Glossary of Technical Terms
Air mass A large and essentially homogeneous
body of air, many thousands of km
2 in area,
characterized by uniform temperature and
humidity.
Alfisol Soil order consisting of soils of humid
and subhumid climates, with high-base status
and argillic horizon.
Alkali Salts found in soils, as in some deserts.
Anadromous fisheries Migrating from salt
water to spawn in fresh water, such as
salmon.
Aridisol Soil order consisting soils of dry
climates, with or without argillic horizons,
and with accumulations of carbonates or soluble salts.
Arroyo In Southwest USA, steep-sided dry valley, usually inset in alluvium.
Azonal Zonal in a neighboring zone but confined to an extrazonal environment in a
given zone; mountains that cut across the lowland ecological zones, or regions.
Biogeographic province Subdivision of a
biome, based on animal and plant distribution.
Biogeographical region One of the eight continent or subcontinent-sized areas of the biosphere, each representing evolutionary core
areas of related fauna and flora; e.g., the Neotropical of Walace (1876).
Biomass The dry mass of all living materials in
an area.
Biome Geographical region classified on the
basis of dominant vegetation and main climate; e.g., the temperate biome is the geographical area with a temperate climate and
forests composed of mixed deciduous tree
species.
Biophysical factor Elements, such as latitude,
continental position, and elevation, that cause
different climates and associated ecosystems.
Bioregion (Also called biotic province and
biotic area) geographic expanse which
corresponds to the distribution of one or
more groups of living beings, usually animals;
e.g., the Carolinian bioregion is characterized
by the tulip tree, the raccoon, and so on.
Biota Plant and animal life of a region.
Black prairie soil (Also called prairie soil or
Brunizem) acid grassland soil.
Bog A wet area covered by acid peat.
Bolson From a Spanish word, meaning pocket,
for a basin of inland drainage.
Boreal forest See tayga.
Broad leafed With leaves other than linear in
outline; as opposed to needle-leafed or grasslike (graminoid).
Brown forest soil (Also called gray brown podzolic) acid soil with dark brown surface
layers, rich in humus, grading through lighter
colored soil layers to limy parent material;
develops under deciduous forest.
Brown soil Alkaline soil having thin brown surface layer that grades downward into a layer
where carbonates have accumulated; develops
under grasses and shrubs in semiarid
environments.
Calcification Accumulation of calcium carbonate in a soil
Carbon sequestration Capture and long-term
storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
Chaparral Sclerophyll scrub and dwarf forest
found throughout the coastal mountain ranges
and hills of central and southern California.
R.G. Bailey, Ecoregions, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-0524-9, # Springer Science+Media, LLC 2014
153
Air mass A large and essentially homogeneous
body of air, many thousands of km
2 in area,
characterized by uniform temperature and
humidity.
Alfisol Soil order consisting of soils of humid
and subhumid climates, with high-base status
and argillic horizon.
Alkali Salts found in soils, as in some deserts.
Anadromous fisheries Migrating from salt
water to spawn in fresh water, such as
salmon.
Aridisol Soil order consisting soils of dry
climates, with or without argillic horizons,
and with accumulations of carbonates or soluble salts.
Arroyo In Southwest USA, steep-sided dry valley, usually inset in alluvium.
Azonal Zonal in a neighboring zone but confined to an extrazonal environment in a
given zone; mountains that cut across the lowland ecological zones, or regions.
Biogeographic province Subdivision of a
biome, based on animal and plant distribution.
Biogeographical region One of the eight continent or subcontinent-sized areas of the biosphere, each representing evolutionary core
areas of related fauna and flora; e.g., the Neotropical of Walace (1876).
Biomass The dry mass of all living materials in
an area.
Biome Geographical region classified on the
basis of dominant vegetation and main climate; e.g., the temperate biome is the geographical area with a temperate climate and
forests composed of mixed deciduous tree
species.
Biophysical factor Elements, such as latitude,
continental position, and elevation, that cause
different climates and associated ecosystems.
Bioregion (Also called biotic province and
biotic area) geographic expanse which
corresponds to the distribution of one or
more groups of living beings, usually animals;
e.g., the Carolinian bioregion is characterized
by the tulip tree, the raccoon, and so on.
Biota Plant and animal life of a region.
Black prairie soil (Also called prairie soil or
Brunizem) acid grassland soil.
Bog A wet area covered by acid peat.
Bolson From a Spanish word, meaning pocket,
for a basin of inland drainage.
Boreal forest See tayga.
Broad leafed With leaves other than linear in
outline; as opposed to needle-leafed or grasslike (graminoid).
Brown forest soil (Also called gray brown podzolic) acid soil with dark brown surface
layers, rich in humus, grading through lighter
colored soil layers to limy parent material;
develops under deciduous forest.
Brown soil Alkaline soil having thin brown surface layer that grades downward into a layer
where carbonates have accumulated; develops
under grasses and shrubs in semiarid
environments.
Calcification Accumulation of calcium carbonate in a soil
Carbon sequestration Capture and long-term
storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
Chaparral Sclerophyll scrub and dwarf forest
found throughout the coastal mountain ranges
and hills of central and southern California.
R.G. Bailey, Ecoregions, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-0524-9, # Springer Science+Media, LLC 2014
153