Ecology

Ecology

Contributors in Ecology

Ecology

Soil rich in calcium carbonate (calcite) deposited by weathering of calcareous rocks and shells. Chalk, limestone, marl, magnesium, and phosphates are often found in it, making it fertile, if dry or ...

Climax

Biology; Ecology

The culminating stage of plant succession in a given ecosystem. Climax communities tend toward maturity because of having attained harmony with their surroundings through years of experimentation and ...

Protist

Biology; Ecology

Simple, usually one-celled animal whose cells contain a nucleus. Examples include flagellates, amoebas, ciliates, sporozoa, radiolaria, and slime molds. Some (microalgae) are photosynthetic; most are ...

Darwin awards

Biology; Ecology

The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honouring those who accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways. Fair enough, but the biologically pertinent question is: do ...

Ammonia

Biology; Ecology

A gaseous compound of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3) formed as a byproduct when bacteria decompose substances high in nitrogen. Compost piles thick with manure often emit ammonia when hot. Synthetic ...

La Niña

Biology; Ecology

When tropical Pacific trade winds strengthen enough to pile cold water into the central and eastern Pacific. An intensification of normal conditions (in North America, stormy in the northwest and dry ...

Life zones

Biology; Ecology

Created by C. Hart Merriam in 1894 to classify environments by temperature and rainfall. There are eight major life zones: Arctic-Alpine, Boreal (Hudsonian), Boreal (Canadian), Transition, ...