Acid Rain: Rain with a high level of acidity caused generally by pollution
by oxides of nitrogen and sulphur produced by coal and oil combustion.
The oxides combine with water in the atmosphere forming acids
such as nitric and sulphuric acids. Acid rain has caused the deaths of countless living organisms
both by producing a high level acidity and by leaching metal ions from
the soil into rivers and lakes. The effects can be disastrous to all ecosystems.
A variety of deposits or sediments that are deposited by wind and
consist of sand or dust (loess).
organism which can live and grow only in the presence of free oxygen.
Aerobic: Where molecular oxygen is part of the environment.
Anaerobic: Where molecular oxygen is absent from the environment.
Autotroph: An organism that needs only simple inorganic compounds to grow,
such as carbon dioxide. Most plants and some bacteria are autotrophic.
Bag Limits: Refers
to the number of animals a hunter may legally harvest during one hunting
Bedrock: The solid
rock that lies under unconsolidated deposits of soil, sand, clay, and gravel on the earth's surface.
process in which a substance or material can be broken down into simpler
compounds by microorganisms and other decomposers such as fungi.
Biomass: Total weight of the organisms constituting a given trophic level
or population, or inhabiting a defined area.
Biome: A major
ecological community of organisms, occupying a large area.
Biosphere: Part of the earth and its atmosphere in which organisms live.
The biosphere is a very thin layer and includes the land surface and
subsurface, the world ocean, and a thin part of the troposphere.
Biota: The flora and fauna of a particular area
A component of a succession in which the composition of
communities is controlled by interactions among different species rather
than by physical characteristics
habitat that is identical in its main climatic, soil and biotic
naturally occurring population consisting of individuals with the same
general geological term for various solid and semi-solid hydrocarbons.
Blue List: A list generated by the Alberta Wildlife Management Division that indicates the status of a species. Species are placed on the Blue List when current knowledge suggests that these species may be at risk. These species have undergone non-cyclical declines in population or habitat, or reductions in provincial distribution.
Bog: Also known as
"muskeg", bogs consist of a thick ground cover layer of
sphagnum moss, and may also be covered in a black spruce or larch
forest. Open water is rare, but the water table is very close to
the surface. Bogs are acidic and very low in nutrients.
Very poorly developed soil with a thin topsoil layer. Common in
the Foothills and at low elevations in the Rocky Mountain regions.
Carbon Cycle: The circulation of carbon through
ecosystems. Carbon atoms from carbon dioxide are incorporated into organic compounds formed by
green plants during photosynthesis. These compounds are eventually oxidized during respiration by the
plants, which made them, or by herbivores, carnivores and saprophytes,
thus releasing carbon dioxide for further photosynthesis.
Carnivore: A flesh-eating animal or plant. Carnivores are usually secondary consumers in the food chain and
are members of the Carnivora. They are primarily predatory, placental mammals that have large, canine teeth
and sharp molars or pre-molars.
Maximum number of species which an area can support during the
harshest part of the year or the maximum biomass which it can maintain
A productive, well-developed soil with a thick, rich topsoil
layer. These soils are found in the grassland and aspen parkland
natural regions. The best agricultural land in Alberta is on this
Classification: Biological classification is a naming system for all organisms
based primarily on structural criteria and arranges organisms in a
hierarchy of groups that reflect evolutionary relationships. Generally the smallest group is the species but sub-species
and varieties may also be identified. The classification system helps in the rapid identification of
organisms and indicates their natural interrelationships.
Climate: The long
term or integrated manifestation of weather.
Climatology: The study of climates over a long period of time.
Colluvial: Pertaining to loose sediment deposits usually found at the base of a cliff or slope brought there mainly by gravity.
controlled biological decomposition of organic solid waste under aerobic
conditions. Organic waste materials are transformed into soil
amendments such as humus or mulch.
largest and most widely distributed order of gymnosperms, containing
about 49 genera with approximately 570 species most of which are evergreen trees. Conifers
are particularly abundant in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere where they form the climax vegetation. Typically, conifers show a pyramidal growth pattern and bear
simple leaves, often needles or scales. Conifers are also commercially important as a source of timber
for the papermaking, building, and furniture industries. They are generally faster growing and develop a less dense wood
than other trees. They are also known as softwood trees or Coniferales.
