Unit 4 Vocabulary Review

canopy: treetop layer of the forest
carbon cycle: nutrient cycle that moves and balances carbon on earth
chlorophyll: green pigment in leaves that captures the sun's energy for photosynthesis
consumer: a living thing in a food chain that relies on other organisms for food
decomposer: a living thing that breaks down wastes and dead or decaying organisms
ecosystem: a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms in the environment
environment: the air, water, minerals, organisms, and everything else that surrounds a living thing
food chain: the path through which energy flows from one organism to another in an ecosystem
forest floor: bottom layer of the forest – the ground and any organisms and litter on it
habitat: the environmental area where a particular organism or group of organisms is located
natural resource: any material in the environment that can be used
nitrogen cycle: nutrient cycle that moves and balances nitrogen on Earth
organism: a form of life that stands on its own, such as a plant or animal
phosphorus cycle: nutrient cycle that moves and balances phosphorus on Earth
photosynthesis: a process through which plants use energy from the sun, carbon dioxide, and water to make food
producer: an organism at the beginning of a food chain that has the ability to make its own food
species: a group of organisms that are similar in appearance and can breed to produce fertile offspring
understory: middle layer of the forest, under the canopy and above the forest floor
water cycle: nutrient cycle that moves and balances water on Earth

annual: a plant that lives for only one growing season
coniferous: trees that produce cones
conservationist: a person who practises conservation, taking actions that preserve and protect natural resources
cultivation: the action of preparing ground, planting, and tending to plants in an effort to get them to grow
deciduous: trees that lose their leaves seasonally
dichotomous: involving two choices [A dichotomous key uses a series of two-option decisions to identify an organism.]
evergreen: trees that keep their leaves all year round
perennial: a plant that has a life cycle of more than two years
tree cookie: a slice through a tree trunk used to count tree rings
tree ring: a ring in the trunk of a tree that represents a year of growth

climate change: a lasting change to average global weather and temperature conditions
deforestation: the permanent removal of forest and trees to prepare land for other uses
environmentalist: a person who takes actions to improve and protect the quality of the environment
erosion: the wearing away of rocks and dirt by the action of water, ice, wind, or other forces
greenhouse effect: process that warms the earth by trapping heat in the atmosphere
larva: the juvenile form in an insect’s life cycle  (For example, maggots are the larvae of flies.)
lumberjack: forestry industry worker responsible for cutting trees
mountain pine beetle: a beetle that causes disease and death in pine trees
national park: a protected natural area under the management of the national government
provincial park: a protected natural area under the management of a provincial government