Glossary

If you are just beginning to learn about the importance of protecting Earth's biodiversity, here's a glossary of terms you may come across. Some words have multiple meanings. These definitions are relative to Earth science. 

  • atmosphere:  the layer of gases surrounding Earth, including the air we breathe. 
  • biochar:  charcoal produced from plant matter. It can be used as a soil amendment to improve soil structure, water retention, and fertility. 
  • biodiversity:  the variety of life on Earth or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. 
  • biological carbon sequestration: also known as biosequestration, is the process of capturing and taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in living organisms and the environment. Plants store carbon in tree bark, root systems, and soil through photosynthesis, which helps balance greenhouse gas emissions. Exploiting the benefits of biosequestration can help balance greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. 
  • biosphere:  a narrow zone on the surface of the earth where soil, water, and air combine to sustain life. 
  • carbon farming:  See regenerative agriculture.
  • citizen science:  the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists. Smart phone apps are often used for data collection.
  • climate change:  the long-term changes in global temperatures and other characteristics of the atmosphere including temperature, precipitation, and wind patterns. Climate has changed throughout Earth's long history, but human activity is generating or exacerbating greenhouse gases, which are causing worldwide temperatures to rise higher and faster than any time in history. Scientists have identified several major contributors to the rise in greenhouse gases, including:
    • Burning coal, oil and gas 
    • Cutting down forests (deforestation)
    • Livestock farming
  • conservation:  the careful maintenance and upkeep of a natural resource to prevent it from disappearing. 
  • cover crops: plants used in agriculture to cover the ground in between the cash crop seasons to maximize the biodiversity of the soil, maximize biosequestration, and prevent erosion.
  • ecosystem:  a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living physical environment (sunlight, soil, temperature, and water) within a specific area, forming a complex system where energy flows and nutrients cycle through all components; essentially, it's a group of living things and their surroundings working together as a unit. 
  • fossil fuels:  non-renewable energy sources that are formed from the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago, such as coal, natural gas, and oil. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change. Other harmful environmental impacts include acid rain, the release of radioactive materials, and the generation of ash.
  • geosphere:  the solid parts of the Earth, including the crust, mantle, and core, encompassing all rocks, minerals, and landforms on and beneath the planet's surface.
  • global warming: the increase in the Earth's surface temperature, primarily due to the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably but global warming is just one aspect of climate change.  
  • GMO:  genetically modified organism. GMO is a plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its DNA altered through a process called genetic engineering. This process involves changing the organism's DNA in a way that doesn't happen naturally through mating or recombination.
  • greenhouse gases:  gases that absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the earth's atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that results in global warming and climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) are the major gases contributing to global warming.
  • habitat:  a place where an organism makes its home. A habitat meets all the environmental conditions an organism needs to survive. For an animal, that means everything it needs to find and gather food, select a mate, and successfully reproduce.
  • hydrosphere:  all water on Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, ice, and groundwater. Most of the Earth's hydrosphere is salt water, but the 3% that is fresh is essential for life on land.
  • indigenous:  originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native. Indigenous people are those who inhabited a land from the earliest times or  before the arrival of colonists.
  • indigenous knowledge:  a collection of knowledge, practices, beliefs, and innovations that Indigenous peoples have developed through their interactions with the environment, and their understanding of how to live in harmony with nature to maintain healthy ecosystems. It's also known as Traditional Knowledge or Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
  • invasive species:  an invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health.
  • native: of indigenous origin or growth.
  • native species:  Living organisms that have evolved and grown naturally in a specific region or ecosystem for hundreds or thousands of years. Native plants have adapted to the local climate, soil, and other native plants and animals, and are an important part of the local ecosystem. Their benefits include: 
    • Conserving water: Native plants require less water than non-native plants. 
    • Protecting soil: Native plants help prevent soil erosion. 
    • Providing food and habitat: Native plants provide food and shelter for many animals, including birds, pollinators, and small mammals. 
    • Supporting local wildlife: Native plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over time. 
    • Easy to grow: Native plants well-adapted so are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance.  
  • natural resource:  the supply of something that exists in nature, such as soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy.
  • nature:  the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to human creations.
  • organic:  relating to or derived from living matter. Organic food is produced and handled under a strict set of standards overseen by the federal government.
  • permaculture:  the concept of utilizing land, resources, people and the environment in a manner that doesn't produce any waste and encourages the use of closed loop systems as seen in nature.
  • rhizosphere: the region of soil in the vicinity of plant roots in which the chemistry and microbiology is influenced by their growth, respiration, and nutrient exchange.
  • regenerative agriculture: An adaptive management approach that is supported by soil health principles. Also known as carbon farming. The richness of the land improves the yield and nutritional value of the crops. The exact approach is unique for each farm. Goals include:
    • continually improving soil health by increasing organic matter and soil biodiversity 
    • reducing water use and making the land more resilient to droughts and flooding 
    • reducing emissions and increasing the amount of carbon the soil draws down from the atmosphere 
    • increasing biodiversity by cultivating crops among native trees and establishing wildlife corridors 
    • enhancing ecosystem services by filtering pollutants and removing carbon from the atmosphere 
    • incorporating livestock into the farming system 
  • renewable energy: energy from a source that is not depleted when used. Examples include: 
    • Solar energy  
    • Wind energy 
    • Hydroelectric power
    • Geothermal energy
    • Bioenergy
    • Ocean energy