The Coniferous forest, also known as the Taiga or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. It is also found at cool high elevations in the more temperate latitudes, for example, in much of the mountainous western region of North America. Long, cold winters, and short, occasionally warm, wet summers are typical of this region. The soil is thin, nutrient poor, and acidic. Within a coniferous forest there is usually only one or a few species of trees in a stand in any particular area. These may include different species of spruce, pine, or fir, and often there is sparse undergrowth present. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels and jays, herbivores such as leaf eating insects and larger browsing animals such as deer, moose, elk, snowshoe hare, and beavers. The typical predators for this area are grizzly bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines. Many have thick coats of fur to insulate against the cold, and many of them go into hibernation during the long, cold winter months.
Conservation: The planning and management of resources so as to secure their
wise use and continuity of supply while maintaining and enhancing their
quality, value, and diversity.
organism that feeds on other living organisms, for example animals and
parasitic plants would be considered consumers. In a food chain,
herbivores that eat green plants are primary consumers and carnivores
that eat herbivores are secondary consumers.
The evolutions of two different groups of organisms so that they
come to closely resemble one another. Also known as convergence.
Convivium: A population differentiated within the species and isolated
geographically, usually sub-species and/or ecotypes.
Coulee: A deep gulch
or ravine formed by water erosion. Today they are often dry or have
an underfit stream flowing through them. In Alberta, many coulees
resulted from rapid flow of glacial melt water.
Cryosolic soil: Mineral or organic soils that have a permanently frozen layer within one metre of the soil's surface.
In the Northern Hemisphere these forest types are often referred to as
"Deciduous Summer Forests" and typically have a 5-6 month growing season that may range from between 150 to 200 days. About 30 to 60 inches of rain falls each year, and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the
year. The soils of the deciduous forest are relatively fertile, due to plenty of leaf litter. There is extensive plant diversity in the deciduous forest dominated by broadleaf deciduous hardwood trees such as oak, hickory, maple, ash, beech and others. The forests consist of 3-5 layers, which are relatively open with rich ground flora. There are usually one or two strata of trees, an understory of shrubs, and low growing forbs. Animals that typically inhabit
the deciduous forests' of North America are bears, deer, bobcats, raccoons, squirrels, as well as many birds and invertebrates. The greatest concentration of animals is on and just below the forest floor.
process which separates materials into constituent parts of elements or
into simpler compounds; to undergo chemical breakdown; decay or rot as a
result of microbial or fungal action.
Deforestation: The permanent removal of forest and undergrowth.
Desert: An area
where evaporation exceeds precipitation, for whatever reason, with
consequent lack of vegetation. Evaporation
rates will vary, according to temperature, but less than 25 centimeters
of rain annually will produce a desert in almost any temperature range.
Detritus: Sediments or
fragments of loose, disaggregated rock are known as detritus.
These fragments are angular and of varying size, and are easily
transportable. They accumulated at the base of slopes.
usually applied to events or cycles that repeat on daily intervals.
Dolostone: A carbonate sedimentary rock
that is crystalline in form and generally light colored. Dolostone
is often found in montane areas or alluvial plain. The main feature
of dolostone is that it is composed of (or contains a large proportion
of) calcium-magnesium carbonate (dolomite), that distinguishes it from
limestone which is predominantly calcium carbonate.
Drought: A long
period of unusually low rainfall resulting in parched ground and
abnormal withering of vegetation. A drought is defined arbitrarily to suit the region. For example:
a period of 4 months without rain would be regarded as a drought only if
people were unprepared for it and it was not normal. However, in a desert region, a drought might be considered a
succession of unusually dry years. From most perspectives drought
is the norm on the prairies of North America.
study of relationships between living organisms and their environment.
