A natural spring of hot mineral water, associated with hot rock. See also geyser, hydrothermal activity. …
Solid waste that is composed of rubbish, may contain toxic and hazardous waste, and originates in a private home or apartment. Also known as domestic waste, residential waste . …
A large‐scale international social science research programme that ran through the 1990s, and sought to obtain a better understanding of the human causes of global environmental change, and to formulate appropriate responses for reconciling economic development and the maintenance of environmental quality. …
The study of the interactions between humans and the environment. …
A dose which, when given to humans, produces an effect equal to that which is produced by a dose in animals. …
The view (paradigm) that humans are different from all other organisms, all human behaviour is controlled by culture and free will, and all problems can be solved by human ingenuity and technology. See also anthropocentrism. …
A description of the nature and size of the population that is exposed to a particular substance, and the magnitude and duration of exposure. …
The complete DNA sequence (genome) for a human; all of the genetic materials that make up a human being. …
The original name for what became the Human Genome Project. …
A major international research project that was established in 1990 (originally called the Human Genome Initiative) to study differences in the genetic make‐up of ethnic groups and to sample DNA from populations around the world. It seeks to identify the 60?000 to 80?000 genes that are carried by humans, and help to find genetic causes and possible treatments of disease. See also genetic engin…
The likelihood or probability that a particular exposure or series of exposures may have damaged, or will damage, the health of individual people. …
The result or impact of human activities. See also environmental impact. …
A dark brown organic substance which is the main constituent of humus, and is soluble in water only at pH values greater than 2.0. …
A quite severe climate, with harsh winters, average temperatures below freezing (0?C) in several months, mild to warm summers, and adequate annual precipitation, which is found in mid‐latitude continental areas of the northern hemisphere, between about 40? and 60?. …
A temperateforestbiome found in middle latitudes where precipitation is greater than about 750 millimetres a year, and droughts and drying winds are rare. The natural climax vegetation is deciduousbroadleaved trees, including oak, maple, beech, hickory, and elm in the USA. …
The addition of water vapour to air in order to increase its humidity. …
The amount of water vapour in a parcel of air, which can be expressed as absolute humidity or relative humidity. …
A mid‐latitude climate that is dominated by hot, humid summers and cool winters, and is often found on the eastern side of a continent. …
A forestbiome of the humid subtropical climate zone, which is dominated by coniferous trees, has a dense undergrowth and many climbing plants. Its habitats support a wide variety of animals (particularly reptiles, mammals, and birds) and insects. …
Those parts of the tropics that receive a lot of rainfall during part of the year, and that have temperatures which are generally suitable for year‐round crop production. …
The decomposition of organic material in the soil into humus, by biochemical and abiotic processes. …
Partly decomposed organic matter (from the bodies of dead plants and animals) within a soil, that increases fertility and water retention in the soil, and improves soil texture. The decomposing humus is usually dark coloured (dark brown or black), so the uppermost horizon of the soil (A‐horizon) where is accumulates it generally darker than the soil below. Also known as soil organic matter . …
To pursue, kill, or capture wild animals for food, pelts, or as a sport. …
A person in a society that obtains food by hunting (fish and wild animals) and gathering (wild berries, fruits, fungi, nuts, leaves, and edible roots) rather than raising livestock or crops (agriculture). …
The activity of finding and killing or capturing wild animals for food, pelts, or as a field sport. …
1 A tropical cyclone that develops over the North Atlantic and Caribbean. A typical hurricane has a diameter of between 150 and 1500 kilometres, is circular in shape, and has a calm area (the eye) of descending air at the centre which is surrounded by a zone of powerful up‐draught (the eye wall), having great turbulence, thick cloud cover, and torrential rainfall. Strong winds spiral inwards tow…
The course followed by a hurricane as it moves across the land and/or sea. …
A warning (formal advisory) that is given to inform the public and marine interests when it is likely that a hurricane will strike an area within 24 hours. …
An organism that is the offspring of two different varieties, breeds, or species. Hybrids are sterile and so unable to reproduce. For example a mule is the hybrid of a male donkey and a female horse. See also crossbreeding. …
The process of crossing individuals from strains, populations, or species that are genetically different, which is usually done on purpose as part of a selective breeding programme in order to produce hybrids. …
