Glossary
Our glossary defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. Glossary words are appear in bold in our resources.
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a as in ape
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ä as in car
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e as in me
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i as in ice
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o as in go
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ô as in for
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u as in use
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ü as in fur
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oo as in tool
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ng as in sting
A
average
(av (ǝ) rij): A value that is computed by dividing the sum of a set of terms by the number of terms.
avian
(āv ē ən): Of, relating to, or derived from birds.
axis
(ak səs): A straight line about which a body or geometric figure rotates.
B
back country
(bak kǝn trē): A remote undeveloped rural area.
backpack
(bak pak): (verb) To hike with a backpack (usually carrying food, water, and other equipment).
backswamp
(bak swämp): (1) A wetland area that is not directly affected by wave energy; (2) a swamp in a backcountry area.
bacteria
(bak tir ē ǝ): (Singular: bacterium) A group of single-celled microorganisms that live in soil, water, the bodies of plants and animals, or matter obtained from living things and are important because of their chemical effects and disease-causing abilities.
barren
(ber ǝn): Producing little or no vegetation.
barrier island
(bar ē ər ī lənd): A long broad sandy island lying parallel to a shore that is built up by the action of waves, currents, and winds and that protects the shore from the effects of the ocean.
basal area
(bā zǝl): The area of a breast-high cross section of a tree or of all the trees in a stand. Typically measured at 1.37 m (4.5 ft) from the ground.
baseline
(bās līn): A usually initial set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control.
basidiospore
(bǝ si dē ǝ spȯr): A spore produced by one of a group of fungi that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts.
benefit
(be nә fit): A good or helpful result.
(be nә fit): A good or helpful result.
bias
(bī ǝs): A systematic error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others.
biased
(bī əst): Tending to result in one outcome more frequently than others in a statistical experiment.
bicarbonate
(bī kär bə nāt): A type of acid that is developed from carbon.
biochemical
(bī ō ke mi kəl): Characterized by, produced by, or involving chemical reactions in living organisms.
biodiversity
(bī ō dǝ vǝr sǝ tē ): Biological variety in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals.
biological
(bi o loj uh kul): Having to do with plants and animals.
biological diversity
A measure of the differences between the types and numbers of living things in a natural area.