EcoLexicon Explorer

A

Abiotic/Biotic Components

Non-living/living parts of an ecosystem.

Acid Rain

Precipitation with acidic components (H₂SO₄, HNO₃).

Adaptation (Climate Change)

Adjustments in natural or human systems to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects.

Afforestation/Reforestation

Planting trees on non-forest land / replanting trees on deforested land.

Agenda 21

Action plan for sustainable development from Rio 1992.

Albedo

Reflectivity of a surface.

Algal Bloom

Rapid increase in algae population in water systems.

Alien Invasive Species

Non-native species that negatively impacts native biodiversity.

Allelopathy

Biological phenomenon where an organism produces biochemicals that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms.

Anthropogenic

Originating from human activity.

Aquifer

Underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock.

Arribada

Mass nesting phenomenon of Olive Ridley turtles.

B

Basel Convention

Controls transboundary movement of hazardous wastes.

Benthic Zone

Ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water.

Bioaccumulation

Increase in concentration of a pollutant in an organism over time.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms to break down organic material.

Biodegradable/Non-biodegradable

Capable/incapable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

Biodiversity Hotspot

Biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction.

Biofertilizer

Substance containing living microorganisms which promote plant growth by increasing nutrient supply.

Biofuel

Fuel derived directly from living matter.

Biomagnification

Increase in concentration of a toxin at successive trophic levels.

Biome

Large community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat.

Biopesticide

Pesticides derived from natural materials.

Bioremediation/Phytoremediation

Use of organisms/plants to clean up pollutants.

Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO designated sites for reconciling conservation and sustainable development.

Blue Carbon

Carbon captured by coastal ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses, salt marshes).

C

Carbon Credit

A tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas.

Carbon Footprint

Total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organization, or product.

Carbon Sequestration

Capture and long-term storage of atmospheric CO₂.

Carrying Capacity

Maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

CITES

Convention regulating international trade in endangered species.

Climate Change

Long-term shift in temperatures and weather patterns.

Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)

Principle in international environmental law.

Composting/Vermicomposting

Decomposition of organic waste.

Conservation Reserve/Community Reserve

PA categories under WLPA, India.

Coral Bleaching

Expulsion of symbiotic zooxanthellae by corals due to stress (e.g., warming).

Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH)

Core areas of tiger reserves.

Cryosphere

Portions of Earth's surface where water is in solid form.

D

Decibel (dB)

Unit for sound intensity.

Decomposers

Organisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi) that break down dead organic matter.

Deforestation

Clearing of forests.

Desertification

Land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas.

Detritus/Detritivore

Dead organic matter / organism feeding on it.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

Amount of oxygen dissolved in water.

E

Ecological Footprint

Measure of human demand on Earth's ecosystems.

Ecological Niche

Role and position a species has in its environment.

Ecological Pyramid

Graphical representation of trophic levels.

Ecological Succession

Gradual process of change in species composition.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits people obtain from ecosystems.

Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

Buffer areas around PAs.

Ecotone

Transition area between two biomes.

Edge Effect

Changes in population or community structures that occur at the boundary of two habitats.

El Niño/La Niña (ENSO)

Climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean with global weather impacts.

Endemic Species

Species found only in a specific geographic area.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Process to evaluate environmental impacts of a project.

Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment of water bodies leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Ex-situ/In-situ Conservation

Conservation outside/within natural habitats.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Producer's responsibility for post-consumer product management.

Extinction

Termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon).

F

Food Chain/Food Web

Sequence/network of feeding relationships.

Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

Recognizes rights of forest dwellers in India.

Fugitive Emissions

Emissions of gases or vapors from pressurized equipment due to leaks and other unintended releases.

G

Genetic Diversity

Variety of genes within a species.

Geothermal Energy

Heat from the Earth's interior.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Measure of how much heat a GHG traps relative to CO₂.

Green Climate Fund (GCF)

Financial mechanism under UNFCCC.

Green GDP

GDP adjusted for environmental degradation.

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, F-gases).

H

Habitat Fragmentation

Emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment.

Halophytes

Salt-tolerant plants.

Hazardous Waste

Waste with properties dangerous to health or environment.

Hibernation/Aestivation

Winter/summer dormancy.

Homeostasis (Ecosystem)

Tendency of an ecosystem to maintain stability.

