Introduction to Forestry

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to forestry, tree biology, and ecosystems as discussed in the lecture notes.

Forestry

The science, art, business, and practice of conserving, developing, managing, and protecting the forest.

Forester

A professional and highly trained technical person whose main concern is the proper management, conservation, and development of the forest.

Tree

A woody perennial plant, usually over 4.5m (15ft), with a single main stem or multiple stems in case of coppice.

Crown

The topmost portion of a tree that can vary in shape and size.

Roots

The underground part of a tree responsible for anchoring the tree to the soil and absorbing nutrients and water.

Trunk or bole

The central wooden axis of the crown, made up of various layers such as cambium, bark, and wood.

Heartwood

The older, darker, and dead xylem cells found close to the center of the trunk.

Sapwood or xylem

The young, outer layers of wood made up of a network of living cells conducting water and minerals.

Bark

The outer covering of a tree's trunk and branches that regulates moisture loss.

Forest canopy

The upper layer formed by the branches and leaves of the tallest trees.

Understory

The middle layer of the forest where shorter trees and shrubs grow.

Forest floor

The ground layer of the forest where young trees and seedlings reside.

Ecosystem

A dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities interacting with their abiotic environment.

Habitat

The type of place where a plant or animal naturally lives or grows.

Niche

The ecological function of an organism; also referred to as the organism's profession.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down waste and dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Macronutrients

Nutrients required in relatively large amounts by living organisms such as nitrogen, potassium, and calcium.

Micronutrients

Chemical elements required in small amounts for normal growth and development of living organisms.

Disease

A sustained physiological and structural disturbance of living tissues.

Pathogen

An entity that can cause disease in an organism.

Coppicing

A method of tree reproduction involving cutting down trees to stimulate new growth.

Cambium

A layer of actively dividing cells located between the sapwood (xylem) and the inner bark, responsible for the tree's radial growth by producing new wood and bark tissues.

Phloem

The living tissue in trees that transports sugars (food) produced during photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the tree where they are needed for growth or storage.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants, including trees, use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to create food (sugars) and release oxygen, primarily occurring in the leaves.