Unit 1: environment

aquatic

adj., living in water, involving or happening in water.

array

n., a large number, a collection, a range

defence

n., protection

deforestation

n., the removal of all trees from a large area

environment

n., the natural world

erosion

n., loss of soil from action of water or wind

extend

v., to reach past, get bigger

fell

v., to cut down (esp. trees),/ to knock someone down with great force.

habitat

n., the natural area where a plant or animal lives

intact

untouched or uninjured; kept or left whole, complete

inhibit

v., to prevent, slow down,

To make someone feel embarrassed or nervous so they can't do or say what they want to.

intercept

v., to stop sb that is going from one place to another from arriving.

logging

n., the cutting down of trees from large area

myriad

adj., many, numerous.

nutrient

n., the goodness in food

pollution

n., damage to air, water, etc

stabilise

v., to keep from changing, maintain

terrestrial

adj., living on the land or relating to the earth.

vanish

v., to disappear

vegetation

n., plants

aspect

a particular part or feature of something

Breed

v. reproduce,

n. a particular kind of person or type of thing.

diurnal

adj., active during the day

endure

v., to live under difficult circumstances

evolve

v., to develop gradually

fascinate

v., to interest greatly.

feat

n., a difficult act or achievement

fuel. n, v

v., to provide energy

hemisphere

n., one half of the Earth; also, one half of a sphere (=an object which is round like a ball)

imperative

adj., a priority, extremely important

n., sth that must be done urgently

inhabit

v., to live in

( in everyday English people usually say someone lives in a place)

migration

n., movement from one place to another

navigation

n., finding the way from one place to another

nocturnal

adj., active at night

observer

n., a person who watches something

obscure

v., to make difficult to see, to hide

adj., not well known and usually not very important, difficult to understand

optimal

adj., best, most favorable

species

n., type; a basic group in biological classification, a group of animals or plants whose members are similar and can breed together to produce young animals or plants.

stray

v., to leave the correct route; become separated from the main group

adj., a stray animal, is lost or has no home, accidently separated from other things of the same kind: one man was hit by stray bullet.

n., an animal that is lost or has no home.

windswept

adj., unprotected from the wind

accumulate

(v) to gradually increase over time

( in everyday English people usually say build up rather than accumulate)

adapt

(v) to change to fit a situation or environment

determine

(v) to decide

dilute

(v) to make weaker by mixing with water

diverse

(adj.) varied, of many kinds

evaporation

(n) the change from liquid to gas; loss of water to the air

extreme

(adj.) very severe or difficult

fringe

(n) the edge of something

mechanism

(n) method, the way that something works

minimize

to reduce to the least possible amount

moisture

(n) wetness or water, small amounts of water that are present in the air, in a substance or on the surface.

occupy

(v) to be in a place; exist in, (fill time, fill space, use)

prolific

(adj.) producing a lot of something

resilient

(adj.) tough, able to endure difficult conditions

sparse

(adj.) small in numbers or amount

stressor

(n) something that causes great difficulties

swing., v, n

(n) a sudden or big change

(v) change opinions,....

transitional

(adj.) relating to change from one type to another

violent

(adj.) strong; sudden and destructive.

thrive

(v) to grow well

cut a swathe through something

to destroy a large amount or part of something

niches

A specific category that an organism fits into in an environment and their role in carrying out the processes in that ecosystem.