Forest
A forest that appears to have never been cut. Whereas an old-growth forest may be second growth, a virgin forest has never been harvested.


W



X

Xeric
A dry habitat, as opposed to mesic (intermediate) or hydric (wet).


Y



Z

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