Vocab 3 Ecological Footprint

Water cycle

The continuous movement of water through the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere via processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

Water table

The upper level of the saturated zone in soil or rock, below which all pores are filled with groundwater.

Watershed

The land area that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or other body of water.

Groundwater

Water stored underground in soil pores or rock fractures, often a source of drinking water.

Surface water

Water on Earth’s surface (streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, reservoirs) rather than underground.

Surface runoff

Water that flows over land into streams and rivers after precipitation or snowmelt, often carrying pollutants.

Precipitation

Water released from clouds in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail that returns water to Earth’s surface.

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from liquid to gas (water vapor), driven by solar energy.

Aquifer

A porous, water-bearing layer of sand, gravel, or rock that holds groundwater.

Ogallala aquifer

The largest aquifer in North America, located under the Great Plains, heavily used for irrigation and depleting faster than recharge.

Natural recharge

The process by which precipitation or surface water percolates down through soil and rock to replenish an aquifer.

Monsoons

Seasonal wind patterns that bring heavy rainfall (especially in South and Southeast Asia), critical for agriculture but can cause flooding.

Littoral Zone

The shallow, near-shore area of a lake where sunlight reaches the bottom, allowing aquatic plants to grow.

Limnetic Zone

The well-lit, open water area of a lake away from shore where phytoplankton are primary producers.

Profundal Zone

The deep, darker zone of a lake below the limnetic zone where little to no sunlight penetrates, limiting photosynthesis.

Benthic Zone

The bottom layer of a lake or ocean, consisting of sediments and organisms that live there (decomposers, benthos).

Oligotrophic lake

A nutrient-poor, clear lake with low productivity and high dissolved oxygen, often deep and cold.

Eutrophic lake

A nutrient-rich lake with high productivity, often shallow, warmer, and prone to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Wetland

Land areas saturated with water for part or all of the year, such as swamps, marshes, and bogs; critical for biodiversity and water filtration.

Dam

A barrier built across a river to control water flow, store water, or generate hydroelectric power.

Three Gorges Dam

The world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yangtze River in China, providing power but displacing millions and causing ecological issues.

Desalinization

The process of removing salt from seawater to make it freshwater, often through distillation or reverse osmosis

Septic Tank

An underground wastewater treatment structure for homes without centralized sewage systems; separates solids and allows liquid effluent to seep into the soil.

Advanced sewage treatment

A third stage of wastewater treatment that removes nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus), heavy metals, and toxins beyond primary and secondary stages.

Effluent

Treated or untreated wastewater discharged into the environment from a treatment plant, pipe, or factory.

Secondary sewage treatment

Biological process using bacteria to break down organic matter and reduce Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD).

Primary sewage treatment

Mechanical process that removes large solids and suspended particles from wastewater through screening and sedimentation.

Turbidity

The cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles, which reduces light penetration and affects aquatic life.

Dissolved oxygen (DO)

The amount of oxygen dissolved in water; critical for aquatic organisms’ survival.

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

The amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms to decompose organic material in water; higher BOD indicates more pollution.

Point Source Pollution

Pollution that comes from a single, identifiable source (e.g., a factory pipe or sewage treatment plant).

Non-point Source Pollution

Pollution from diffuse sources across the landscape (e.g., agricultural runoff, stormwater).

Wastewater

Water that has been used by humans (domestic, industrial, agricultural) and contains waste products.

Eutrophication

Excessive nutrient enrichment of water bodies, leading to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and fish kills.

Endocrine Disruptors

Chemicals that interfere with hormone systems in organisms, such as BPA, phthalates, or certain pesticides, affecting reproduction and development.

Clean Water Act

U.S. law (1972) regulating water pollution by setting standards for water quality and controlling discharge of pollutants into surface waters.