Glossary

Glossary terms can be added here.

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Click one of the letters above to advance the page to terms beginning with that letter.
larvaesearch for term
(singular = larva) The young and immature form of an animal, unlike the adult, that must change to become an adult. Synonyms: larvae
abdomensearch for term
One of the three main body parts of Arthropods. The abdomen is the last section. It has the reproductive organs and may also have a tail or stinger.
abundantsearch for term
More than enough.
adaptationsearch for term
A characteristic (body part, behavior, etc.) that helps a plant or animal survive in its environment.
algae search for term
(singular = alga) Simple non-seed bearing plants (including one-celled plants and diatoms and colonies of such cells).
ambushsearch for term
To attack from a hiding place. Ambush hunters hide until their prey is very close and then attack.
amphibiansearch for term
An animal that can live in both air and water. Amphibians can breath air with their lungs and can absorb oxygen through their skin.
analyzesearch for term
To examine results to determine what happened or what it means.
annualsearch for term
A plant that lives for only one growing season. In areas with limited growing seasons, this means that the plant may only live for a few weeks or months. Most vernal pool plants are annuals.
anthersearch for term
The part of a flower where pollen is produced.
antifreezesearch for term
A chemical that keeps water from freezing, often used in car radiators.
basal rosettesearch for term
When the leaves on a plant are arranged in a circular pattern at the base of the stem. Soap Plant has a basal rosette of leaves.
biennialsearch for term
A plant that lives for two growing seasons. Usually this means that it germinates one year and make seeds the following year.
bractsearch for term
A bract is a modified (different shaped) or reduced (smaller than normal) leaf just below a flower. Sometimes bracts can be colorful as in the Owl's-clovers. Sometimes they are very tiny as in grasses.
camouflagesearch for term
A behavior, shape, color and/or pattern that helps a plant or animal blend in with its surroundings.
carnivoresearch for term
An animal that eats meat. In the food web this can be an organism that eats the organism that eats the plants.
ciliasearch for term
Microscopic short hairs on the surface of an organism.
colonizesearch for term
Move into a new area (as in the pilgrims colonized America). Non-native plants will also colonize new areas, particularly disturbed sites.
conclusionsearch for term
A reasoned judgment.
condensationsearch for term
The change of a substance from a gas to a liquid usually caused by a decrease in temperature.
cross-pollinationsearch for term
When the ovary of one flower is fertilized (pollinated) by the pollen of another flower. Through cross-pollination, each parent flower contributes half of the genetic material to the seeds.
crustaceansearch for term
Any member of a taxonomic group of animals which includes crabs, beach hoppers, pill bugs and shrimps.
cystsearch for term
An embryo (larva) encased in a shell. See also the factoid on the Fairy Shrimp page.
decadesearch for term
One decade is equal to ten years.
depressionsearch for term
A low spot or the lowest spot in an area.
detritussearch for term
Particles from dead, decaying plants and animals.
distinctivesearch for term
Something not like anything else. A skunk has a distinctive odor.
dominantsearch for term
A dominant plant is one of the plants that occupies the most space in an area.
dormantsearch for term
Not actively growing or functioning.
droughtsearch for term
A period when there is less than average rainfall.
ecosystemsearch for term
A community made up of all of the plants and animals in an area that share a particular physical environment. Examples of aquatic ecosystems are a stream, a lake or a wetland.
emergesearch for term
To rise, come forth, or come out into view.
endemicsearch for term
When an organism lives in only one habitat, it is said to be endemic to that habitat. A plant or animal can also be endemic to an area or region.
evaporatesearch for term
To dry up.
evolutionsearch for term
The gradual change in organisms that occurs over hundreds of thousands or millions of year.
evolvedsearch for term
Changed over hundreds of thousands or millions of years.
fecessearch for term
Bodily waste discharged from the intestines. Poop.
fertilizerssearch for term
Nutrients added to improve plant growth.
floretsearch for term
The reduced (smaller than normal) flower of many plant families, but especially those of the grass family.
flowerheadsearch for term
Members of the Sunflower Family have special flowers called flowerheads. They are made up of many, tiny, individual flowers growing together.