Ecoregion: A part of an ecozone characterized by distinctive regional ecological
factors, including climate, physiography, vegetation, soil, water and fauna.
Ecosphere: The biosphere together with all the ecological factors that
operate upon organisms.
Ecosystem: A community of interdependent organisms together with the
environment that they inhabit and with which they interact.
Ecotone: A transitional zone between two habitats.
sub-specific group that is genetically adapted to a particular habitat,
but can interbreed with other ecotypes (or ecospecies) of the same
species without loss of fertility.
Ecozone: An area at the earth's surface representative of large and very generalized
ecological units characterized by various abiotic and biotic factors.
that is discharged into the soil, air or water.
Endangered Species: According to the Alberta Wildlife Act a species whose present existence in Alberta is in danger of extinction within the next decade
Environment: The physical, chemical and biotic conditions surrounding an
Wetlands that fill with water in the spring but are dry by the end of
Epiphyte: A plant
that has no roots in the soil and lives above the ground surface,
supported by another plant or object. It obtains its nutrients
from the air, rain water, and from organic debris on its support.
Erosion: The breaking
down or removal of rock material or soil by running water, glaciers,
ice, or wind.
Escarpment: A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.
Extirpated Species: According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada an extirpated species is one that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but occurs elsewhere
Family: A major
category in the taxonomic hierarchy, comprising groups of similar
genera. Families are thought by some to represent the highest natural grouping. The Latin names of families usually end in the suffix aceae.
Groups of similar families are placed in orders. Large families may be split into tribes.
Fen: Nutrient rich, organic wetland influenced by mineral-bearing groundwater. Forms a moderately decomposed peat near the top. The surface is usually level and mostly covered with sedges, brown mosses, grasses and willow and birch trees and shrubs.
Solid particles in the oil sand tailing that remain suspended in water,
rather than settling to the bottom. It is usually the clay and
silt that forms the fine tailings. It forms a gel-like material
that releases water very slowly. It is fairly stable, but not
solid enough to be handled like a solid.
of a particular region or from a particular time period.
Fluvial landform: A piece of land shaped or produced by river action.
Food Chain: A number of organisms forming a series through which energy is
passed. At the base of the chain (the producer, or first trophic level) there is always a green
plant or other autotrophy that traps energy, almost always from light,
and produces food substances, thereby making energy available for the
other (consumer) levels. Any natural community will have many interlinked food chains that make up a
food web or food cycle.
Food Web: A diagram
that represents the feeding relationships between organisms within an
ecosystem. Food webs generally consist of a series of
interconnecting food chains and it is important to understand that they
are representative diagrams -- only some of the many possible
relationships can be sown in such a diagram and it is typical to include
only one or two carnivores at the highest level.
Forbs: Any plant
species, excluding grasses, that lacks the woody stems of trees and
Genus: An important rank in the taxonomic hierarchy which is subordinate to family
but above the rank of species. It is a group of obviously homogeneous species. Collections of genera (plural) are grouped into families.
Large genera may be further subdivided into sections and series and even
More often referred to as "glacial diamicton" glacial drift is
essentially surface material picked up and deposited by a glacier. Also
known as "till".
large mass of ice formed, at least in part, on land by the compaction
and recrystallization of snow, moving slowly down slope or outward in
all directions due to the stress of its own weight and surviving from
year to year. The term "glacier" is usually, though not
exclusively, confined to ice bodies that are constrained by
valleys. Ice bodies that are continental in scale are usually
called "ice sheets".
Deposits of sediment on the bottom of rivers, deposited either by rivers
or by meltwaters which could have taken different flow forms, that helped to drain the melting glaciers. The drift that was released from the
ice was carried away by the rivers. Lighter materials like sand,
silt and clay remained suspended in the river water and were carried
downstream, while the heavier materials like rock and gravel
(sedimentary rocks) were
deposited on the riverbed.
Deposits: Sand, silt and clay deposited on the bottom of huge
temporary lakes that formed either due to the melting glacial ice or by
the blocking out of outlets for meltwater. Sand,
silt and clay remains suspended in fast-moving river water, but in
slow-moving water such as lakes these fine materials are
deposited. These deposits are the foundation for some of the best
agricultural lands in Alberta.
