Essential Environmental and Ecological Concepts

Understanding Key Environmental and Ecological Terms

Upwelling: Ocean Dynamics Explained

Upwelling is the vertical movement of deep, colder, and denser water toward the ocean surface. It can occur for various reasons, one of the most frequent being wind on the ocean surface.

Purification: Stream Recovery Process

Purification is the process of recovering a stream after an organic pollution episode.

Biofuels: Renewable Energy Sources

Biofuels are fuels derived from biological sources, obtained in a renewable manner from organic waste. These usually come from organic remains of sugar, wheat, corn, or oilseeds.

Atmospheric Inversion: Temperature Anomaly

An inversion refers to an abnormal change in the properties of the atmosphere with increasing altitude. It usually corresponds to an increase in temperature with height, or a layer (inversion layer) where this increase occurs. In effect, air cannot rise in an inversion area because it is cooler and therefore denser in the inferior area.

Biomarker: Ecological Indicator Species

A biomarker is an indicator consisting of a plant species, fungus, or animal, or formed by a group of plant species or a group whose presence provides information about certain ecological characteristics (i.e., the environment) or the impact of specific practices on the environment.

Cogeneration: Combined Heat and Power

Cogeneration is the process by which both electricity and useful thermal energy are obtained simultaneously.

Danger: Potential for Harm or Damage

Danger refers to the possibility or risk that damage or harm may occur in certain situations.

Composting: Organic Waste Transformation

Composting is the aerobic biological process by which microorganisms act on readily biodegradable matter (such as crop residues, animal dung, and urban waste). The resulting compost is an excellent organic fertilizer for agriculture.

Ecological Niche: Species Role in Ecosystems

In ecology, a niche describes the relational position of a species or population within a particular ecosystem, or the specific space it occupies.

Landscape: Visual and Spatial Environment

Landscape is a concept used differently across various fields of study. However, all uses of the term imply the existence of an individual observer and an observed object, essentially highlighting its visual and spatial qualities.

National Park: Protecting Flora and Fauna

A national park is a category of protected area with a specific legal status. It aims to protect and preserve the wealth of its flora and fauna, characterized as representative of a region and possessing scientific or fitozoogeographical interest.

Garbage: Discarded Waste Material

Garbage refers to all material considered waste that needs to be disposed of. It is a product of human activities, often considered to have zero value once discarded. It is not necessarily odorous, repugnant, or undesirable; that depends on its origin and composition.

Risk: Vulnerability to Loss or Damage

Risk is the vulnerability of 'protected legal interests' to a possible or potential loss or damage.

Ecological Succession: Ecosystem Evolution

Ecological succession refers to the natural evolution that occurs in an ecosystem due to its own internal dynamics. The essential aspect of this term is the replacement of some species by others over time.

Ground (Soil): Earth's Biologically Active Surface

Ground, or soil, refers to the biologically active surface of the Earth's crust. It tends to develop on the surface of exposed rocks under the influence of weather and living organisms.