Humus

Dark organic material in soils, produced by decomposition.

Hydrophytes

Plants adapted to aquatic environments.

I

IPCC/IPBES

Intergovernmental panels for climate change / biodiversity and ecosystem services.

J

No environmental terms starting with 'J' in this selection.

K

Keystone Species

Species with a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

L

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)

UNCCD goal to balance land degradation with restoration.

Leachate

Contaminated liquid draining from a landfill.

Limnology

Study of inland aquatic ecosystems.

M

Mangroves

Salt-tolerant coastal forest ecosystems.

Minamata Convention

Global treaty on mercury.

Mitigation (Climate Change)

Efforts to reduce or prevent GHG emissions.

Monoculture

Cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

Montreux Record

List of Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed.

Mutualism/Commensalism/Parasitism

Types of biotic interactions.

Mycorrhiza

Symbiotic association between a fungus and plant roots.

N

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Countries' climate action plans under Paris Agreement.

Natural Selection

Process driving evolution.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Rate at which producers store energy as biomass after respiration.

Niche

(See Ecological Niche).

Nitrogen Fixation

Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.

Non-Point Source Pollution

Pollution from diffuse sources.

O

Ocean Acidification

Decrease in ocean pH due to CO₂ absorption.

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

Chemicals that deplete stratospheric ozone (CFCs, HCFCs, Halons).

Ozone Layer

Region of stratosphere with high ozone concentration.

P

Particulate Matter (PM2.5, PM10)

Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in air.

Permafrost

Permanently frozen ground.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Toxic chemicals that persist and bioaccumulate.

pH

Measure of acidity or alkalinity.

Phenology

Study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate.

Photochemical Smog

Air pollution formed by reaction of NOx, VOCs in sunlight.

Photosynthesis

Process used by plants to convert light energy into chemical energy.

Pioneer Species

First species to colonize barren environments.

Plankton (Phytoplankton/Zooplankton)

Microscopic organisms drifting in water.

Point Source Pollution

Pollution from a single identifiable source.

Polluter Pays Principle

Principle that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it.

Precautionary Principle

Taking preventive action in the face of scientific uncertainty.

Primary/Secondary Pollutants

Emitted directly / formed by reaction of primary pollutants.

Protected Area (PA)

Geographically defined area managed for conservation.

Q

No environmental terms starting with 'Q' in this selection.

R

Ramsar Convention/Site

Convention on Wetlands / Wetland of International Importance.

REDD+

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.

Renewable Energy

Energy from naturally replenished sources.

Resilience (Ecosystem)

Ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbance.

Riparian Zone

Interface between land and a river or stream.

Rotterdam Convention (PIC)

Convention on Prior Informed Consent for hazardous chemicals.

S

Salinization

Accumulation of salts in soil.

Sanitary Landfill

Engineered site for waste disposal.

Saprophyte

Organism that feeds on dead organic matter.

Secondary Extinction (Co-extinction)

Loss of a species due to extinction of another species it depends on.

Sere/Seral Stage

A stage in ecological succession.

Shola Forests

Montane evergreen forests in South Indian hills.

Smog

(See Photochemical Smog, Industrial Smog).

Soil Erosion

Wearing away of topsoil.

Species Richness/Evenness

Number of species / relative abundance of species.

Stockholm Convention

Global treaty on POPs.

Stratification (Ecosystem)

Vertical layering of a habitat.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

UN goals for sustainable development by 2030.

Symbiosis

Close and long-term interaction between two different biological species.

T

Thermal Inversion

Atmospheric condition where a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground.

Thermal Pollution

Degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature.

Tragedy of the Commons

Depletion of a shared resource by individuals acting in self-interest.

Transboundary Pollution

Pollution originating in one country but affecting another.

Trophic Level

Position an organism occupies in a food chain.

U

UNFCCC

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Upwelling (Ocean)

Process where deep, cold, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface.

Urban Heat Island Effect

Phenomenon where urban areas are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas.

V

Vermicomposting

Composting using earthworms.

W

Waterlogging

Saturation of soil with water.

Watershed

Area of land where all water drains to a common outlet.

Wetland

Land area saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally.

X

Xerophyte

Plant adapted to arid conditions. (Using cactus as a representative icon)

Y

No environmental terms starting with 'Y' in this selection.

Z

Zoonotic Disease

Disease transmitted from animals to humans.