Gleysolic Soil: A
distinctive soil that results from being saturated with water for long
periods of time. This soil is not productive, and is unable to
Green List: A list generated by the Alberta Wildlife Management Division that indicates the status of a species. Species are placed on the Green List when they are not considered to be at risk. Populations are stable and key habitats are generally secure.
Habitat: The natural
areas in which a plant or animal species live.
Heterotroph: An organism that depends for its nourishment on organic matter
already produced by other organisms. All animals and fungi are
heterotrophs. Parasitic plants and many bacteria also exhibit
Herbivore: Any organism that eats only plant material. Herbivores are considered primary consumers in the food web and eat plants that absorb and store energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Carnivores, which are considered secondary or tertiary consumers prey upon herbivores.
secure area, usually a cave or a den of some sort, used by hibernating
animals while in a state of torpor. Most hibernacula are
dark and secluded so as to keep the hibernating animal out of harms way
from predators or human disturbance.
Hibernation: Hibernation is a state of inactivity in an animal and may be viewed as a survival strategy that can be very successful in environments in which food is scarce or just difficult to find during a long, cold winter season. Dropping into deep hibernation or into a torpid state allows the animal to use their body's energy reserves at a slower rate than they would if they were maintaining themselves at their typical basal metabolic rate. Some ecologists refer to hibernation as "time migration". Hibernation allows the animal to skip over the cold, stressful seasons and only expend itself fully in those months of abundant food and moderate climatic conditions. A major disadvantage to hibernation, though, is that the hibernating animal is quite defenseless when it is in a deep hibernative or even torpid state. A very secure hibernating den (the "hibernaculum") is needed to protect the inactive animal.
Holocene Epoch: The Holocene
is the name given to the last 10,000 years of the Earth's history.
In Alberta, the Holocene encompasses the time since the last major
glaciation or ice age. Since then, there have been small-scale climate shifts, notably the
Little Ice Age between about 1200 and 1700 A.D., but in general, the Holocene has been a relatively warm period
since the last ice age.
Humus: The soft, moist,
amorphous black or dark brown organic matter in soil derived from
decaying plant and animal remains. It provides nutrients for
plants and can increase the soil's ability to hold water.
Invertebrate: Organisms that do not have a spinal cord covered by protective
vertebrae. Invertebrates make up most of the animals on earth. Some examples
include insects (arthropods), earthworms (annelids), and snails (molluscs).
highest level in the classification hierarchy. Traditionally all organisms have been placed in either the plant
(Plantae) or animal (Animalia) kingdoms but additional kingdoms have
also been discovered or defined by scientists such as the Mycota Kingdom (mainly fungi), the Protista
(unicellular organisms), as well as the Prokaryota and Eukaryota
Consists of a cluster of dwarfed and/or twisted trees found on high
mountain slopes above or at the timberline. Trees were deformed by
wind and crushed by ice. Many resemble flags as the branches grow
away from the prevailing wind. The growing season is short so
Krummholz or elfinwood trees have an adapted system of
regeneration. They putout roots where the trees touch the ground
and they reproduce by layering.
accumulated in lakes or of lake origin are lacustrine. They may be
detrital or organic
material as well as clays and silts. These sediments abound in
formerly glaciated areas of the lakes eventually drained, leaving the
bottom sediments to form plains. Lacustrine deposits are often
found in plateau or mountain basins.
Leachate: A liquid
that has percolated through solid waste or another medium and has
extracted, dissolved, or suspended materials from it, which may include
potentially harmful materials. Leachate is of primary concern at
municipal waste landfills.
movement of liquid into another material. It usually refers to
liquids that leak our of waste disposal sites and contaminate soil and
water. The leached material is called leachate. Leaching is also a
major soil forming process. It leads to redistribution of material
within the solum and horizon differentiation.
sedimentary rock that consists primarily of calcium carbonate or
calcite. Limestone may be formed by either organic or inorganic
processes. Limestone is fossiliferous and represents ancient shell banks
or coral reefs.