The rate at which water can move through a permeable medium, such as soil. See also permeability. …
In a river, the relationship between discharge and channel width, depth, and velocity as discharge varies through time either at a particular site (the at‐a‐station hydraulic geometry) or in a downstream direction (the downstream hydraulic geometry), which can be shown in graphs and as equations. …
The slope of the water table, which determines the direction and rate of groundwater flow. …
A rapid change in the flow depth of water in a stream, which creates a wave on the water surface. Also known as standing wave . …
A form of placer mining in which water under pressure is used to break down placer deposits (such as china clay). See also placer mining. …
1 The study of the mechanical properties of liquids. 2 A movement or action that results from the flow of a liquid. …
Having or requiring an abundant supply of water. Also known as hydrophilic . Contrast hydrophobic. …
A soil that is saturated with water long enough during the plant growing season to become anaerobic, and that supports wetland vegetation. …
A naturally occurring compound of hydrogen and carbon. There are many different types of hydrocarbon, which can take the form of a gas, liquid, or solid; examples include natural gas, bitumen, and petroleum. A conventional or criteria pollutant. See also fossil fuel. …
An aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride gas that is a strongly corrosive acid and is widely used in metal cleaning and electroplating. …
A partly halogenatedchlorofluorocarbon compound that consists of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, and carbon. HCFCs are a replacement for CFCs, but they are also greenhouse gases that contain chlorine and deplete stratospheric ozone, but to a much lesser extent than CFCs. See also ozone depletion potential. …
A body shape that is streamlined to allow easy movement through a liquid such as water. Compare aerodynamic. …
Electricity that is generated from flowing water via turbines; a form of renewable energy. …
Electricity that is generated by the passage of water through a turbine, usually at a dam. Traditional HEP schemes make use of natural slopes and topography to create a head of water. In a typical scheme water is stored in a reservoir, from where it drops under the influence of gravity down pipes into water turbines which are coupled to electricity generators. Steep mountain rivers with high disch…
A compound that consists of hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. A fluorocarbon that is emitted as a by‐product of industrial manufacturing, is used as a solvent and cleaner in the semiconductor industry, is an alternative to CFCs, does not contain chlorine or bromine, and does not deplete the ozone layer. HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases, with global warming potentials of between 140 and 12?100. S…
1 A method of converting liquid fats to solid fats, by adding hydrogen gas to a hydrocarbon. 2 A method of converting coal to oil. …
A colourless, odourless, tasteless, flammable gas that is the simplest, lightest, and most abundant of the elements, but is found only in trace quantities (about 0.00005% by volume) in the Earth's atmosphere. It is a macronutrient which is essential for plant growth; it combines with oxygen to form water and forms organic compounds (hydrocarbons) with carbon. …
A colourless, flammable, toxic natural gas that smells like rotten eggs and is emitted during organic decomposition and produced as a by‐product of oil refining and burning. It is also found in North Sea gas and in volcanic emissions. …
The study of the chemistry and movement of groundwater. Also known as geohydrology . …
A graph that shows variations through time in river level or discharge, in response to the rainfall input by an individual storm event. Also known as storm hydrograph . …
The study of large bodies of water on the Earth. See also hydrology. …
An account of the inflow to, storage in, and outflow from a hydrological unit over a given period of time, such as a year. …
A drainage basin or a subdivision of one, such as an aquifer, soil zone, lake, reservoir, or irrigation project. …
The study of the properties, distribution, and circulation of water on, over, and through the Earth. See also hydrography. …
The decomposition of a chemical compound by reaction with water, as in the chemical weathering of rocks. For example, in granite the feldspar minerals break down into clay minerals like kaolinite. …
Any condensed water particle in the atmosphere, including rain, ice crystals, hail, fog, or cloud. …
An instrument that is used for measuring the specific gravity or density of a liquid. …
Soil that has developed under waterlogged conditions. …
Water‐avoiding, water‐repelling, or non‐soluble. Contrast hydric. …
A plant that is adapted to grow in or under the surface of water. Also known as phreatophyte . Contrast mesophyte, xerophyte. …
The politics of allocating and managing water resources, particularly between countries. …
A method of growing plants, especially vegetables, in water that contains essential mineral nutrients, without the use of soil. …
