Dictionary of ecological terms. Ecology: basic terms and concepts A brief ecological dictionary of terms
Dictionary environmental terms
Abiotic factors- all components inanimate nature(light, temperature, humidity, etc.), as well as the composition of water, air and soil environments.
Anthropogenic factor- human activity, leading to a change in the habitat of living organisms.
Atmosphere - the gaseous shell of the Earth.
Biology - a science that studies the living world of the Earth and considers the laws of the structure and functioning of the living.
Bionics - a scientific direction in biology and cybernetics that studies the structure and vital activity of organisms in order to use the established patterns in the construction of technical systems similar in characteristics to living organisms and their parts.
Biotic factors– interactions between different individuals in populations, between populations in natural communities.
Biosphere - the largest (global) ecosystem of the Earth, a geological shell inhabited by living organisms. It covers the surface of the Earth, the upper part of the lithosphere, the entire hydrosphere and the lower part of the atmosphere - the troposphere.
Vegetative Pertaining to plants or organs associated with nutrition and growth.
Volcano - fire-breathing mountains. As a result of the eruption of underwater volcanoes, new islands can form and tsunami waves can occur.
Volcanologists - scientists who study volcanoes and predict their awakening.
Hydrosphere - the shell of the Earth formed by oceans, seas, lakes, rivers.
Rocks (or stones)are composed of two or more minerals. They can be igneous (granite, tuff, basalt), sedimentary (limestone, coal), etc.
Caterpillar - a worm-like larva of Lepidoptera, develops from an egg.
Trees - tall plants with one solid, woody, bark-covered trunk, branches grow at a considerable distance from the ground.
spruce forest – coniferous forest in which it is dark, cool, humid; vegetation is represented by spruces, undersized shrubs, shade-tolerant herbs. Animals adapted to the change of seasons - squirrels, chipmunks, deer, hares, wild boars, moose.
live birth - a method of reproduction of offspring, in which the embryo develops from an egg, receiving nutrition from the mother's body, and is born in a more or less formed form (like a baby free from egg membranes).
Animals - a group of living beings, as a rule, capable of active movement; not forming, but eating what is ready organic matter.
Law of ecological correlation- in an ecosystem, all the species included in it functionally correspond to each other, and the destruction of one species or their group always ultimately leads to the disappearance of interconnected other species of living things. With the complete extermination or extinction of a species, it never disappears alone, but always together with interconnected forms.
Reserve - a space specially protected by law or customs, completely excluded from any economic activity in order to preserve intact natural complexes, protect living species.
Human health- an objective state and a subjective feeling of complete physical, mental and social comfort.
Earth is one of the planets that orbit around the sun. These planets form the solar system. The earth is a huge ball. It consists of three parts: crust, mantle and core.
Zoocenosis - a set of interconnected and interdependent animal species that has developed in any space.
Variability the existence of organisms various forms and variants within a view; the ability of organisms to respond to the effects of environmental factors by morphophysiological changes; characterization of the degree of change in organisms of any group in the course of evolution.
Caviar - a set of eggs laid into the water by fish, amphibians and other animals.
Ecological catastrophe- a complete and irreversible violation in nature.
Environmental quality - correspondence natural conditions the needs of living organisms. The environmental quality indicator can include both natural factors (temperature, amount of light, etc.) and anthropogenic (pollution, disturbance factor, etc.)
Climate - an annual recurring weather pattern characteristic of a given area.
Cocoon - a protective formation that protects eggs or embryos (in earthworms, spiders, etc.), or pupae of many insects.
Root - a plant organ that holds the plant in the soil, absorbing water and minerals dissolved in it.
Red Book - a list and description of rare and endangered animals, plants and fungi.
ecological crisis- a temporary tense state of the relationship between man and nature.
chrysalis - the phase of development of insects following the larva.
bushes - perennial plants that do not have a main stem; several stems, covered with bark, grow from the root, the branches are located close to the ground.
Landscape - a natural system homogeneous in terms of development.
Forest - a natural complex, which is dominated by trees of one or many species, growing close to each other and forming a more or less dense forest stand. Usually in the forest there are several tiers. Depending on the composition, forests are divided into coniferous, deciduous, tropical, etc.
Deciduous forest - natural complex deciduous plants, located in four tiers: 1 - large trees - oak, linden, ash; 2 - undersized trees - mountain ash, aspen, alder; 3 - shrubs - hazel, euonymus, wild rose, honeysuckle; 4 - herbs - oxalis, ferns, strawberries. Animals adapted to seasonal changes environment- wild boars, moose, hares, birds, insects.
tropical forest - a natural complex, which is characterized by: a lot of heat (26° C) and moisture, a variety of plant species that grow, bloom and bear fruit all year round; variety of animals active throughout the year.
Forests temperate zone - natural complexes, which are characterized by seasonal fluctuations in temperature and precipitation. Represented by broad-leaved and mixed forests.
Forest park - an extensive natural forest, usually not far from a large settlement or inside it, adapted for mass recreation.
forest-steppe – natural area temperate and subtropical zones with alternating steppe and forest areas.
forest tundra – natural area northern hemisphere, transitional between forest and tundra - a complex complex of light forests, tundra, swamps and meadows.
Sheet - plant organ, the function of which is photosynthesis, respiration, evaporation of moisture.
Lithosphere - the outer solid shell of the earth, covering its firmament to depths of 50 - 200 km and consisting of two layers: the upper - sedimentary rocks and the lower - basalt.
Larva - the actively feeding phase of development of some invertebrates, amphibians, and fish following the egg.
Minerals are homogeneous compounds found in nature in pure. They differ in color, hardness, gloss, transparency, composition, structure.
Model - a system of objects or signs that reproduces some essential properties of the original system. The model is used as a proxy for the system under study. The model simplifies the structure of the original, abstracting from the irrelevant. It serves as a generalized reflection of the phenomenon. Models can be material objects or be mathematical, informational (visual-figurative, logical-symbolic).
Metabolism - consistent consumption, transformation, use, accumulation and loss of substances and energy in living organisms in the process of life.
Coloring is adaptive- a group of adaptations to environmental conditions, expressed in the appearance of shapes and colors in animals during natural selection, making them either invisible or especially noticeable against the background of the environment.
Organ A part of an organism that performs a specific function or group of functions.
organism - a living being, the carrier of life, characterized by all its properties: metabolism, the ability to move, grow, reproduce, adapt to changes in the external environment.
food chain - a sequence of groups of organisms, each of which (food link) serves as food for the next one; link food chain constitutes the level of the ecological pyramid.
Planet - a huge ball of hard rock or gases revolving around a star.
Weather - the state of the lower layer of the atmosphere in a certain area and at a certain time.
Minerals- rocks and minerals used by man in the national economy.
Need - the need for something necessary to maintain the vital activity of the body, this is an internal stimulus of activity.
The soil - the top fertile layer of the earth. Soil composition: clay, sand, humus (humus).
Signs of living organisms- movement, nutrition, excretion, respiration, growth, development, reproduction, death.
Nature - 1) in broad sense- all that exists, the whole world in the variety of its forms; 2) in the narrow sense - the object of study of the science of natural science.
Desert - an area without continuous vegetation; a lot of heat (35 O C), little moisture, certain types of plants. Animals store water in the form of fat, many are nocturnal, some hibernate.
Plants - autotrophic living organisms (capable of producing organic matter from inorganic).
Symbiosis - joint mutually beneficial, often mandatory coexistence of two or more species.