Loess: A clay, consisting of
fine rock-flour (mainly quartz) that originates in arid regions and is
transported by wind.
Soil that has large organic but low humus content. Nutrients are
easily washed out of the topsoil and therefore this type of soil is not
as productive as the Chernozems soils. Luvisolic soil is common in
the Boreal Forest natural region.
Marsh: An area of
shallow open water, surrounded by aquatic vegetation like cattails,
bulrushes, and sedges. Marshes are very rich in nutrients.
Moraine: When a glacier moves forward, its weight and movement causes dirt,
rocks and debris to be literally bulldozed along in front of it. Then as the glacier
recedes, it leaves behind piles known as moraines. Lateral moraines flank the
sides of glaciers while a terminal moraine marks the farthest glacial advance.
Land area that contains similar plant and animal species. Natural
regions are defined by the visible features of an area, while ecoregions
are defined by environmental, geological and geographical factors.
Ecoregions and natural regions generally overlap, but are not the same.
place and role occupied by an organism in a community, determined by its
nutritional requirements, habit, etc. Different species may occupy a similar niche in different areas,
for example, the grass species of the Australian grasslands, though
different from those of the Albertan grasslands, occupy the same niche.
The same species may also occupy a different niche in different
areas. The more adaptable the species the wider the niche it may occupy.
Order: A major
category in the taxonomic hierarchy, usually comprised of groups of
families thought to possess a degree of phylogenetic unity. Groups of similar orders are place in classes.
The Latin names of order usually end with the suffix ales.
Organic: Any material
composed of living or once-living matter; composed of compounds mainly
based on carbon, excluding carbon dioxide.
Organic Soil: A soil that is made up of mostly organic, natural material. Usually refers to peat.
Peat: An unconsolidated
deposit of semicarbonized plant remains, generally found in a water shed
environment such as a bog or a fen and is of high moisture content (at
least 75%). Peat is an early stage of the development of
coal and is comprised, usually, of approximately 60% carbon and 30%
moisture-free oxygen. When dried out, peat burns very easily.
Peatland: An area of
vegetated matter with extensive peat deposits.
that remains at or below zero degrees Celsius continuously for at least
2 consecutive years. Permafrost is not defined by soil moisture content, overlying snow cover, or location;
but is defined solely by temperature. Permafrost may contain over 30 percent ice, or essentially no ice at all. It can be covered by several meters of snow, or be completely bare of snow. Underground, permafrost consists of frozen soils ranging from gravel to silt. Silty soil is composed of fine, powdery sedimentary particles. They possess great "wicking" capabilities that enable water to migrate and accumulate as large bodies of ice in the permanently frozen silt.
Two main areas of permafrost are recognized. Permafrost areas which do not thaw at all during the year and permafrost areas whose upper layers thaw briefly during the warm season underlain by thicker layers which do not thaw even at mid-summer.
Precipitation: Any form of water that falls to the ground from the sky as a result of
the water cycle. It may take many different forms including snow, rain, sleet, hail,
and combinations of all of the above. When a mass of warm, moist air hits a mass
of cold air, condensation causes the moisture to form droplets that become rain or
crystals that become snow, sleet, or hail. When these droplets or crystals become
too heavy to be suspended in the atmosphere, they fall to earth as precipitation.
ecological term that refers to the capture and consumption of one living
organism by another in order to sustain life.
organism that is the first stage in a food chain. Producers
generally include green plants and those bacteria that synthesize
organic molecules from inorganic materials by
photosynthesis. They are eaten by primary consumers.
Quartzite: A very
hard, unmetamorphized sandstone that consists primarily of quartz grains
that have been cemented together with secondary silica so that the rock
breaks across or through the grains rather than around them.
Red List: A list generated by the Alberta Wildlife Management Division that indicates the status of a species. Species are placed on the Red List when current knowledge suggests that these species are at risk. These species have declined, or are in immediate danger of declining, to nonviable population sizes.
