Environmental sciences

e mostly herbivores and rodents dwell. 
Greenhouse effect: Rising of the average global temperature caused by the accumulation of the carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere. These gases trap radiant heat and prevent its escape into space. 
Groundwater: Water below the earth’s surface. 
Habitat: Place where the organism lives. 
Halophyte: Plant that grows in saline or salty environment, like seaweeds and algae. 
Hazardous substance: Substance that poses a threat to human heath and the environment. 
Herbivore: Organisms that feeds directly on plants
Hetertrop: Organisms that feeds on others and cannot manufacture its own food. 
Humus: Material which consist of decaying matter and inorganic substances that result from the decomposition of dead plants and animal. 
Hydroelectric power: Power produced in turbines powered by running water. 
Hydrophytes: Plant that grows in water and permanently water - logged soil. 
Insecticide: From of pesticide used to control insect population. 
Life expectancy: Average age at which a person is calculated to live. 
Limnetic zone: Open water zone of lakes through which sunlight penetrates. 
Littoral zone: Shallow waters along a lakeshore where rooted vegetation grows. 
Magma: Molten rock beneath the earth’s crust. 
Maximum temperature: Highest limit of temperature by which an organism can still function. 
Mesophyte: plant of grows in moderate conditions between the environmental extremes. 
Microconsumer: Bacterium of fungus that carries out decomposition. 
Minimum temperature: Lower limit of temperature by which an organism can still function or survive.
Mutation: Any damage done to the DNA or chromosomes. 
Natural gas: Fuel containing about 50 to 90 percent methane. 
Niche: Place where organisms live.
Nitrate: Inorganic anion containing three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom.
Nitrite: Inorganic anion containing two oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom.
Nitrogen cycle: Cycling of nitrogen between the organisms and the environment.
Noise pollution: Unwanted sound that have harmful effects on the body.
Nuclear fission: Splitting of an atomic nucleus when struck by neutrons.
Nuclear fusion: Joining of two small atomic nuclei to from a new and large nucleus.
Nuclear power: Energy derived from nuclear fission or fusion.
Oil: See petroleum.
Oil shale: Sedimentary rock which is finely grained and contains an inorganic substance called kerogen.
Omnivore: Organism that consumes both plants animals.
Optimum temperature: Temperature at which the organism can function best.
Ozone: Molecule that contains three molecules of oxygen found in the atmosphere and which screens ultraviolet rays.
Ozone layer (or the ozonosphere): Thin layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere which absorbs ultraviolet light and converts it to infrared radiation.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning: Effect to red tide poisoning.
Particulate radiation: That which consists of parts of atoms that are radiated either by natural radioactive disintegration or by artificial means like the explosion of atomic bombs.
Passive solar: Capture and retention of the sun’s energy within a building though windows and some from of heat storage in the building.
pH: Measure of the acidity on a scale of 0 to 14.
Photosynthesis: Process of manufacturing food by green plants in the presence of sunlight.
Physiological drought: The result when the roots of plants become les permeable at low temperatures.
Pioneer community: First group of organisms that becomes established in an environment that was not previously occupied by any life form.
Pollution: That which occurs when there is a change in the physical, chemical, or biological conditions in the environment which harmfully effects the quality of life, including effects on other animals and plants.
Population: Group of organisms that belong to the same species and can interbreed freely.
Population growth rate: Natural increase in population represented by the different between birth and death rates.
Predator: Organism that kills and eats another organism.
Prey: Organism that is killed and eaten by a predator.
Primary consumer: First organisms that eats the plants in the tropic level
Primary succession: Development of communities where no organisms previously existed.
Principle of least effort: phenomenon when the population of the herbivores increases.
Producer (autotroph): Green plant or organism that, performs photosynthesis.
Profundal zone: Deeper part of the lake water into which sunlight does not penetrate.
Pyramid of energy: Representation of the organic content in each trophic level.
Radiation dose absorbed in the human or animal tissue equivalent to 100 grs/gram of tissue.
Reactor core: That which consists of fuel rods in a reactor vessel.
Recycling: Processing of material into new products that may or may not resemble the original material. 
Red tide: Phenomenon that occurs when the population of the dinoflagellates increases tremendously.
Relative humidity: Amount of moisture in a give quantity of air divided by the amount the air could hold at that temperature.
Rem (or roentgen equivalent man): dose from any radiation that produces biological effects in man equivalent to one rad or X ray.
Resilience: Ability of an organism to return to its normal state after a disturbance.
Roentgen unit(R): Quantity of radiation(gamma or X ray) that will produce electrostatic unit of positive or negative electricity in 1cm3 of air at normal temperature and pressure.
Secondary consumer: Organism that belongs to the third trophic level in a food chain.
Secondary succession: Sequential development of biotic communities occurring after the complete or partial destruction of an existing community.
Sediment: Soil particles, sand, and other mineral mater eroded from land and carried to surface waters.
Shale oil Thick heavy oil formed when shale is heated.