System - a set of elements that are in relationships and connections with each other and form a certain integrity, unity. The concept of a system is organically connected with the concept of integrity, subsystem, connection, structure.
mixed forest - a natural complex represented by deciduous and coniferous trees.
solar system- The sun and all other space objects, for example, the planets that revolve around it: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
Sun - a giant star that radiates light and heat. Its diameter is 140,000 km, the temperature in the center is 16,000,000 O C, surface temperature - 5500 O C, the time it takes for sunlight to reach Earth is 8 minutes 20 seconds.
Pinery - coniferous forest, in which it is dry and a lot of light, from vegetation - mainly pines, solitary bushes, grasses, mosses. Animals adapted to the change of seasons - squirrels, chipmunks, deer, hares, wild boars, moose.
hibernation - a period of a sharp decrease in the intensity of metabolism, allowing an animal or plant to survive unfavourable conditions existence.
Habitat - all bodies and phenomena (natural and anthropogenic), with which the organism is in direct or indirect relationship. The environment includes all environmental factors.
Stage (stage) of development- a certain stage, period, stage in the development of something that has clearly distinguishable qualitative features.
Stem - vegetative organ of a plant. Its functions are mechanical, conductive, sometimes storage.
Steppe - treeless type of vegetation, which is characterized by: little precipitation, mainly in spring and summer, frequent droughts, sharp changes in temperature by season, cold winters; various herbs. Variety of herbivores.
succulents - perennial plants with succulent leaves or stems, easily tolerated high temperatures air, but not dehydrating.
Taiga - type of vegetation with a predominance of coniferous forests; there is little precipitation, mostly in summer; a big difference winter and summer temperatures; evergreen forests represented coniferous trees, various mosses and lichens. Animals are adapted to harsh conditions.
Tornado - a huge vortex of destructive force.
Herbs - a life form of plants that has soft, succulent, grassy stems.
Tundra - type of vegetation characterized by treelessness, strong development of mosses and lichens, in some places perennial grasses, stunted bushes and shrubs; little precipitation, cold winters, short summers; the lower layers of the earth are permafrost; undersized dwarf plants, mosses, lichens, mushrooms. Poor wildlife, many migratory birds, many stinging insects in summer.
Turgor - the elasticity of tissues and organs due to the pressure of the contents of the cells on their elastic walls.
Hurricanes - storms during which the winds blow along a giant circle. In the center of it is a windless area - the "eye" of the hurricane.
Environmental conditions (habitat)- a set of environmental factors: from space - the impact of the universe on solar system- to the direct influence of the environment on an individual (community).
Ecosystem resilience- its ability to maintain its structure and functional features under the influence of external factors.
Fauna - the existing set of all animal species living in a given territory, water area.
Phytocenosis - a more or less stable natural grouping (community) of plant species in a relatively homogeneous area.
Flora - the established set of plant species living in a certain area or as part of a particular plant community.
Function - specific activity of the organism, its organs.
coniferous forest - the natural complex, represented by coniferous plants, does not have a second tier - undersized trees.
Chitin - external skeleton of arthropods.
Predator - an animal or plant that catches and eats other animals that serve as food objects.
Development cycle - the totality of all phases individual development organism, as a result of which it becomes capable of giving rise to a new generation.
Expediency- the correspondence of the process, phenomenon, structure of an organ or organism to the prevailing environmental conditions for better adaptation to them.
The integrity of nature- the internal unity of the object (organism, community, biosphere) as a system, which determines its essence and the possibility of normal functioning.
Human - a rational natural being, which differs from other living organisms in the strong development of the brain, the ability to think, use speech as a means of communication, the vertical position of the body and movement on two legs, the structure of the hand as a labor organ.
cuttings - separation from the plant of a part of its stem, root or leaf and engraftment of this fragment, followed by the restoration of the missing organs of the whole plant.
cutting - a fragment of a plant, most often a part of the stem, used for cuttings.
Flower An organ of a plant whose function is reproduction.
ecological niche- the totality of all factors in the environment, within which the existence of a species in nature (community, ecosystem) is possible.
Environmental monitoring- an information system, the main tasks of which are the observation, assessment and forecast of the state of the natural environment under the influence of anthropogenic impact in order to warn about emerging critical situations that are harmful and dangerous to human health, the well-being of other living beings.
Environmental factor- any environmental condition that affects the state and properties of an organism, population, natural community.
Ecology The science that studies the relationship of organisms with the environment and with each other.
human ecology- science that studies general laws the relationship between the biosphere and human society, the impact of the natural environment on man.
ecological trail- a specially equipped and carefully studied path in places where the surrounding wildlife allows guides to transfer knowledge about natural phenomena and objects, create prerequisites for the development of environmental thinking, environmentally appropriate behavior in nature.
Ecosystem - a single natural or natural-anthropogenic complex formed by living organisms and their environment, in which all components are connected by metabolism. Important properties of an ecosystem are its stability and ability to self-regulate.
egg production - a method of reproduction by animals of offspring, in which the embryo develops in an egg under the protection of egg membranes outside the mother's body.
The science of the relationship of living organisms with each other and environmental conditions. The main methods of science: observation, experiment, modeling, accounting for the number of individuals, etc. The term "ecology" was introduced by the German zoologist E. Haeckel (1866)
HABITAT is what surrounds the body. Main habitats: aquatic, terrestrial-aquatic, terrestrial-air, soil.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS- everything that has a direct or indirect effect on organisms.
ABIOTIC FACTORS- factors of inanimate nature - light, temperature, pressure, climate, water and air currents, composition of water, soil, air, etc.
BIOTIC FACTORS- wildlife factors, i.e. influence of plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, viruses.
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS- this is human influence (hunting, fishing, protection, extermination, pollution, plowing, logging, etc.).
BIOCENOSIS (COMMUNITY)- these are all species living together in some territory and interconnected with each other (for example, the biocenosis of a lake, taiga forest, etc.).
BIOGEOCENOSIS (ECOSYSTEM) is a complex self-regulating system in which there is a relationship between living organisms and their living conditions ( biogeocenosis \u003d biocenosis + environmental conditions).
BIOTIC LINKS- This Various types relationships between living organisms.
PREDATORY (-+)- the type of relationship when one organism eats another. There are predator-hunters (wolf, tiger, lion, etc.) and predator-gatherers (insectivores, herbivores). There are carnivorous plants (dew, venus flytrap, pemphigus, etc.)
COMPETITION (--) rivalry relations. The competition within the species and between related species is most acute, since they have common needs for food and living conditions. Examples: fox-wolf, owl - eagle owl, pine - birch, pike - perch, carp - crucian carp, etc.
NEUTRALISM (OO)- relationships when there are no direct links between species (wolves and grasshoppers, moose and squirrels, bees and hares)
COMMENSALISM (O+) A relationship in which one species benefits from another without harming it. There are several varieties: lodging (the use of burrows, nests of other animals by insects as a dwelling), parasitism (feeding jackals, hyenas, vultures with the remnants of food of predatory animals), companionship (food different parts of the same resource, for example, pine conifers and bark beetles, soil inhabitants that consume different plant residues)
AMENSALISM (O-)- relationships when one species is oppressed, and the other species is indifferent (for example, herbs growing under a spruce)
SYMBIOSIS (++)- mutually beneficial relationships between species. When living together is mandatory for both species, this is mutualism (symbiosis of birch roots and boletus mycelium, fungi and algae in the body of a lichen), if optional, then protocooperation (for example, meadow plants and their pollinators).
