8 Terms
Contributors in Ecology
Ecology
Crown cover
Biology; Ecology
The percentage of forest floor overgrown with tree crown. A major component of forest productivity. Lack of light and room to grow limits it (called crown shyness).
Condensation nuclei
Biology; Ecology
Microscopic particle of dust, ash, etc. Around which a raindrop forms. Drops also form around silver iodide particles seeded into clouds to increase local rainfall.
Isothermal layer
Biology; Ecology
A vertical atmospheric layer where temperature remains uniform. Such layers form the bottom of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. See Atmosphere, Layers.
Algae bloom
Biology; Ecology
Explosion of a phytoplankton population, sometimes because of incoming pollutants that artificially enrich the waters with nutrients. See Eutrophication and Red Tide.
Primary producer
Biology; Ecology
An organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis (plants) or chemosynthesis (certain microorganisms). Primary producers form the foundation of the food web.
Archegonium
Biology; Ecology
A multicellular female reproductive organ in mosses, ferns, and the majority of gymnosperms. Normally flask-shaped, it corresponds to the pistil in flowering plants.