electricity or power that is generated from the movement of water; a renewable source of energy that emits no greenhouse gases. Examples include water mills, hydroelectric power schemes, and tidal power. …
A vegetation succession from open water to mire and bog at the edge of a lake. …
The water on or around the surface of the Earth, which includes oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric moisture, and is cycled through the water cycle. It is a major environmental system that interacts with the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere. …
Relating to the pressure or forces exerted by fluids in equilibrium. …
An equation that represents the balance between gravity and the vertical pressure gradient force. If these forces are equal, there is hydrostatic equilibrium and thus no vertical motion. …
A balanced state in which the outward pressure is balanced by the inward force of gravity. …
The pressure that is exerted on water at rest. In groundwater, it is the pressure at a specific elevation that is caused by the weight of water at higher levels in the same zone of saturation. See also artesian well. …
Relating to the hot water and steam that are generated by igneous activity, trapped in fractured or porous rocks within the Earth, and which contain dissolved minerals. See also geothermal. …
A range of geological processes that involve the movement of hot groundwater and steam, particularly the alteration and emplacement of minerals and the formation of hot springs and geysers. See also geothermal. …
A mineral that is precipitated from a hydrothermal fluid. …
A layer of minerals that has been precipitated from a hydrothermal fluid between layers of rock underground. …
A fissure in a mid‐ocean ridge on the deep ocean floor that is created by sea‐floor spreading, where hot, sulphur‐rich water is released from rock that is heated by geothermal activity. …
An ion (OH?) that is ionically bonded with a negative charge. It also forms compounds of an oxide with water. …
Alcoholic group (?OH) that consists of hydrogen and oxygen in a compound which is covalently bonded (so it has no charge). …
Related to or produced by water or the movement of water, as in hydroelectricity. …
An instrument that is used to measure the amount of water vapour (humidity) in the atmosphere. …
Capable of absorbing and retaining moisture, for example from water vapour in the air. …
Water that is adsorbed onto a surface from the atmosphere. In soil, for example, this water is held as a very thin layer around each individual particle of soil; it is not very accessible to plants and at least some of it remains in the soil even after extreme drought. …
A type of metamorphosis that is typical of certain types of insects (such as some beetles), in which the larva changes into different forms during its development. …
A parasite that attacks another parasite inside a host, not the host itself. …
An abnormal increase in tissue growth that is caused by an increase in the number of cells, by cell division. Contrast hypertrophy. …
Containing excessive salts, having high salinity (greater than 35 parts per thousand). …
An increase in the size if an organ that is caused by an increase in cell size. Contrast hyperplasia. …
The bottom layer of water in a thermally stratified lake. It is the densest layer, is usually the coldest layer in summer and warmest in winter, usually lacks oxygen, and is too dark to support photosynthesis. …
The pledge of property and assets as collateral in order to secure a loan, which does not transfer title but does provide the right to sell the hypothecated property in the event of default. …
Lowering of core body temperature to below 35?C as a result of exposure to extreme cold, causing rapid, progressive mental and physical collapse. See also windchill. …
A statement of the expected relationship between things being studied, which is intended to explain certain facts or observations. An idea to be tested. …
Depletion of dissolved oxygen in water and sediments, relative to the needs of most aerobic species. …
Water which has a dissolved oxygen concentrations of less than 2 parts per million (ppm), which makes it difficult for most aquatic life to survive and reproduce. …
A graph showing the proportion of a land surface that is higher or lower than a given level, usually sea level. …
See integrated conservation and development programme. …
A time of widespread glaciation. See also pleistocene. …
A large piece of floating ice, most of which is below sea level, that has broken off a glacier. Larger and deeper than an ice floe. …
A large dome‐shaped area of ice that covers a large area of land, such as a mountain peak or a polar region, and is not confined to valleys. Smaller than an ice sheet but usually larger than a glacier. …
A wall of ice where a glacier meets the sea, for example at the edge of an ice shelf. Also known as ice front . …
Sediment that is deposited when meltwater flows over, through, or under the stationary front of a melting glacier. See also esker, kame, kame terrace. …
A column of layered ice which has been extracted from a glacier or ice sheet, which can be used to reconstruct past changes in air chemistry and climate. …
The extent (particularly the thickness) of ice on a land surface, or the proportion of a sea surface that is covered with sea ice. …