BIOLOGICAL OPTIMUM- this is the presence of all favorable conditions for the life of the organism.
PHOTOPERIODISM- this is the adaptability of organisms to a change in the length of daylight hours, i.e. to seasonal changes (spring and autumn molting, hibernation, seasonal flights and migrations, leaf fall, breeding season, nesting, mating games).
ANABIOSIS- this is the ability of organisms to endure adverse conditions in a state in which metabolism is reduced and all visible manifestations of life are absent (for example, the state of cysts in protozoa, spores in bacteria, winter and summer hibernation of animals)
ACCLIMATIZATION- physiological adaptation to the transfer of heat or cold.
WINTERING- fall into hibernation in winter.
DIAPAUSE- stop in development in an unfavorable period of the year.
ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY FOR SURVIVAL- the desire of organisms to survive.
FOOD CHAINS (FOOD CHAINS)- these are sequential connections of organisms, when the organisms of the previous link are food for the next one.
PASTURE CHAINS (grazing chains)- food chains in which the first link is green plants (grass --- caterpillar --- tit ---- falcon)
DETRITE CHAINS (decomposition chains)- food chains that start with dead organics (leaf litter -> earthworm -> titmouse -> falcon)
TROPHIC LEVEL- all species that consume similar food (for example, all herbivores form one trophic level; carnivores - another level)
BENTHOS- all inhabitants of the bottom part of the reservoir (crabs, bivalves, sea anemones, octopuses, coral polyps, etc.)
PLANKTON- microscopic algae and animals living in the water column. Consists of phyto- and zooplankton.
NEKTON- large inhabitants of the water column (fish, squid, dolphins, whales, etc.)
PERIFITON- organisms attached to aquatic plants or underwater rocks (crustaceans, bivalves, sea acorns, sea squirts)
PLEYSTON- a set of aquatic organisms floating on the surface of the water or in a semi-submerged state.
THE RULE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PYRAMID- when moving from one nutritional link to another, the biomass, the number of individuals and the amount of energy decreases several times (about 10 times). The reason for this pattern is that organisms spend 90% of food energy on vital processes (the energy of "breathing") , and only 10% goes to body growth and only this part goes to the next link in the food chain.
TOLERANCE- the ability of organisms to withstand changes in environmental conditions. Organisms with high tolerance can withstand wide ranges of environmental changes and are therefore more likely to survive, while those with low tolerance can only live under certain conditions.
BIONT- an inhabitant of the environment (hydrobiont - an inhabitant of the aquatic environment, geobiont (edaphobiont, pedofauna) - of the soil environment, stenobiont - an organism that requires strictly defined conditions, i.e. with low tolerance; eurybiont - an organism that can live in different conditions etc.)
LIFE FORM OF AN ORGANISM- the type of adaptability of organisms to environmental conditions. For example, life forms in plants: trees, herbs, shrubs, creepers, succulents, etc.; in animals, according to the method of movement - flying, jumping, crawling, burrowing, running, floating, attached, according to their habitat - waterfowl, forest, steppe, soil, etc.
TIERING- adaptability of plants, allowing more complete use of environmental resources: light, heat, moisture, soil nutrients. Layering is horizontal and vertical (in the soil).
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS OF THE ECOSYSTEM- these are three groups of organisms in any ecosystem that carry out the main processes in the ecosystem: producers, consumers, decomposers. Thanks to them, in the ecosystem there is a flow of substances and energy through food chains, which forms the basis of the circulation of substances, the self-reproduction of the ecosystem.
PRODUCERS- these are producers of organic matter (autotrophs), i.e. plants, chemosynthetic bacteria and blue-green algae.
CONSUMERS are consumers of organic matter, i.e. herbivores, carnivores, omnivores. Consumers are of the 1st order (herbivorous insect, bird, etc.), 2nd order (insectivorous, fish-eating or predators), 3rd order (predators).
REDUCERS- these are the destroyers of organic matter (bacteria of decay and fermentation, mold fungi, soil mites, worms, carnivorous insects, animals that feed on the secretions of other animals, etc.).
ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY- this is the ability of an ecosystem to withstand various impacts, maintain the relative constancy of the number of species and maintain the main processes in balance. Sustainability directly depends on the number of species! The greater the species diversity, the more more sustainable ecosystem! The reason for this pattern: the more species in the ecosystem, the more opportunities for organisms to have alternative types of food, and the more likely it is to survive - with a shortage of one food, it is possible to eat other food. Therefore, biodiversity is very important in nature, because This important condition ecological balance in all nature, in the biosphere.
SELF-REGULATION OF THE ECOSYSTEM- the property of an ecosystem to maintain the number of individuals in populations at a relatively constant level. Self-regulation occurs due to the presence in the ecosystem of direct, reverse and indirect links between organisms. For example, an increase in the number of plants leads to an increase in the number of herbivores, and this leads to an increase in the number of predators (direct links). But an increase in the number of predators will eventually lead to a decrease in the number of herbivores, and an increase in the number of herbivores will lead to a decrease in the number of plants (feedback). Predators influence the abundance of plants through herbivores (indirect relationship).
ECOSYSTEM INTEGRITY- this is the interconnectedness of organisms in an ecosystem, which does not allow them to exist without each other and ensures the flow of all processes in the ecosystem (the flow of substances and energy through food chains, self-regulation, the circulation of substances).
OPEN ECOSYSTEM- lies in the fact that an ecosystem can exist only when an influx of energy from the outside is carried out into it! (the openness of any system lies in the fact that it needs an influx of energy and nutrients from the outside)
SUCCESSION- this is a successive change in time of some ecosystems by others in a certain territory in the course of their self-development. For example, in the place of a small lake, a swamp may form due to gradual shallowing and drying; in place of the swamp - a meadow; in place of a forest - a meadow, in the place of a lifeless volcanic island, a forest can grow in centuries, etc. In the course of succession, processes always go in the direction of achieving equilibrium in the ecosystem - the climax!
CLIMAX- a state in an ecosystem when it is in equilibrium without outside interference.
PRIMARY SUCCESSION- the process of development of various ecosystems in lifeless territories (on sand dunes, on volcanic islands, on the site of rocky mountains). This succession is the longest since First, it takes time for the soil to form. Process sequence:
"Pioneers" settle in lifeless places, the first settlers are blue-green algae, lichens. When they die, they form a thin layer of soil on which mosses can first settle. Then, as the soil layer increases, grasses, shrubs, and trees can grow.
SECONDARY SUCCESSION is the development of one ecosystem in place of another. Causes of secondary successions: climate change (gradual waterlogging of the area due to a humid climate), natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc.), human activities (deforestation, pollution, plowing, mining, etc.) .), pest or disease invasion. Note: if the soil layer disappeared during the secondary succession (due to soil erosion), the processes will follow the type of primary succession.
AGROCENOSES (agroecosystems, artificial ecosystems)- ecosystems created by man (fields, gardens, aquarium, gardens, ponds, forest plantations, parks, etc.) Signs of agrocenoses: a small number of species; short supply chains; open circulation of substances (because part of the substances is taken out with the harvest and requires the application of fertilizers to the soil); instability; processes are regulated by a person; in addition to the energy of the sun, the energy of machines, human labor, etc. are used.
RESERVES- specially protected natural areas where all types of human economic activity are prohibited. Only allowed Scientific research, observations.
RESERVES- These are specially protected natural areas in which certain types of human economic activity are allowed during a certain period of the year, which do not cause severe harm.