food websearch for term
The network of organisms in an ecosystem that moves food energy from producers (plants) through several layers of consumers (animals).
hardpansearch for term
A clay, rock, or mineral layer beneath the soil that water cannot easily pass through.
hemi-parasitesearch for term
A hemi-parasitic plant is one that receives part of its nutrition by stealing it from other plants.
herbivoresearch for term
An animal that eats plants. This is usually the first level consumer of the food web.
hypothesissearch for term
An assumption or prediction designed to be tested.
inediblesearch for term
Not fit to be eaten. Sometimes used to describe the discarded parts (such as skin, bones, shell) of something otherwise edible.
invasivesearch for term
To encroach upon, to spread through, and usually harm.
invertebratesearch for term
Small animals without backbones.
lay scientistsearch for term
Someone who is interested in science but does not earn their living as a scientist.
macroscopicsearch for term
Can be seen by the naked eye, but may be seen clearer with a hand lens.
magnifysearch for term
To make something appear bigger such as with a magnifying glass, hand lens or microscope.
mammalsearch for term
A warm-blooded animal with hair that breathes air, has internal fertilization and nurses its live-borne young.
Mediterranean climatesearch for term
A yearly weather pattern where rain falls during a wet season, followed by several months of little or no rainfall. This climate is found in several areas of the world including the Mediterranean region of Europe, California, South Africa and Australia.
metamorphosissearch for term
A complete change in form and habits of an animal that occurs when it transforms from a larva into an adult. Caterpillars go through metamorphosis to become butterflies.
methodssearch for term
Ways or procedures.
microscopicsearch for term
Not able to be seen without a microscope.
mima moundsearch for term
A large hump of soil in a vernal pool grassland. Mima mounds can be a few inches to a few feet high.
moltsearch for term
To shed the outer layer. Usually used in reference to arthropods (insects and related organisms) shedding their exoskeleton.
mottledsearch for term
Covered in blotches of different colors.
multi-lobedsearch for term
Having many lobes or divisions. Think of your fingers as lobes of your hand. This would make your hand multi-lobed.
nectarsearch for term
A sugary juice made by flowers to attract and reward pollinators.
observationsearch for term
A description of a fact or event, often measured with instruments.
observe search for term
To watch carefully, paying attention to details or behavior.
omnivoresearch for term
An animal that eats both plants and animals. Humans are omnivores.
ovarysearch for term
The part of a flower that contains the ovules (eggs) where seeds develop.
ovulesearch for term
An egg.
parasitesearch for term
A parasitic plant is one that receives all of its nutrition by stealing it from other plants.
parasitismsearch for term
A relationship between two organisms, where one uses the other as a host, usually injuring it but not killing it quickly.
parthenogenesissearch for term
The ability of a female organism to produce fertilized eggs without mating with a male.
perennialsearch for term
A plant that lives for many years.
pesticidessearch for term
Chemicals designed to kill unwanted plants or animals.
petalssearch for term
The often brightly colored, leaf-like parts of a flower.
photosynthesissearch for term
Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use sunlight to turn air and water into sugars and other nutrients. This is how plants make their own food.
pistilsearch for term
The female part of a flower, usually divided into a stigma, style and ovary.
pollensearch for term
The powdery dust from the parts of a male flower. Pollen is necessary to pollinate the ovary of a plant to make seeds. Pollen is also collected by some insects as food for their offspring.
pollinatesearch for term
To fertilize a plant. This involves moving pollen to the ovary and ovum.
pollinationsearch for term
The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a flower.
pollinatorsearch for term
An animal that moves pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma.
pollutantssearch for term
Things that pollute water, land, and air, such as metals, chemicals, oil, and sediment (soil).
pollutedsearch for term
Unclean or dirty, particularly an environment contaminated by man-made waste.
precipitationsearch for term
A form of moisture that comes from clouds and is deposited on the earth as rain, sleet, snow, hail or mist.
pupaesearch for term
The life stage of an insect between the larvae and adult stages. When the insect changes its form through metamorphosis.
