Watershed
Vocabulary
Click on a letter to help find the watershed vocabulary word you might be looking for!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Acid Mine Drainage - Water that has become highly acidic due to contact with ions and minerals exposed from mining.
Atmosphere – the gaseous mass surrounding the earth or more commonly used to refer to the air and climate in a specific location
Aquatic –
plants or animals that live or grow in water
Aquifer-
layers of rock, gravel,
and sand that store water
Biodiversity - variety of plant and animal species in an environment
Biological – anything pertaining to biology, or living things
Chesapeake
Bay –
the Juniata Watershed flows into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Chesapeake
is most unique because it is the largest estuary (where freshwater mixes
with salt water) in the United States. It is estimated that about 64,000
square miles of land drained by hundreds of thousands of rivers, creeks
and streams make-up the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/about.htm
Clearcut - To log an area by removing all of the trees at one time.
Climate- an area’s weather over an extended period of time
Colony - a group of organisms of the same kind living or growing close together
Compost – a mixture of different rotting natural substances, such as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil
Condensation – the process by which a gas or vapor changes to a liquid. An element of the water cycle
Coniferous Trees - Any of various mostly needle-leaved or scale-leaved, chiefly evergreen, cone-bearing gymnospermous trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces, and firs.
Conservation – applies to the protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of our limited natural resources (i.e. water)
Contamination- to make something dirty or unclean; to pollute
Culture
– behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, mannerisms, and
other aspects of human life that have developed and have come to be characteristic
of a specific area or place
Deciduous trees – trees and shrubs whose leaves are shed each year
Deforestation- the cutting down or taking away of trees
Earth – the planet we live on and also a word to generalize the surface and soil
Ecology - the study of living things in their environment
Ecosystem - a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. An ecosystem can be as big as a whole forest, or small as a single pond
Endangered or threatened species – species considered locally or federally that has the potential to become extinct
Environment – the totality of what surrounds an organism(s) or ecosystem(s), also used to refer to our natural environment, comprised of water, air, earth, and living things
Erosion - the wearing away of soil by wind, water, or iceEvaporation – the process of a liquid changing to a gas or vapor. An element of the water cycle
Evergreens – trees that have their leaves and foliage all year. The leaves are shed when the new foliage is completely formed (hemlocks, pines)
Exotic – an organism not original to a particular region.
Extinct
– no longer in existence, or has died out
Fauna – referring to animals
Floodplain- the flat or nearly flat land next to rivers or streams that is covered by water during floods
Flora – referring to plants
Forestry - The science and art of cultivating, maintaining, and developing forests.
Fossil Fuel- any deposit of coal, gas, or petroleum that can be burned to produce energy
Freshwater – inland, non-salty water. May be at any point in the hydrologic cycle, may be stagnant, in the atmosphere, in an aquifer, lake, stream, or groundwater
Game species – wildlife hunted for sport, meat, and/or fur
Glacier- a huge mass of ice slowly moving over the land
Groundwater – the water beneath the earth’s surface, commonly located in the water table below bedrock. This water is what supplies most drinking and household water
Habitat – the natural environment of an organism
Hardwoods - the hard, compact wood (or timber) of different trees, such as the oak, cherry, or maple
Hazardous Waste - A substance, such as nuclear waste or an industrial byproduct, that is potentially damaging to the environment and harmful to humans and other living organisms.
Herbicides – a chemical, usually pesticide, used to destroy unwanted plants, weeds, and grasses
Herbivore- an animal that only eats plants
Hydrology
– the study of water, the water cycle, and water properties on and
below earth and in the atmosphere
Invasive species – species that do not exist in an area originally (exotic species). These species are usually harmful to the ecosystem
Invertebrates – animal not containing a backbone (insects, larvae)
Juniata CleanWater Partnership – a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and sustaining local capacity through education, assistance, and advocacy in order to enhance, restore, and protect the natural resources of the Juniata watershed
Macroinvertebrate – organism that can be seen without a microscope not containing a backbone
Molecule - the smallest part of something that shares all of its characteristics
Native – an organism original to a particular region
Niche - the place and job for which a species is well suited, including its habitat, what it eats, and its activities
Non-game species - wildlife not hunted for sport, meat, and/or fur
Non-point Pollution – pollution in which a source can be clearly defined, common in groundwater
Nutrient
– usually in water, a pollutant, nourishes and promotes growth
Organic - something that comes from a plant or animal
Organisms – a form of life (animal, plant, fungus…)
Ozone
- one part of the Earth’s atmosphere
Pesticides – chemical used to eradicate irritating pests, usually insects
pH
– pH is commonly used as a measure of the acidity in water. It is
defined mathematically as a negative logarithm (base of 10) of H3O+ concentration.
The greater the hydrogen ion concentration, the smaller the pH. pH above
7 represents a basic (alkaline) solution and below 7 is an acidic solution.
Pollution – a man-made or man-induced contamination or alteration of physical, biological, or chemical attributes of the water, land, or air
Point Pollution – pollution in which a source can be clearly defined, such as a release pipe or failing system
Potable water- water that is safe for drinking and cooking
Precipitation
– any form of water (i.e. snow, rain, hail, etc.) that falls to
the earth’s surface to replenish the water cycle
Resource – a reserve or supply used when needed
Runoff
– surplus of a liquid that is not able to be absorbed, commonly
refers to polluted waters or agricultural surplus
Septage - the contents pumped out from a septic tank
Sink Hole - A hole or low place in land or rock, where waters sink and are lost
Solvent – a substance capable of dissolving another substance
Species - a class of individual organisms having some common characteristics or qualities
Succession – Natural process of replacing one ecosystem or community by another
Surface water
– water above the substrate or surface of the soil. Refers to water
on the surface of the land such as the water in lakes, streams, ponds,
etc. and also the water in the ocean
Thicket - a thick or dense growth of shrubs, bushes, or small trees
Transpiration – evaporation of water, usually from plant cells. An element of the water cycle
Vegetation – plant life/plant growth
Vertebrate – animal who has a backbone (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles & amphibians…we are vertebrates!)
Venomous – animal having glands which secrete venom (poison), having the ability to cause a venomous bite, sting, or wound
Wastewater - used water from a community that goes to a treatment plant
Water – colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid, H2O, essential for most plant and animal life
Water cycle – (hydrologic cycle) cycle of evaporation, condensation, transpiration, and precipitation of water from bodies of water, the atmosphere, and return to the earth’s surface. The redistribution of water
Watershed – region draining into the same water basin. Composed of all rivers, streams, lakes, water, and land in a specified area draining to one water supply. For example the Juniata Watershed or Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Water table - the level of groundwater
Wetland – where land meets water, or land that has wet moist soil (marsh, swamp, bog)
Wingspread – the distance between both tips of a bird’s wings when outstretched
