Glossary

amphibolite n.

A mostly dark green to black crystalline metamorphic rock composed chiefly of amphibole with minor plagioclase and little quartz. [more]

bog n.

An area of soft, naturally waterlogged ground that usually contains moss and peat.

bryophyte n.

Any of the green, seedless land plants that make up the division Bryophyta, numbering at least 18,000 species and divided into three classes: mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They are extremely tolerant to dry and freezing conditions.

circumneutral adj.

Having a pH (a measure of how acidic or alkaline something is) between 5.5 and 7.2.

condense (physics) v.

To cause (a gas or vapor) to change into a liquid.

elevation n.

Height on the earth's surface above sea level.

endemic adj.

Native to or confined to a certain region.

escarpment n.

A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.

flora n.

Plants.

gorge n.

A deep narrow passage with steep rocky sides; a ravine.

granite n.

A coarse-grained igneous rock that has an even texture, is usually light in color, and is composed chiefly of quartz. [more]

herbaceous adj.

Relating to or characteristic of an herb as distinguished from a woody plant; green and leaflike in appearance or texture.

mesophytic adj.

Relating to a land plant that grows in an environment having a moderate amount of moisture.

neotropical adj.

Referring to a region that includes southern Mexico, Central America, and most of South America; a neotropical migrant species nests in North America and winters south of the continental United States.

overstory n.

The uppermost layer of foliage that forms a forest canopy.

sediment n.

Solid fragments of inorganic or organic material that come from the weathering of rock and are carried and deposited by wind, water, or ice. Sediments may also be formed from chemical, biochemical, or biological materials. [more]

spore n.

A small, usually single-celled reproductive body that is highly resistant to desiccation (drying) and heat and is capable of growing into a new organism, produced especially by certain bacteria, fungi, algae, and nonflowering plants.

temperate adj.

Characterized by moderate temperatures, weather, or climate; neither hot nor cold.

topography n.

The surface features of a place or region; the character, natural features, and configuration of land; terrain.

understory n.

The layer formed by the leaves and branches of the smaller trees under the forest canopy; all the plants growing under the main canopy of the pine trees.

wetland n.

Land located between terrestrial (land-based) and aquatic environments that have saturated or nearly saturated soils most of the year; also called bogs, ponds, estuaries, and marshes. [more]