Poorly developed soil that has a thin topsoil layer. This soil
does not retain nutrients well. Incompletely eroded bedrock is
found in large pieces in the soil. This soil is common in the
Rocky Mountains natural region.
Riparian: An area of
land along a stream, river or wetland. The area is usually lush
and important to wildlife. They are protective buffers for animals
medium-grained sedimentary rock composed primarily of fragments of sand
and silt or clay. Sandstone may vary in colour and may be
deposited by water or wind.
fragmental material that originates from the weathering of rocks and is
transported or deposited by air, water or ice.
A rock resulting from the consolidation of loose sediment that has
accumulated in layers. Some forms of sedimentary rock are formed
as chemical precipitates, such as salt and some forms of limestone.
Shale: A fine-grained
sedimentary rock formed by the consolidation of clay, silt, or
mud. It is characterized by finely laminated structure which
imparts fissures parallel to the bedding along which the rock may easily
break. It may be red, brown, black or grey in colour.
Solonetz soil: A typical grassland soil usually found in a subhumid or semiarid climate under grass and shrub vegetation.
Species: A group
of organisms which resemble each other to a greater degree than members
of other groups and which form a reproductively isolated group that will
not normally breed with member of another group. Similar species are grouped into genera, genera are grouped into
families, families into orders, orders into classes, classes into phyla
(for animals) and divisions (for plants), these are grouped into
Subsoil: A collective
and general term for the layers of soil below the uppermost layer or
topsoil. It can consist of sand, silt and clay but has little, if
any, humus or other organic matter. Subsoil provides structure,
holds moisture, and is a good foothold for rooting plants.
Succession: A term
that may refer to either plants or animals, succession is a progressive
series of changes in the plant and animal life of a community from
initial colonization to the establishment of a climax or final stage in
which the plant or animal attains equilibrium with the environment.
Swamp: Wetland area
with a high water table that results in slow-moving, open water.
Nutrient content is high and, as a result, dense vegetation
consisting of deciduous shrubs and trees, as well as white and black
spruce, cover the area.
Till: The unsorted mixture of sediment carried or deposited by a glacier.
Also known as "glacial drift".
Threatened Species: According to the Alberta Wildlife Act a species that is likely to become endangered if the factors causing its vulnerability are not reversed.
Topsoil: The uppermost layer of soil. Presumably fertile and cultivated by farmers.
The different stages of a food chain. Organisms that are removed
from the beginning of the chain by the same number of steps are said to
occupy the same trophic level.
Ungulate: The term
ungulate is generally used to describe all hoofed mammals. It is broadly used as a practical, descriptive name that groups together six taxonomic orders - Tubulidentata, Hyracoidea, Proboscidea, Sirenia, Perissodactyla, and Artiodactyla. Hyracoidea, Proboscidea and Sirenia are often grouped together as paenungulates ("almost ungulates") as their feet have nail-hoofs instead of true hoofs. Ungulates have developed hoofs - specialized claws or toenails - as an adaptation for running. They are one of the most successful and diverse groups of mammals, having colonized nearly every habitat on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Since the beginning of the 20th century, more new ungulate species have been discovered than any other type of large mammal.
Vertebrate: Organisms that have a brain and a spinal cord that is surrounded by
a protective set of bones and cartilages called vertebrae. Some examples of
Vertebrates include most mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish.
Vulnerable Species: According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada a vulnerable species is one that is of special concern because of characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.
Water Cycle: The
name to describe the way water is recycled in nature. Water falls
as rain or snow and then flows into rivers or lakes and some into the
oceans. Water returns to the air through evaporation and falls
again as precipitation. Also known as the Hydrologic Cycle.
saturated with water long enough that aquatic conditions such as poorly
drained soils and aquatic vegetation develop.
Yellow List: A list generated by the Alberta Wildlife Management Division that indicates the status of a species. Species are placed on the Yellow list if they are considered species that are not currently at risk but may require special management to address concerns related to naturally low populations, limited provincial distributions, or demographic/life history features that make them vulnerable to human-related changes in the environment.