Essential Environmental and Agricultural Terminology

Key Environmental Concepts

Vegetation and Ecosystems

• Endemism: Species characteristic of a specific place.
• Xerophilous: Species with deep roots for drought support.
• Maquis: High and dense vegetation.
• Garrigue: A low form of vegetation, often difficult to penetrate, consisting mainly of drought-resistant shrubs.
• Conifers: Evergreen trees and shrubs with needle-like or scale-like leaves, cone-shaped fruits, and a conical growth habit.

Climatology and Hydrology

• Temperature: Measured by isotherms.
• Rainfall: Measured by isohyets.
• Pressure: Measured by isobars.
• SPA: Special Protection Area for birds.
• Endorheic: Waters that do not drain into the sea.
• Flow: The volume of water a river carries at a specific point, measured in m³/s.
• Regime: The water supply system of a river, depending on factors like climate, relief, and vegetation.
• Nival: Water supply from melting snow.
• Pluvial: Water supply from rainfall.
• Course: The path a river follows from its source to its mouth.
• Bed: The depth or area through which the stream flows.
• Channel (Cauce): The space bounded by the maximum water level.
• Aquifer (Pit): An area containing permanent water.
• Estuaries: Occur in areas where the sea prevents the accumulation of sand and silt.
• Ramblas: Channels that are typically dry.
• Water Table: The depth at which permanent moisture is found.
• Water Deficit: The difference between water availability and consumption.

Environmental and Agricultural Management

• ICA Network: An integrated network for water quality, designed to collect samples from different networks for quality control.
• Edaphology: The branch of soil science that studies soil composition and properties.
• PEN: National Energy Plan, established during the 1975 crisis to promote nuclear energy.
• EAGGF: European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.
• FEGA: Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund.
• CAP: Common Agricultural Policy.
• MAP: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
• PFA: Final Agricultural Production.

Types of Cultivation

• Hydroponics: Soilless culture where the soil is replaced by an optimal, neutral substrate that provides aeration and chemical support.
• Sanded: The soil is covered with a layer of manure topped with sand to facilitate moisture preservation. The sand acts as a filter, allowing moisture to be retained by the manure and gradually released to the plants.
• Padding (Mulching): Consists of covering a cultivated field with plastic, which is drilled at specific intervals to allow for plant development.