Unit 4 Vocabulary Review

organism: a form of life
adaptation: a structure or function that suits an organism to its environment; a change in behaviour that allows an organism to be fitted better to survive
trait: inherited genetic characteristic
reeds: straight stalks of various grasses
rushes: any of several wetland plants with round and hollow stalks or leaves
cattails: marsh plant with dense clusters of small brown flowers
lily pads: large floating leaf of a water lily
microscopic: something so small that it is visible only with a microscope
shrimp: small water crustacean (shellfish)
dragonflies: large insect with outstretched double wings (from 1 cm to as much as 10 cm long)
ecosystem: a community of living and non-living organisms interconnected with each other
wetland: lowland area saturated with water and provides habitat for wildlife
bog: wet, spongy, acidic area containing sphagnum moss and peat
marsh: area of soft, wet, low-lying land characterized by grassy vegetation and often forming a transition between water and land
swamp: seasonally-flooded lowland with woody plants (trees) and some drainage
fen: low, flat swampy land similar to a bog or marsh
peat: partially decayed vegetable matter (usually mosses) found in bogs, sometimes used as fuel as well as to improve clay soils
saturated: soaked with water; drenched; cannot hold any more water
precipitation: water in the form of rain, show ,dew, sleet, etc.; formed by condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere
groundwater: water beneath the earth’s surface, filling spaces in soil and rocks
sphagnum moss: moss common in wetlands; moss that forms peat when it decomposes
flooding: excess of water due to rainfall or other precipitation
erosion: loss of soil that is washed away during rainfall
habitat: home or area in which an organism lives
greenhouse gases: gases that trap heat in earth’s atmosphere
drought: shortage of water due to low rainfall
indicator (species): organism that is extremely sensitive to changes in the environment
porous: quality of having many tiny holes or pores
life cycle: stages of growth an organism goes through from birth until death
structure: part of an organism’s body; often, the skeleton
behaviour: actions of  an organism
carr: shallow wetlands that have drier islands of land covered with woody shrubs

food chain: system of organisms interrelated by their feeding habits
food web: the relationships of the food chains within an ecological community
producers: organisms that provide something for others to use as food
consumers: organisms that feed on other plants or animals
decomposers: organisms that break down the cells of dead plants and animals
habitat: the natural environment of an organism
fungi: an organism that feeds off dead or decaying matter
bacteria: microscopic organisms

threat: indication of probable trouble
conservation: careful use of a natural resource to prevent depletion
ecology: relations and interactions among organisms and the environment
endangered: threatened with extinction
agriculture: activities related to farming, especially crops
biodiversity: diversity of plants and animals within an environment
urban: areas that have been developed into cities