reducesearch for term
To make something smaller or appear smaller.
resemblesearch for term
Looks similar to something else. The shell of a seed shrimp resembles a seed.
rhizomesearch for term
A plant root which runs horizontally under the soil. New leaves or stalks can grow from the joints in these roots. The perennial grasses used in lawns spread by rhizomes.
rodentsearch for term
Any of a large group of small gnawing mammals (gophers, voles, and mice).
runoffsearch for term
Water than runs off the land.
saturatedsearch for term
Filled with water to a point where no more moisture can be absorbed.
scalesearch for term
A proportion between two sizes of an object (as between those of a drawing and its original).
scatsearch for term
The droppings (feces) of an animal. Scat usually refers to those droppings left out in the open to mark an animals' territory. Fox and Coyote leave scat in obvious places to show their area and keep other animals away.
scavengersearch for term
An animal that eats whatever is available. Usually that means it eats already dead animals. Some carnivores which hunt prey may also scavenge.
self-pollinationsearch for term
When the ovary of a flower is fertilized (pollinated) by the pollen from the same flower. Flowers which are self-pollinated do not require pollinators. Because the flowers do not cross with other plants, all of the genetic material comes from a single parent.
sepals search for term
The (sometimes colorful) leaf-like parts of a flower below the petals.
shore birdssearch for term
Birds that search around the edge of the water (shore) for food.
soilsearch for term
The upper layer of earth that may be dug or plowed and in which plants can grow.
sparsesearch for term
Occurring in limited numbers; not very dense. Sparse vegetation refers to areas in which a lot of soil shows through!
sporesearch for term
A spore is like half a seed. It contains the genetic material of only one parent. Seeds always contain the genetic material of two parents even if they are both the same.
sprawlingsearch for term
To sprawl is to lie in a spread out and relaxed position. Sprawling plants have long, uneven stems which trail along the ground.
stamensearch for term
The pollen-producing male organ of a flower that consists of an anther and a filament (stalk).
stamenoidessearch for term
A structure similar to a stamen but without pollen. Stamenoides occur in some flowers in the Lily Family. The photograph for Elegant Brodiaea shows the stamenoides.
stigmasearch for term
The tip of the pistil of a flower which receives the pollen grains.
storm drainssearch for term
The openings that lead to the system of underground pipes which collect and move rain water.
synchronoussearch for term
Happening all at the same time. Secret agents synchronize their watches. Many species of vernal pool plants have a synchronous bloom to attract pollinators.
taprootsearch for term
A taproot is a large, single root which grows straight into the ground. A carrot is a type of taproot.
thoraxsearch for term
One of the three main body parts of arthropods. The thorax is the central part between the head and abdomen. The legs and wings are attached to the thorax. The thorax contains the muscles necessary for walking and flight.
translucentsearch for term
Describes something that light can pass through but you can’t see all the way through. Usually the surface is a bit shiny and the guts only show through a little bit!
transparentsearch for term
Transparent means see-through. This usually means that the skin of an organism is completely see-through and you can see its guts!
tributarysearch for term
A stream that feeds into a larger stream or river.
umbelsearch for term
A cluster of flowers with all the stems coming from one point. Picture in your mind the spokes of an umbrella. White Hyacinth is a good example of a plant with its flowers in an umbel.
uplandsearch for term
The higher, drier areas of a vernal pool grassland.
urban runoffsearch for term
Water that runs off land in towns and cities.
Urban Services Boundarysearch for term
A regional boundary, set in an attempt to control urban sprawl by mandating that the area inside the boundary be used for higher-density urban development and the area outside be used for lower-density development.
vegetationsearch for term
Vegetation refers to plants or plant material in general.
wading birdssearch for term
A long-legged bird that wades into water in search of food, such as egrets and herons.
wastewatersearch for term
Water that drains from your home or other buildings down pipes and into the sewer system.
water tablesearch for term
The surface (top) of water stored in the soil.
waterfowlsearch for term
A bird that is often near water such as ducks and geese.
watershedsearch for term
All the land connected by the fresh water flowing through it.