BIOSPHERE is a special shell of the Earth inhabited by living organisms. The boundaries of the biosphere are determined in the atmosphere by the action of UV rays (up to the ozone layer, i.e. at a height of 20-25 km), in the hydrosphere by the action of high pressure and the absence of light and lack of oxygen (at a depth of 11 km), in the lithosphere - high pressure and temperature, lack of oxygen (at a depth of up to 3 km). The doctrine of the biosphere was created by V.I. Vernadsky, but the term "biosphere" was introduced by E Suess (1873).
NOOSPHERE ("sphere of mind")- a new state of the biosphere, when its existence depends on the rational economic activity of man. The term was introduced by V.I. Vernadsky.
BIOMASS (living matter of the biosphere) is the mass of all living organisms. Distinguish between land biomass, ocean biomass, plant biomass, animal biomass, soil biomass, etc. The distribution of biomass is different: land biomass predominates in the biosphere, plant biomass predominates on land (because the accumulation of biomass in plants predominates), animal biomass predominates in the World Ocean (because organic matter produced by plants (phytoplankton and algae) does not accumulate in them, and are immediately consumed by animals). Biomass decreases from the equator to the poles.
FUNCTIONS OF LIVING SUBSTANCE are the functions of living organisms on a global scale. There are 5 main biogeochemical functions:
- Gas- living organisms, through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration, and azotobacteria, through participation in the nitrogen cycle, maintain a certain composition of the atmosphere.
- concentration- Living organisms are able to accumulate certain chemicals in themselves. Due to this, sedimentary rocks were formed on Earth (chalk, lime from calcareous shells of mollusks, protozoa; silica from radiolarian shells), iron and sulfur ores (the result of the vital activity of sulfur and iron bacteria), peat (from sphagnum deposits), deposits hard coal(from the remains of ancient ferns), etc. For example, carbon accumulates more in the body of plants, and nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus accumulate in animals.
- redox- due to the metabolism in living organisms, some substances are formed (reduced), while others decay (oxidize). For example, during photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is reduced to carbohydrates, and during respiration, they are oxidized to carbon dioxide.
- Destructive- living organisms, participating in the destruction of dead organic matter to inorganic substances, contribute to the formation of soil and the biological cycle of substances in nature, and this is the basis for the stable existence of the biosphere.
- Biochemical Various biochemical reactions are constantly taking place in living organisms.
BIOLOGICAL CYCLE OF SUBSTANCES IN THE BIOSPHERE- these are global processes of transformation of substances in nature, occurring as a result of the movement of chemicals along trophic chains. This process is the basis for the stable existence of the biosphere, i.e. all life on earth.
SOIL EROSION- the process of destruction of the fertile soil layer. Water erosion - leaching, wind erosion - weathering of the fertile layer. Causes: lack of plants, improper irrigation, improper plowing and tillage, etc.
RESISTANCE- the resistance of organisms to something.
URBANIZATION is the growth and development of cities, an increase in the share of the urban population.
AGGLOMERATION- gathering around big city nearby settlements.
MEGAPOLIS- large urban agglomerations with more than 1 million people. (Bombay, Cairo, NY, Tokyo, Shanghai, Moscow, Beijing).
RESIDENTIAL ZONE (RESIDENTIAL ZONE)- zone of location of residential, administrative buildings, objects of culture, education.
DEACTIVATION- removal of radioactive contamination from the surface of objects, structures, etc.
ENVIRONMENT CAPACITY- the size of the ability of the natural or natural-anthropogenic environment to ensure the normal life of a certain number of organisms or communities without a noticeable violation of the environment itself.
IMMIGRATION- the process of natural penetration and settlement of living organisms in places where they did not previously live.
INTRODUCTION- the process of artificial introduction of species into places where they did not previously live (for example, the North American muskrat and mink in Siberia)
RECLAIM- a set of measures to improve the water and climate regimes of agroecosystems. There are hydromelioration (irrigation, drainage), agroforestry (creation of forest belts, fixing ravines, fighting erosion, landslides, etc.)
HEAVY METALS- metal, with a density of more than 8 thousand kg / cu. m. (lead, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, antimony, tin, bismuth, mercury, copper, nickel.)
CLEANING OF DRAINS- elimination of harmful impurities from wastewater different ways: mechanical (settling, sedimentation, filtration, flotation), physical and chemical (coagulation, neutralization, chlorination, ozonation), biological (biofiltration, passage through aerotanks).
PNEUMOCONIOSIS- a group of occupational diseases caused by inhalation of dusty air (sclerotic changes occur in the lungs): silicosis - by inhalation of quartz, sand, mica; silicatosis - by inhalation of silicate dust (talc, kaolin, etc.); anthracosis - by inhalation of coal dust, aluminosis - aluminum dust; siderosilicosis - iron and quartz dust; anthrasilicosis - coal and quartz dust.
FUNGICIDES- chemicals to combat fungal diseases of cultivated plants.
INSECTICIDES- insecticides.
HERBICIDES- chemicals for weed control.
eutrophication- "blooming" of the reservoir due to the rapid reproduction of algae in it as a result of pollution with mineral fertilizers.
EREMOFITS (psammophytes)- desert plants
EREMOPHILES- desert animals
rheophytes- plants of fast-flowing rivers or the surf of the sea (often have a ribbon-like shape).
ephemeroids- perennial organisms with a very short period of development, they spend most of the year at rest. For example, snowdrops, some insects (mayflies).
PATIENTS- plants that win in the struggle for existence due to their endurance (a kind of "camels" of the plant world)
DEFLATION- the process of wind erosion (weathering of the fertile part of the soil)
SCIENCES AND THEIR OBJECT OF STUDY:
AUTECOLOGY (factorial ecology)- studies the ecology of individuals.
DEMECOLOGY- ecology of small groups (populations)
SYNECOLOGY (biocenology)- community ecology
GLOBAL ECOLOGY- the ecology of the entire planet.
BIOSPHEROLOGY- ecology of the biosphere.
GEOECOLOGY- landscape (geographical) ecology.
SOCIAL ECOLOGY- deals with issues of environmental law, education, culture, medical ecology, environmental forecasting, industrial ecology, urban ecology, etc.
SYSTEMATIC ECOLOGY- ecology of various groups of organisms (fungi, plants, animals, etc.)
ETHOLOGY The science that studies the behavior of animals.
ARACCHNOLOGY- studies spiders
ALGOLOGY- studies algae
BRYOLOGY- studies mosses
LICHENOLOGY- studies lichens
MYCOLOGY- studying mushrooms
ORNITHOLOGY- studying birds
PROTOZOOLOGY- studies protozoa
ENTOMOLOGY- studies insects
PHENOLOGY- observation of seasonal changes in nature
DENDROLOGY- study trees
DEMOGRAPHY- studies the change in the number of people, gender and age structure in countries, cities, etc.
Information taken from publicly available sources
Ecology(from the Greek "oikos" - dwelling, "logos" - science) - the science of the laws of the relationship of organisms, species, communities with the environment.
External environment - all conditions of animate and inanimate nature under which an organism exists and which directly or indirectly affect the state, development and reproduction of both individual organisms and populations.
Environmental factors(from Latin "factor" - cause, condition) - individual elements of the environment that interact with the body.
Abiotic factors(from the Greek "a" - negation, "bios" - life) - elements of inanimate nature: climatic (temperature, humidity, light), soil, orographic (relief).
Biotic factors - living organisms interacting and influencing each other.