Slash-and-burn agriculture: Practice in farming in which the forests are cleared by cutting and burning.
Sludge: Solid organic material produced during sewage treatment.
Solar aqua cell Waste water treatment, using solar heat.
Solar collector Derived from the sun and natural phenomena driven by the sun.
Species: Kind of organism.
Species diversity: Different kinds of plants and animals in a community.
Succession: Natural replacement of one community by another community.
Sustainable ethics: Set of views in which man and nature are one and that the earth’s resources are limited.
Taiga: Biome found south of North America, Asia, and Europe and characterized by coniferous forests.
Temperate deciduous forest: Biome characterized by deciduous tress and abundant rainfall.
Teratogen: Agent or chemical that causes birth defects.
Top-down approach: Approach in solving environmental problems which involves the creation of laws and regulations that will regulate behavior.
Toxic substance: substance poisonous to human beings and animals.
Transpiration: Evaporation of water from the leaves.
Trophic level: Position occupied by lack of trees and low temperature.
Weathering: Process of breaking down rocks into small particles.
Wetland: Land area along freshwater and salt water.
Xerophytes: Plant that grows in dry or arid conditions.
METRIC UNIT CONVERSION TABLES
THE METRIC SYSTEM
Standard metric Units
Units
Abbreviations
Standard unit of mass
Gram
g
Standard unit of length 
Meter
m
Standard unit of volume
Liter
l
Common Prefix
Unit
Examples
Kilo 
1,000
A kilogam is 1,000 grams.
Centi
0.01
A centimeter is 0.01 meter.
Milli
0.001
A milliter is 0.001 liter.
Micro (µ)
One-millionth
A micrometer is0.000001 (one- millionth) of a meter.
Nano (n)
One-billionth
A nanogram is10-9 (one-billionth) of a gram.
Pico (p)
One-trillionth
A pictogram is10-12 (one-billionth) of a gram.
UNITS OF LENGTH
Unit
Abbreviations
Equivalent
Meter
m
Approximately 39 in
Centimeter
cm
10-2m
Millimeter
mm
10-3m
Micrometer
µm
10-6m
Nanometer
nm
10-9m
Angstrom
Ǻ
10-10m
Length conversions
1 in = 2.5 cm
1 mm = 0.039 in
1 ft = 30 cm
1 cm = 0.39 in
1 yd = 0.9 cm
1 m = 39 in
1 mi = 1.6 km
1 m = 1.094 yd
1 km = 0.6 mi
To convert
Multiply by
To obtain
Inches
2.54
Centimeters
Feet
30
Centimeters
Centimeters
0.39
Inches
Millimeter
0.039
Inches
UNITS OF VOLUME
Unit
Abbreviations
Equivalent
Liter
l
Approximately 1.06 qt
Milliliter
ml
10-3 (1ml = 1cm3 = 1cc)
Miccroliter
µl
10-6l
Volume conversions
Equivalent
1 tsp = 5ml
1ml = 0.3fl oz
1 tbsp = 15ml
1l = 2.1 pt
1 fl oz = 30ml
1l = 1.06 qt
1 cup = 0.24l
1l = 0.26 gal
1 pt = 0.47l
1 pt = 0.95 l
1 gal = 3.8 l
To convert
Multiply by
To obtain
Fluid ounces
30
Milliliters
Quarts
0.95
Liters
Milliliters
0.03
Fluid ounces
Liters
1.06
Quarts
UNITS OF WEIGHT
Unit
Abbreviations
Equivalent
Kilogram
kg
103g (approximately 2.2 lb)
Gram
g
Approximately 0.035 oz
Milligram
mg
10-3 g
Microgram
µg
10-6 g
Nanogram
ng
10-9 g
Pico gram
pg
10-12 g
Weight conversions
1oz = 28.3g
1g = 0.035 oz
1lb = 453.6g
1kg = 2.2 lb
1lb = 0.45kg
To convert
Multiply by
To obtain
Ounces
28.3
grams
Pounds
453.6
grams
Pounces
0.45
kilograms
Grams
0.035
ounces
Kilograms
2.2
pounces
Temperature conversions
Some equivalents
oC = 
0F = +32
0 0C = 32 0F
370C = 98.6 0F
100 0C = 212 0F
REFERENCE
Barrington, Ernest, and James William. Environmental Biology. New York, U.S.A.: Wiley Inc., 1980.
Chiras, DanielD. Environmental Science: A Framework fo Decision Making. California, U.S.A.: Benjamin/Cummings Publication, Co., 1988.
Committee For Global Biosphere Program. Global Change and Our Common Factor. Washington, D.C., U.S.A.: National Academy Press, 1986.
Erickson, Jon. Greenhouse Earth. Tomorrow’s Disaster Today. Blue Ridge Summit, P.A., U.S.A.: Tab Books, 1990.
Nebel, Bernard. Environmental Science. Englewood Cliffs, N. J., U.S.A.: Prentice Hall, 1990.