A steeply sloping part of a glacier, where the ice tumbles down and is broken by crevasses. See also ogive. …
A type of fog that is composed of minute ice particles, occurs in very low temperatures under clear, calm conditions in polar latitudes, and can produce a halo around the Sun or Moon. …
A build‐up of floating ice that blocks a narrow river channel, and can cause local flooding during a thaw in late winter or early spring. …
See International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. …
A large, thick body of glacial ice (larger than an ice cap) that is not confined by the underlying topography. Examples include Greenland and Antarctica today and much of North America and Northern Europe during the Pleistoceneice age. Also known as continental glacier . …
A sheet of very thick glacial ice which has a more or less level surface, with one side attached to the land but most of it is floating over an ocean or large lake. …
Freezing rain that results in a build‐up of ice on trees, power lines, and roads. …
The rapidly flowing body of ice within a valley glacier, which does not mix with other ice streams it comes into contact with, and which often deposits lateral moraine and/or medial moraine at its sides. …
The fish population of a particular area or time. …
The forming or deposition of ice (glaze) on a solid object. …
See International Conference on Population and Development. …
Deposits of a specific mineral ore or fossil fuel whose location, quantity, and quality are known or have been estimated from direct geological evidence. …
A form of parasitism. Idiobiont species parasitize later host stages. Contrast koinobiont. …
See International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. …
See International Geosphere‐Biosphere Programme. …
A type of rock that is formed when molten magma (that is created by igneous activity) cools and solidifies, either underground or on the surface. Examples include basalt, rhyolite, andesite, lava, and granite. Also known as primary rock or volcanic rock . See also rock cycle. …
A pyroclastic flow deposit that contains material varying in size from ash to pumice clasts; it may be unconsolidated or cemented. …
See International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. …
See International Institute for Sustainable Development. …
The third period of glaciation in North America during the Pleistoceneice age, equivalent to the Riss glaciation in Europe. …
The state of being sick, because of stress, disease, accident, or injury. …
A soil horizon in which material that is transported downwards by eluviation from a horizon above, in solution or in suspension, has been deposited and accumulates. See also B‐horizon. …
A soil‐forming process that involves the movement of material (humus, chemical substances, and fine mineral particles), in solution or in suspension, down through the soil profile from the A‐horizon and its deposition in the B‐horizon below. …
The layering of inclined particles of sediment or rock fragments against each other, rather like roof tiles overlap and lie parallel to one another. See also fabric. …
A soil that lacks a well‐developed profile, usually because it has not had enough time for one to develop by normal soil‐forming processes. …
The movement of people or organisms into a country or area; the opposite of emigration. …
In risk assessment, a high probability that exposure to an agent is actually occurring or is likely to occur in the very near future. …
Incapable of being mixed or blended together to form a homogeneous mixture, such as oil and water. The opposite is miscible. …
1 preventing movement to allow natural healing to take place. 2 the conversion of an element from the inorganic to the organic form, in the tissues of plants or micro‐organisms, which makes it unavailable to other organisms or plants. …
A natural or acquired resistance (for example to a particular disease) that is provided by a person's immune system. See also natural immunity. …
The process by which a susceptible individual is protected against the adverse effects of infection by a disease‐causing micro‐organism. …
The scientific study of immunity and the immune system. …
The ability to withstand change, or the quality of being incapable of mutation. …
1 The direct or indirect changes, whether beneficial or adverse, that result from a specific act or series of acts, or a project or programme. Also known as effect . See also economic impact, environmental impact, social impact. 2 The force of impression of one thing on another, such as a meteorite hitting the surface of the Earth. …
Any adverse or damaging impact on an environment or ecosystem which makes it less suitable for an intended use. …
A restriction of the downward movement of water in soil, which is usually caused either by waterlogging or by the existence of a hardpan. …
A general term used in North America which includes endangered, threatened, and species at risk and species of concern. …
Not easily penetrated. An impermeable substance does not permit fluids to pass through it. Contrast permeable. See also impervious. …
A surface through which little or no water will move due to lack of pore space. Contrast pervious. See also impermeable. …
