Geog 237 Final Exam Study Guide filled

Forests

Areas of land covered predominantly by trees.

Nontimber Forest Products (NTFP)

Products obtained from forests that do not include timber.

Xylem

Tissue responsible for the transport of water and minerals from the roots to the leaves.

Phloem

Tissue responsible for the transport of glucose and other nutrients from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Tracheids

Long, narrow cells in the xylem of gymnosperms that conduct water.

Vessels

Short, wide cells in the xylem that conduct water in angiosperms.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Species Biodiversity Measures

Alpha, beta, and gamma diversity metrics to quantify biodiversity.

Wildlife

All living organisms free from direct human management.

Endangered Species

Species at high risk of extinction due to low population numbers.

Threatened Species

Species that are likely to become endangered in the near future.

Watershed

Land area that collects and drains precipitation into a common outlet.

Water Balance

A calculation of water inputs and outputs in a given area.

Shade Tolerance

The ability of a plant species to survive and grow under low light conditions.

Self-Thinning

A natural process where plants compete for resources leading to the death of some individuals.

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of information about an object or area from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft.

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

An index used to measure vegetation health based on light reflectance.

Allometry

The study of the relationship between the size of an organism and different aspects of its biology.

Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)

A standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk of a standing tree.

Natural Regeneration

The process by which forests regenerate naturally without human intervention.

Artificial Regeneration

The establishment of trees by planting or sowing.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.

C3 Plants

Plants that fix carbon during photosynthesis using the Calvin cycle.

C4 Plants

Plants that utilize a different pathway for photosynthesis to minimize photorespiration.

Phenology

The study of seasonal cycles in biological phenomena.

Vapor Pressure Deficit

The difference between the amount of moisture in the air and the amount it can hold when saturated.

Soil Water Potential

The potential energy of water in soil, influencing water availability for plants.

Gross Primary Production (GPP)

The total amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis in an ecosystem.

Net Primary Production (NPP)

The amount of organic matter available for consumption after accounting for plant respiration.

Autotrophic Respiration

Respiration by photosynthetic organisms.

Heterotrophic Respiration

Respiration by organisms that consume organic matter.

Fundamental Niche

The full range of conditions under which a species can survive.

Realized Niche

The actual conditions under which a species exists due to limiting factors.

Forest Succession

The gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time.

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)

Financial incentives for managing land to provide ecological services.

Common Pool Resources

Resources that are available to everyone but are susceptible to overuse.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

A US program that pays farmers to convert environmentally sensitive land to vegetative cover.

Ecological Community

A group of species that interact within a particular environment.

Landscape Composition

The types and amounts of various land cover types in a landscape.

Landscape Configuration

The spatial arrangement of different land cover types.

Energy Ladder Theory

A theory that describes how individuals move to cleaner and more efficient energy sources as their income increases.

Prescribed Burning

The controlled application of fire to a predetermined area to achieve specific land management objectives.

Fire Triangle

The three elements—heat, fuel, and oxygen—necessary for fire to occur.

Habitat Elements

The different factors and resources in an environment that support wildlife.

Insect Damage in Forests

The destruction and alteration of forest ecosystems caused by insect populations.

Soil Type and Water Availability

The influence of the physical characteristics of soil on its capacity to retain and transmit water.

Conservation Reserve Program Eligibility

Criteria under which landowners can enroll in programs for conservation incentives.