Anthropogenic factor(from the Greek "anthropos" - a person) - the direct impact of a person on organisms or impact through a change in their habitat.
The optimal factor the most favorable intensity of the environmental factor for the organism (light, temperature, air, humidity, soil, etc.).
Limiting factor - environmental factor that goes beyond the endurance of the organism (beyond the permissible maximum or minimum): moisture, light, temperature, food, etc.
Endurance limit - limit beyond which the existence of an organism is impossible ( icy desert, hot spring, upper atmosphere). For all organisms and for each species, there are boundaries for each environmental factor separately.
Ecological plasticity - the degree of endurance of organisms or their communities (biocenoses) to the effects of environmental factors.
Climatic factors - abiotic environmental factors associated with the influx of solar energy, the direction of the winds, the ratio of humidity and temperature.
photoperiodism(from the Greek "photos" - light) - the need of organisms for a periodic change of a certain length of day and night.
Seasonal Rhythm - the response of organisms to changes in the seasons regulated by photoperiodism (with the onset of a short autumn day, leaves fall from the trees, animals prepare for overwintering; with the onset of a long spring day, plants begin to renew and the vital activity of animals is restored).
The biological clock - the reaction of organisms to the alternation during the day of a period of light and darkness of a certain duration (rest and activity in animals, daily rhythms of the movement of flowers and leaves in plants, the rhythm of cell division, the process of photosynthesis, etc.).
Hibernation - adaptation of animals to the transfer of the winter season (winter sleep).
Anabiosis(from the Greek "anabiosis" - revival) - a temporary state of the body, in which life processes are slowed down to a minimum and there are no visible signs of life (observed in cold-blooded animals in winter and in the hot period of summer).
winter calm - adaptive property of a perennial plant, which is characterized by the cessation of visible growth and vital activity, the death of above-ground shoots in herbaceous life forms and leaf fall in woody and shrubby forms.
Frost resistance - the ability of organisms to endure low negative temperatures.
ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
Ecological system - a community of living organisms and their habitats, constituting a single whole based on food relations and ways of obtaining energy.
Biogeocenosis(from the Greek "bios" - life, "geo" - earth, "tsenoz" - general) - a stable self-regulating ecological system in which organic components are inextricably linked with inorganic ones.
Biocenosis - a community of plants and animals inhabiting the same territory, interconnected in the food chain and influencing each other.
population(from the French "population" - population) - a set of individuals of the same species occupying a certain area, freely interbreeding with each other, having a common origin, genetic basis and, to one degree or another, isolated from other populations of this species.
Agrocenosis(from the Greek "agros" - field, "cenosis" - general) - a biocenosis artificially created by man. It is not able to exist for a long time without human intervention, does not have self-regulation, and at the same time is characterized by high productivity (yield) of one or more species (varieties) of plants or animal breeds.
Producers(from lat. "producentis" - producing) - green plants, producers of organic matter.
Consumers(from Latin "consumo" - to consume, spend) - herbivorous and carnivorous animals, consumers of organic matter.
decomposers(from Latin "reducer" - reduction, simplification of the structure) - microorganisms, fungi - destroyers of organic residues
Food chains- chains of interconnected species that sequentially extract organic matter and energy from the original food substance; each previous link is food for the next.
Nutritional level - one link in the food chain, represented by producers, consumers or decomposers.
Power supply networks complex relationships in the ecological system, in which different components consume different objects and themselves serve as food for various members of the ecosystem.
Ecological pyramid rule - the pattern according to which the amount of plant matter that serves as the basis of the food chain is about 10 times greater than the mass of herbivorous animals, and each subsequent food level also has a mass 10 times less.
Self-regulation in biogeocenosis- the ability to restore internal balance after any natural or anthropogenic influence.
Population fluctuation - a successive increase or decrease in the number of individuals in a population, which occurs due to changes in the season, fluctuations climatic conditions, forage harvest, natural disasters. Due to the regular repetition, fluctuations in population size are also called life waves or population waves.
Population regulation - organization of measures to regulate the number of individuals by their extermination or breeding.
Disappearing population - a population in which the number of species has declined to an acceptable minimum.
Commercial population - population, the extraction of individuals of which is economically justified and does not lead to the undermining of its resources.
Population overcrowding - a temporary state of a population in which the number of individuals exceeds the value corresponding to the conditions of normal existence. Most often associated with a change in biogeocenosis.
Density of life - the number of individuals per unit area or volume of a tone or other medium.
Self-regulation of numbers - limiting action of the ecological system, reducing the number of individuals to an average norm.
Change of biogeocenoses - the successive natural development of an ecological system, in which some biocenoses are replaced by others under the influence of natural environmental factors: swamps form in place of forests, and meadows in place of swamps. A change in biogeocenoses can also be caused by natural disasters (fire, flood, windfall, mass reproduction of pests) or human influence (deforestation, drainage or irrigation of land, earthworks).
Restoration of biocenosis - it is more natural to develop a sustainable ecological system capable of self-healing, which takes place in several stages over decades (after cutting or fire, the spruce forest is restored in more than 100 years) -
Restoration of biocenosis artificial - a set of measures to ensure the renewal of the former biocenosis by sowing seeds, planting tree seedlings, returning extinct animals.
Phytocenosis(from the Greek "phyton" - plant, "cenosis" - general) plant community, historically formed as a result of a combination of interacting plants in a homogeneous area of \u200b\u200bthe territory. It is characterized by a certain species composition, life forms, layering (aboveground and underground), abundance (frequency of occurrence of species), location, aspect ( appearance), vitality, seasonal changes, development (change of communities) .
Basic concepts and terms
1. Ecology- this is a science that studies the patterns of relationships between organisms and with the environment, the structure and functioning of supraorganismal biological systems.
2. Environmental factors- these are separate elements of the environment that interact with organisms, to which the living reacts with adaptive reactions.
3. ecological niche- this is the totality of all environmental factors within which the existence of a species in nature is possible.
4. biological optimum- this is a combination of the intensity of factors corresponding to the best indicators for the vital activity of the organism.
5. Tolerance- the ability of organisms to tolerate deviations of environmental factors from their optimal values.
6. Ecological valence- This the degree of adaptability of the species to changes in environmental conditions.
7. eurybiont It is an organism that can exist with wide changes in environmental factors.
8. stenobiont- an organism that can live only in conditions of stable constancy of any factor or groups of interacting environmental factors.
9. limiting factor- this is an environmental factor that has gone beyond the limits of the endurance of a given species and makes it difficult to exist in these conditions, despite the optimal combination of other factors.
10. photoperiodism- this is the reaction of organisms to the change of day and night, manifested in fluctuations in the intensity of physiological processes.
11. Anabiosis- this is a temporary state of the body, in which life processes are slowed down to a minimum and all visible signs of life are absent.
12. Phenology is the science of seasonal natural phenomena and seasonal aspects of life certain types organisms.
13. Biorhythms- these are periodically repeating fluctuations in the intensity and nature of biological processes and phenomena, making it possible to adapt to changes in the environment.
14. Biocenosis, or community- is an interconnected set of populations of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms inhabiting a homogeneous area of land or water.
15. Biotope- this is a relatively homogeneous space in terms of abiotic factors of the environment, occupied by one biocenosis.
16. Ecosystem- this is an evolutionarily formed, spatially limited self-sustaining and self-regulating biological system, consisting of organisms and an abiotic environment, united by the exchange of substances and energy.