Species or biotopes which are rare, have a restricted distribution, and/or are in decline; species which are listed for protection on statutes, directives, and conventions. …
1 commodities (goods or services) that are bought from a foreign country. 2 Solid waste materials and recyclables that have been transported from where they originated to another place for processing or final disposal. …
A body of water (such as a reservoir) that is confined by a barrier such as a dam or floodgate. …
Grassland in which yield is deliberately increased by drainage, application of fertilizers and/or herbicides, ploughing, and reseeding with fast‐growing varieties. …
The mating of close relatives, i.e. individuals who are likely to share some of their genes due to common ancestry, which reduces genetic diversity. See also breeding, outbreeding. …
The accumulation of harmful genetic traits (through random mutations and natural selection) that results from inbreeding in a small population, and that decreases the viability and reproductive success of enough individuals to adversely affect the whole population. …
A government regulation (such as a tradable emissions allowance) that is designed to induce changes in the behaviour of individuals or firms, in order to produce environmental, social, or economic benefits that would otherwise be prescribed by legislation. …
A young order of soil in the early stages of pedogenesis, in which the horizons are starting to develop. …
The frequency of new occurrences of a condition (such as the number of new cases of a disease) in a population over a defined period of time. Contrast prevalence. …
The ratio of new cases (for example, of a disease) in a population to the total population at risk over a defined period of time. …
The process of burning solid waste and other material, under controlled conditions, to produce ash. See also mass burn, waste disposal. …
The disposal of toxic waste by burning at sea using specially designed incinerator ships. …
A furnace or chamber in which waste material is destroyed by burning. See also afterburner. …
The degree of dip or tilt from the vertical. See also dip. …
The flow of money, goods, or services that is created by the productive use of assets. …
Values or benefits that are not measurable by a common standard (for example in dollars or cubic metres), and thus cannot be objectively compared. Contrast commensurable. …
Not compatible, unable to exist together harmoniously. …
Different uses of land or other resources which cannot exist together in the same area because one inhibits or adversely affects another. Contrast compatible use. …
A waste material that is unsuitable for mixing with another material because it may react to create a hazard. …
1 An increase in quantity, by a factor of one unit. 2 The increase in diameter, height, volume, weight, or value of individual trees or crops over a defined period of time. …
An approach to decision‐making which is based on making decisions one at a time, each one designed to deal with short‐term imperfections in an existing policy, rather than establishing long‐term future goals. …
The period of time between initial exposure to an infectious agent and the appearance of the first sign or symptom of disease. Also known as latent period . …
A major international commission, chaired by German Chancellor Willy Brandt , that examined the interrelationships between environment and development. It reported in 1980 , coined the terms North (developed countries) and South (less developed countries), and called for the cancellation of old debts among countries of the Third World. …
Unpredictability in outcome, because a very large number of interrelated factors are involved and/or because understanding of the particular system is still quite limited. …
A threatened category of species defined by the IUCNRed Data Book as ?taxa known to be extinct, endangered, vulnerable, or rare but there is not enough information to say which of the four categories is appropriate?. …
A fossil that is specific to one geographical area or geological time and so can be used to identify and date rocks. Also known as zone fossil . …
A numerical scale (such as the Celsius temperature scale) that is used to compare variables with one another or with a reference number. …
A measure of biological integrity for a particular site that is based on integrating a number (usually at least seven) of indices describing site conditions. …
A measure for assessing the strength of an economy and human well‐being within a country, which (unlike gross national product and similar indicators) includes measures of environmental damage and reductions in environmental quality. …
A period of unusually warm weather in mid to late autumn, with clear skies and cool nights, which usually follows a period of cool weather. …
1 An organism, species, community, or aspect of the environment whose characteristics show the presence of specific environmental conditions or pollutants. See also bioindicator, environmental indicator, pollution indicator, proxy indicator. 2 A substance that shows a visible change, usually of colour, at a known point in a chemical reaction. …
