The water cycle key terms

closed system

transfer of energy ot matter between the system and its surroundings

open system

receives inputs from and transfers outputs of energy and matter to other systems

global water budget

annual balance of water fluxes and the size of the water stores

drainage basin

area of land drained by a river and is separated from other drainage basins by a water shed

orographic rainfall

warm air from south to west is forced to rise over uplands, rises, cools over high ground and rains

convectional rainfall

during periods of high temperatures, rainfall created is often intense and associated with electrical storms and thunder

frontal rainfall

when warm air from south to west meets cold air from north, warm air rises over cool and forms rain and cold fronts

soil utilisation

evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation levels

aquifer rock

porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater

river regime

the annual variation in the discharge of a river

complex regimes

larger rivers cross several different relief and climatic zones

simple regimes

seasonally high discharge followed by low discharge

soil moisture deficit

deficit of soil water and plants either wilt or adapt to dry conditions

soil moisture surplus

precipitation greater than evapotranspiration

soil mositure utilisation

potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation

soil moisture recharge

precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration

carbon sequestration

an approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere

anthropogenic climate change

human done climate change

interception

Precipitation that does not reach the soil as it is intercepted by vegetation and the forest floor

infiltration

Water on the ground soaking into the soils and porous rocks

throughflow

The flowing of water within the soil, moving towards the river

Cryoshpere

Frozen water on earth

Percolation

movement of water through the soil