17. climatetop- this is a combination of physical and chemical characteristics of the environment (gas composition, humidity, temperature, etc.) that are essential for the organisms inhabiting this environment and their communities.
18. Edaphotope, or edatope- this is a set of environmental conditions for organisms and their communities created by the soil.
19. Station - this is a part of the habitat of the species, characterized by special ecological conditions and usually used for feeding, reproduction, and experiencing adverse conditions.
20. Producers - these are autotrophic organisms that produce organic substances from inorganic ones; are the primary link in the food chains of ecosystems.
21. Consumers- These are heterotrophic organisms that consume ready-made organic substances created by autotrophic organisms.
22. Reducers - These are heterotrophic organisms that transform organic residues into inorganic substances in the course of their life.
23. Edifiers- These are species of organisms, mainly plants, that play a leading role in the organization of the structure and functioning of the ecosystem.
24. Detritus- these are small organic particles, the remains of decomposed animals, plants and fungi, together with the microorganisms contained in them; play an important role in the cycle of substances in the ecosystem.
25. Layered- this is the dismemberment of the terrestrial ecosystem into its constituent structural and functional layers.
26. Ecological pyramids- this is a graphical representation of the relationship between the main functional groups of organisms in an ecosystem, expressed in units of mass, the number of individuals or the amount of energy.
27. Biomass- this is the amount of living matter of certain organisms, expressed in units of mass or energy, per unit area or volume of an ecosystem.
28. Productivity, or production- this is the increase in living matter produced by a population or community per unit of time per unit area or volume.
29. Eutrophication- this is the accumulation of biogenic elements in aquatic ecosystems under the influence of anthropogenic or natural factors.
30. succession- this is a successive change of ecosystems that successively arise in a certain area earth's surface under the influence of external and internal processes.
31. Climax - this is the final, relatively stable state of ecosystems replacing each other, largely corresponding to the ecological conditions of a given area.
32. Agrocenosis, or agrobiocenosis is a community of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms created for the production of agricultural products, supported and regulated by man.
33. Biome- this is a combination of various groups of organisms and their habitat in a certain landscape-geographical zone.
34. Biogeochemical circulation, or biogeochemical cycles- this is a constant exchange of matter and energy between the various components of the biosphere, due to the vital activity of organisms and having a closed character.
35. Plankton - this is a set of organisms that live in the water column and are unable to actively resist the flow.
36. Benthos- a set of organisms that live at the bottom of water bodies, in its soil and on the soil.
37. Noosphere - this is the highest stage of development of the biosphere, associated with the emergence and formation of civilized mankind in it.
38. Monitoring - this is a complex system of observations, assessment and forecast of changes in the state of the biosphere or its individual elements arising under the influence of anthropogenic influences.
39. Bioindicators are organisms whose presence, quantity, or traits, the development of which serve as indicators natural processes, conditions or anthropogenic changes in the habitat.
40. Cadastre- this is a systematized set of data, including a qualitative and quantitative inventory of biological objects or phenomena with their environmental and social assessment.
GLOSSARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS
Abiotic factors - inorganic environmental factors (temperature, humidity, air pressure, relief, etc.), which together with rhetorical factors determine the conditions for the existence of organisms in a particular area.
Abrasion- the process of destruction of the shores of the seas, lakes, reservoirs by waves and surf.
Autotrophs- organisms that synthesize organic substances from inorganic substances in the process of photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
Agrobiogeocenosis - a set of organisms living on agricultural land.
Agroindustry- agricultural production on an industrial basis.
Agroforestry - a system of measures to create forest plantations in order to increase the productivity of agricultural land, to involve in the economic circulation the so-called inconvenient waste lands (sands, ravines, steep slopes, washed-out lands), as well as to improve the conditions of water and land transport and the general mitigation of the hydroclimatic conditions of arid districts.
Agrocenosis(from the Greek "agros" - field, "cenosis" - general) - a biocenosis artificially created by man. It is not able to exist for a long time without human intervention, does not have self-regulation, and at the same time is characterized by high productivity (yield) of one or more species (varieties) of plants or animal breeds.
Adaptation- the process of developing adaptations of organisms to the conditions of existence.
Aquaculture- a system of measures for the artificial breeding of various food and industrial plants and animals in water bodies.
Acclimatization- adaptation of plants or animals to new or changed conditions of existence, in which they go through all stages of development and give viable offspring.
Allen's rule- in animals inhabiting colder parts of the range, the protruding parts of the body (limbs, tail, auricles, etc.) are smaller than in representatives of the same species of species close to them from warmer areas.
Anabiosis- a temporary state of the body, in which life processes are slowed down to a minimum and all species signs of life are absent (observed in cold-blooded animals in winter and in the hot period of summer).
anaerobic organisms - organisms that can live and develop in the absence of oxygen in the environment.
Anthropogenic factor (from the Greek "anthropos" - a person) - the direct impact of a person on organisms or impact through a change in their habitat.
Anthropogenic landscape - a landscape formed as a result of human impact on the natural landscape.
Anthropogenic press - the impact of human economic activity on nature and its resources.
areapart of the earth's surface within which it is distributed this species or taxon of a higher rank.
arid regions- desert, semi-desert and other arid regions of the globe.
Atmosphere- a shell of air around the earth, protecting all living things from the destructive effects of space.
Aerobic organisms - organisms that can live and develop only in the presence of oxygen in the environment.
Aeroplankton- microscopic organisms that live in the atmosphere.
Aeroponics- growing plants without soil in the air.
Aerotanks- special facilities for biological wastewater treatment by filtering them through coarse-grained materials replaced by aerobic microorganisms.
Bergman's rule - in animals of the same species or in a group of related species, body sizes are larger in the cold parts of the range and smaller in its warmer parts (body sizes increase with latitude).
Biogeocenosis(from the Greek "bios" - life, "geo" - earth, "cenosis" - general) - a stable self-regulating ecological system in which organic components are inextricably linked with inorganic ones.
Biological control methods - the use of predators and pathogens to control plant pests.
biological balance - the desire to preserve the dynamic stability of natural complexes (biogeocenoses).
Biome- a set of plant and animal species of any region (tundra, taiga, deciduous forests, deserts, etc.).
Biomass- the mass of the living matter of an organism, population or aggregate of populations of a species in a particular territory (water area).
Biotechnology- a system of measures aimed at increasing the number of game animals and improving their living conditions (feeding, arranging watering places, improving nesting and protective conditions, disease control, predator control, selection, etc.).
Bioticcirculation of substances - the constant circulation of substances between the soil, flora and fauna and microorganisms.
The biological clock - the reaction of organisms to the alternation of a day of a period of light and darkness of a certain duration (rest and activity in animals, daily rhythms of the movement of flowers and leaves in plants, the rhythm of cell division, the process of photosynthesis, etc.).
Biotic potential - theoretically the maximum rate of increase in the population of a species.
Biotope- a section of the earth's surface occupied by one or another biocenosis of the same environmental conditions.
Biocenosis- a community of plants and animals inhabiting the same territory, interconnected in the food chain and influencing each other.
household emissions- household waste entering the biosphere and polluting water, air and soil.
View- a set of populations, individuals capable of interbreeding with the formation of fertile offspring, inhabiting a certain area, having a number of common morphophysiological features and types of relationships with the abiotic and biotic environment and separated from other similar groups of individuals by the almost complete absence of hybrid forms.
Externalenvironment - all conditions of animate and inanimate nature under which an organism exists and which directly or indirectly affect the state, development and reproduction of both individual organisms and populations.