A species whose presence or absence is an indicator of environmental conditions in a habitat or community. Also known as index species, management indicator species . …
Naturally occurring in a particular area. Contrast exotic. See also native. …
The original or natural inhabitants of a country. For example, Native Americans are the indigenous peoples of the USA. Also known as aborigines, native peoples, tribal peoples . …
The use of a resource by one individual in such a way that it reduces the availability of that resource to others. …
The introduction of pollutants into a municipal waste treatment system from any non‐domestic source, such as an industrial or commercial facility. …
A secondary effect or impact which occurs elsewhere and/or after the initial action. Examples include acid rain, bioaccumulation, and global warming. …
An exposure pathway that contains at least one intermediate release to any media between the source and the point of exposure. For example, chemicals of concern can be transported by water from the soil through groundwater to the point of exposure. …
The probability that a particular individual within a population will experience an adverse effect. …
A biogeographical realm that is almost entirely tropical forest, throughout much of South East Asia. …
The breathable air within a building or structure. …
pollution of indoor air by chemical, biological, or physical contaminants, such as radon gas, carbon monoxide, or tobacco smoke. …
The temperature, humidity, lighting, air flow, and noise levels inside a building or structure. …
Replenishing a waterbody or aquifer using water from somewhere else. …
Inferring general principles from specific examples. Also known as induction . Compare deductive reasoning. …
A soil or sedimentary rock which has become hardened or cemented, and will not soften when wetted. See also hardpan, iron pan. …
A biocatalyst (particularly an enzyme) that is used in industrial processes. …
The application of biotechnology to create new and alternative products for consumers, such as chemicals, textiles, food and animal feed, pulp and paper, energy, metals, and minerals. …
Any chemical that is used in industrial processes, including pharmaceuticals, plastics, and enzymes. …
A framework by which industry and organizations can reduce their environmental impacts by treating their operations as ecosystems and monitoring and reducing the flow of materials and energy between different parts of their operation. This is designed to use materials more efficiently, reduce waste, and prevent pollution. …
Large‐scale, commercial tree planting in order to produce timber and other wood products (such as wood chips). …
The development of industry on a large scale. A stage in the development of the economy and society in a particular country during which resources are shifted from agriculture to manufacturing. See also demographic transition. …
Nations (such as the USA, Japan, and the countries of Europe) which have economies based on industrial production and which use large amounts of energy (particularly fossil fuels and nuclear power). …
The progressive adaptation of a species, over a number of generations, to changing environmental factors. The classic example is the adaptation of the peppered moth ( Biston betularia ) to increased sooty air pollution in Manchester between 1848 and 1895 ; white moths on dark surfaces were eaten by predators, so darker moths became more common. See also evolution, melanism, natural selection. …
Waste materials that are produced during manufacturing operations. …
The rapid development of industry that began in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, assisted by the introduction of machinery and the development of a market economy, and which spread to other countries. …
That part of the economy that is based on manufacturing industries, mining, construction, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. See also commercial sector, residential sector, transportation sector. …
A semi‐liquid residue or slurry that remains after the treatment of industrial water and wastewater. …
Measures and equipment that reduce the amount of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant that is produced by industry and enters any waste stream or is released into the environment, in order to protect the environment and public health. …
Trees grown for wood that is used for lumber, plywood, veneer, particleboard, chipboard, and paper. Also known as roundwood . …
Any unwanted materials from an industrial operation or activity, which includes liquid, sludge, and solid and hazardous waste. …
The organized process of manufacturing goods for sale. …
The state of being different in terms of quantity, value, or status. Contrast equality. …
That which is unfair, partial, and unjust, and which does not provide equal opportunity for all. Contrast equitable. …
Unfairness arising from the unequal use and allocation of resources. Contrast equity. …
A material that is very stable and does not readily take part in chemical reactions with other substances. …
Any one of six gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon) that are almost completely chemically inactive. Also known as rare gas or noble gas . …
The tendency of an object to remain at the same velocity, or at rest, unless a force acts on it. …
