Introduction to Landscape Architecture: Plants, Soils, and Ecosystem Services

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts in landscape architecture, history of agriculture, plant identification, urban cooling, stormwater management, and phytoremediation from Chapter 1 to Chapter 6.

Birth of Agriculture

The practice of farming starting $12{,}000\text{ years ago}$ that enabled permanent human settlements.

Mayan Raised Field Systems

Lowland canals and raised fields that supported farming before overexploitation caused collapse ($800$ to $1000\text{ CE}$).

Photosynthesis

The biological process using sunlight, chlorophyll, and carbon dioxide to produce energy-rich nutrients and oxygen.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic marine organisms that perform ocean photosynthesis, producing half of Earth's oxygen.

Humus Layer

The fertile organic topsoil layer formed by decaying plants, destroyed during the 1930s Dust Bowl.

Transpiration

The process where plant roots absorb water and leaves release water vapor through stomata.

Stomata

Microscopic leaf pores that release water vapor during transpiration to cool plants and regulate climate moisture.

Pete Oudolf

Dutch landscape architect known for naturalistic plant designs using amoeba plans, such as the NYC High Line.

Binomial Nomenclature

The standard two-part Latin plant naming system combining a genus name and a specific epithet.

Quercus alba

Scientific name for white oak, combining genus Quercus and specific epithet alba (white).

Dionaea muscipula

Scientific name for Venus flytrap, derived from Latin for 'goddess mousetrap.'

Ground Covers

Landscape plants categorized by low growth that remains below knee height.

Deciduous

Plants that shed their leaves seasonally every year.

Acer griseum

A maple tree species with ginger peeling bark that provides winter landscape interest.

Sissinghurst Gardens

English garden designed with structural hedges to form distinct 'garden rooms.'

Urban Tree Canopy Cooling (Boston Study)

Shading and evapotranspiration that reduce surface heat by up to $30\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ and air temperatures by $4\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ to $9\,^{\circ}\text{F}$.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Stormwater Project

Landscape redesign using retention ponds to cut stormwater discharge from $27\text{ million gallons}$ to $7\text{ million gallons}$ per year.

Phytoremediation

A sustainable process using living plants to absorb or neutralize soil and water contaminants.

Indian Mustard (in Phytoremediation)

A fast-growing plant used in phytoremediation to absorb heavy metals like lead and mercury from soil.

Willow Tree (in Phytoremediation)

A moisture-loving tree used to extract heavy metals and diesel pollutants from wet soils.

Poplars (in Phytoremediation)

Deep-rooted trees used to break down petroleum hydrocarbons and organic pollutants in soil.

Indian Grass (in Phytoremediation)

A native grass species used to remediate soils contaminated with pesticides and petroleum.

Sunflowers (in Phytoremediation)

Fast-growing plants effective at extracting heavy metals and radioactive pollutants from soil.