Water industry - group of industries National economy involved in the accounting, use and protection of water resources.
Biocenosis restoration - the natural development of a sustainable ecological system capable of self-healing, which takes place in several stages over decades (after cutting or fire, the spruce forest is restored in more than 100 years).
Restoration of biocenosis artificial - a set of measures to ensure the restoration of the former biocenosis by sowing seeds, planting tree seedlings, returning extinct animals.
gene pool- in a broad sense, the totality of genetic information of the entire species diversity of flora and fauna.
herbicides- chemicals for the destruction of weeds and other unwanted vegetation.
Heterotrophs- organisms that feed on autotrophs, since they themselves are not able to synthesize organic substances from inorganic ones.
Hydroponics- growing plants without soil, while their roots are immersed in aquatic environment containing essential nutrients.
Hydrosphere- the water shell of the planet (rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, etc.).
Gloger rule- geographical races of animals in warm and humid areas are more pigmented than in cold and dry ones.
Humid areas wet regions of the world.
Humus- soil organic matter.
Demography- a science that studies the population, the patterns of its development, composition, distribution, reproduction and socio-historical conditioning.
Detritus- dead organic matter (usually animals or plants), partially mineralized, suspended in the water column or settled to the bottom.
Deflation- wind erosion.
Defoliation- removal of leaves with the help of chemicals. It is used for deleafing before harvesting cotton, fruit seedlings for drying seed plants of vegetable crops, alfalfa.
life form- a group of plant or animal species of similar appearance, caused by the same adaptations to the conditions of existence. Species of the same life form can be related to varying degrees (belonging to different genera, families, orders).
Reserves- areas of nature in which for a number of years (or constantly) in certain seasons or all year round certain species of plants, animals or parts of natural complex. Economic use other resources is allowed in a form that does not cause damage to the protected object.
Reserve- a territory completely withdrawn from economic use in order to preserve and study the natural objects and processes existing there. It serves as a standard of biogeocenoses and a scientific laboratory in nature.
Salinization- accumulation in the soil of an excess amount of salts harmful to plants.
Land Fund of Russia - the whole land of Russia. Lands for economic purposes are part of the land fund of Russia.
Irrigated agricultural fields (AIP) - specialized ameliorative systems designed to receive pre-treated wastewater in order to use it for irrigation and fertilization of agricultural land, as well as post-treatment in natural conditions.
winter calm- adaptive property of perennial racestenia, which is characterized by the cessation of visible growth and vital activity, the death of above-ground shoots in herbaceous lifeforms and leaf fall in woody and shrubby forms.
Hibernation- adaptation of animals to the transfer of the winter season (winter sleep).
ZoophagesAnimals that feed on other animals.
Zoocenosis- a community of animals included in the biocenosis.
Insecticides- chemicals for destructionharmful insects.
Integrated plant protection method - complex method (agro-economic, physico-chemical, biological)control of pests and pathogens of plant diseases in order tosuppression of their numbers.
Introduction- intentional or accidental transfer of racesshadows or importation of animals and plants (introducers) to new paradisesareas where they did not previously inhabit, outside the natural areadistribution.
Infauna- a set of animals living in the thickness of the soil and water bodies.
Endangered population - population, number of speciesthe second fell to the accepted minimum.
quarantine service - a set of measures to protect the growthfrom the introduction and invasion of dangerous pests, diseases and weeds.
climatic factors - abiotic environmental factors associated with the influx of solar energy, the direction of windmoat, the ratio of humidity and temperature.
Combined wastewater treatment method - neutralization living and cleaning industrial, agricultural, communicationsdomestic sewage mechanical, physico-chemical andbiological methods.
Population fluctuation - a successive increase or decrease in the number of individuals in a population, which occurs due to changes in the season, fluctuations in climatic conditions, fodder yields, natural disasters. Thanks toregular repetition fluctuations in the population of nazathey are also life waves or population waves.
Consumers- (from the Latin "consumo" - to use, racewalk) - herbivores and carnivores, consumewhether organic matter.
contact insecticide - chemical toxic substances that kill insects on contact with their outer covers.
Red Book- Questionnaire list of endangered animals or plants.
xerophytization- desertification of the area. Xerophytes - plants living in arid areas (deserts, dry steppes, etc.).
Landscape- a natural-territorial complex with a predominance of one type of biogeocenosis, usually a small area (at least a few square kilometers).
Littoral- the coastal strip, the area of high and low tide.
Lithosphere- the upper hard shell of the globe.
marginal lands - literally marginal lands. Land plots on which agricultural production is difficult due to soil, climatic and other conditions (semi-deserts, dry savannahs, etc.).
Reclamation- activities aimed at radical improvement of land.
habitat- a part of the natural environment in which one or another species of animals or plants lives.
Biological wastewater treatment method - mineralization of organic pollution of sewage with the help of aerobic (with oxygen access) biochemical processes in natural (irrigated agricultural fields) or artificial conditions.
Method of mechanical wastewater treatment - removal of heterogeneous undissolved impurities from wastewater with the help of special devices and structures.
Mechanical methods of pest control - extermination of pests (insects, rodents, etc.) using the simplest mechanical devices (baits, traps, barrage ditches) or manually.
Migration- movement of people, animals in space and along the soil profile.
Microclimate- the climate of small plots of land.
Monitoring- an integrated system of monitoring, evaluation andforecast of the state of the environment or its individual elements.
Frost resistance - the ability of organisms to endure low negative temperatures.
IUCN- international union nature conservation and natural resources.
Violatedlands - plots on which, as a result of economic activity, vegetation has been destroyed, the soil cover has been destroyed, the hydrological regime and terrain have been changed.
Noosphere- the stage of development of the biosphere, during which the use of natural resources occurs according to strictly scientific principles, which contributes to the harmonious existence of man and nature.
Afforestation of the sands - fixation of sands with trees and shrubs.
Circulating (closed) water supply cycle - reuse water, reducing its consumption and the degree of pollution of wastewater.
limiting factor - an environmental factor that goes beyond the endurance of the organism (beyond the permissible maximum or minimum): moisture, light, temperature, food, etc.
Optimal Factor - the most favorable intensity of the environmental factor for the body (light, temperature, air, humidity, soil, etc.).
Ornithology- the science that studies the life of birds.
Wastewater treatment plant - engineering and technical structures and devices for the treatment of industrial, agricultural and domestic waste polluting the environment.
Monuments of nature - separate guarded natural objects of great scientific historical and cultural significance.
pasture erosion - destruction of the soil as a result of unmoderate grazing without taking into account the norms of grazing.
MPC- maximum permissible concentrations of impurities of harmful substances in water, air, etc., which do not have a harmful effect on humans, animals, plants.
Pesticides- chemicals used to control unwanted economic, veterinary or medical organisms.
Population overcrowding - a harmful state of the population, in which the number of individuals exceeds the value corresponding to the conditions of normal existence. Most often associated with a change in biogeocenosis.
Food (trophic) chains - the transfer of food energy from its source (plants) through a number of organisms, occurring by eating some organisms by others.
nutritional level- one link in the food chain, represented by producers, consumers or decomposers.
Fertility- the ability of the soil to provide water to plants, nutrients, air.
density of life- the number of individuals per unit area or volume of a particular environment.
Protective afforestation - artificially grown forest plantations in order to preserve the fertility of arable land and protect crops from droughts, dry winds and erosion.
population(from French "population" - population) - a set of individuals of the same species occupying a certain area, freely interbreeding with each other, having a common origin, its genetic basis, to some extent isolated from other populations of this species.
soil formation - the process of soil development under the influence of natural factors and human production impact.
Ecological pyramid rule - a pattern according to which the amount of plant matter that serves backbone of the food chain, about 10 times more than the mass grow carnivorous animals, and each subsequent food level also weighs 10 times less.
endurance limit - the boundary beyond which the existence of an organism is impossible (icy desert, hot spring, upper atmosphere). For all organisms and for each species, there are boundaries for each environmental factor separately.
Natural resources - objects, conditions and processes of nature that are used or can be used in social production to meet the material, scientific and cultural needs of society.
Natural national park ~ a piece of nature allocated for nature conservation and recreation.
Producers(from lat. "producentis" - producing) - green plants (autotrophs) that produce organic substances in the process of photosynthesis.
commercial population - a population, the extraction of individuals of which is economically justified and does not lead to the undermining of its resources.
Reacclimatization - settlement of animal or plant species within the area of its past distribution.
Population regulation - organization of measures to regulate the number of individuals by their extermination or breeding.
decomposers(from the Latin "reducer" - reduction, simplification structures) - organisms that destroy and decompose dead racestenia and animals (many insects, worms, fungi, bacteria, etc.).
Reserve- protected areas of nature in a number of foreign countries close in terms of regime and purpose to Russian wildlife sanctuaries.
recreation- rest, recuperation, treatment using favorable natural conditions.
Land reclamation - restoration of disturbed landsvarious methods (mining, biological) for subsequent economic use.
Repellents- substances that repel animals. Usually used as ointments, creams or liquids to repel blood-sucking insects and mites. They are also used to scare away rodents, hares, ungulates from fruit and forest plantations, etc.
Sanitary protection zones - forest strips or plots of land separating enterprises and residential areas.
Self-regulation in the biocenosis - the ability to restore internal balance after any natural or anthropogenic influence.
Self-regulation of numbers - the limiting effect of the ecological system, reducing the number of individuals to an average norm.
Seasonal Rhythmis a photoperiod-controlled response. organisms to change the season (when the autumn short day comes, the leaves fall from the trees, the animals prepare for overwintering, when the long spring day comes, the renewal of plants and the restoration of the vital activity of animals begin).
sel- a mud or mud-stone stream that suddenly arises in the channels of mountain rivers due to a sharp flood, which has great destructive power and often causes damage to agricultural land and forests.
Serpentarium- nursery for maintenance poisonous snakes in order to get poison from them.
Power networks- complex relationships in the ecological system, in which different components consume different objects and themselves serve as food for various members of the ecosystem.
Sinanthropes- plants and animals whose way of life is associated with a person, his housing, the landscape created or modified by him.
synecology- a section of ecology that studies communities of organisms (biocenoses, ecosystems).
Change of biogeocenoses - successive natural development of the ecological system, in which some biocenoses are replaced by others under the influence of natural environmental factors: swamps form in place of forests, meadows in place of swamps. A change in biogeocenoses can also be caused by natural disasters (fire, flood, windfall, mass reproduction of pests) or human influence (deforestation, drainage or irrigation of land, earthworks).
Smog- thick fogs containing dust and harmful gases.
HabitatThe set of conditions in which an organism lives.
Station- a section of space characterized by a set of conditions (relief, climate, food, etc.) necessary for the existence of a given species.
succession- change of one community of organisms (biocenosis) by another in a certain sequence.
Taxon- a group of organisms related by one degree or another of kinship, sufficiently isolated so that it can be assigned a certain taxocomic category of one rank or another - species, genus, etc.
Terrilogythe branch of zoology that studies mammals.
Trophic level - a set of organisms united by the type of food.
Ubiquists- species of plants and animals that can develop normally in a variety of conditions. The same as the cospo-polites.
Urbanization- the growth and development of cities associated with industrialization and the scientific and technological revolution.
Harvest on the vine- biological yield, that is, the amount of finished products before harvesting.
Disposal- the use of industrial waste in the national economy.
FAO- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Fauna- a set of animal species that live in a certain area.
Phenology is the science of seasonal natural phenomena.
Pheromones- biologically active substances secreted by animals to attract individuals of the opposite sex.
Phytomelioration- measures to improve land throughcrops and plantings.
Phytoncides- biologically active substances formed by plants that kill or inhibit the growth and development of pathogens and play an important role in plant immunity.
Phytophages- Animals that eat plants.
Phytocenosis(from the Greek "phyton" - plants, "cenosis" - general) - a plant community that has historically developed as a result of a combination of interacting plants in a homogeneous area of \u200b\u200bthe territory. It is characterized by a certain species composition, life forms, layering (underground and aboveground), abundance (frequency of occurrence of species), location, aspect (appearance), vitality, seasonal changes, development (change of communities). (Or more simply: phytocenosis is a community of plants included in biogeocenosis (see).
Flora- a set of plant species that grow in a certain area.
photoperiodism(from the Greek "photos" - light) - the need of organisms for a periodic change of a certain length of day and night.
Photosynthesis- the formation of organic substances, carbon dioxide and water in the cells of green plants with the help of solar energy captured by chlorophyll.
Fumigants- preparations used for the destruction of pests and pathogens of plant diseases; act on the respiratory system.
Homing- attachment of animals to their habitat.
Food chains- chains of interconnected species that sequentially extract organic matter and energy from the original food substance; each previous link is food for the next.
Shelf- coastal area of the sea, bordering the mainland withdepths from 0 to 200 m. The outer edge of the shelf is a continental slope, descending to the bottom of the sea.
eurybionts- Plants and animals that can exist with wide changes in environmental factors.
Eurythermal organisms - able to exist at large fluctuations in the temperature of the environment.
Eutrophication- excessive enrichment of water bodies with organic substances.
Ecology(from the Greek "oikos" - dwelling, "logos" - science) - the science of the laws of the relationship of organisms, species, communities with the environment.
Ecological valence - the degree of adaptation of species to changes in environmental conditions.
ecological niche - the totality of all environmental factors within which the existence of a species in nature is possible.
Ecological crisis - imbalance in the environment some systems and in the relationship of human society with nature.
Ecological plasticity - the degree of endurance of organisms or their communities (biocenoses) to the impact of environmental factors.
ecological system - community of living organisms their habitat, which is a single whole based on food ties and ways of obtaining energy.
Environmental factor - any environmental condition to which the willow organism reacts adaptive reactions. Eco friendly sky factors are divided into abiotic, biotic, anthropogenic.
environmental education - the formation of a person's conscious attitude to the natural environment in order to protect and rationally use natural resources.
Endemics- plant or animal species not found anywhere elsede, except for the given locality (mainland, countries, regions, seas, etc.).
Entomology- the science of insects.
Entomophages- organisms that feed on insects.
Erosion- the process of destruction and beveling of soils by water and wind, leading to a decrease in their fertility and a violation of the role of soils in the circulation of substances in the biosphere.
Ethology- the science of the biological foundations of animal behavior.
UNEP- United Nations Environment Program. Intergovernmental program proclaimed by the UN Stockholm Conference on Environmental Protection (1972) and approved General Assembly United Nations in 1973. Focused on critical issues state of the art environment (combating desertification, protecting the oceans, rain rainforest etc.).
UNESCO- intergovernmental organization - a specialized agency of the United Nations for education, science and culture.
Layered- dismemberment of the plant community into th horizontal layers located at different heights above the ground.
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