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atmosphere

Layer of gases that surrounds Earth and other planets.

biodiversity

The variety of life; the different plants, animals, microorganisms and the ecosystems they live in.

biological/physical carbon cycle

A short-term cycle over days, weeks, months and years that involves cycling of carbon through photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

biosphere

The intersection between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

carbon farming

The process of growing plants that are not harvested for firewood, building or any other purpose.

carbon sink

Any feature of the environment that absorbs and/or stores carbon.

carbon tax

A tax levied on the carbon content of fuels used by businesses or homes.

carbon trading scheme

The process of allocating a set limit of carbon credits to businesses that can then be traded.

climate

Weather conditions at a particular place over a long period of time based on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data.

cloud

A visible mass of condensed water in the atmosphere.

Coriolis effect

The influence of the Earth’s rotation on the direction of air or water movement.

cryosphere

Part of the hydrosphere that is made up of frozen water.

denitrifying bacteria

Bacteria that return nitrogen to the atmosphere.

enhanced global warming

The effect on the climate due to additional heat retained as a result of increased amounts of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases released into the Earth’s atmosphere by human activity.

enhanced greenhouse effect

An increased level of global warming caused by the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere.

eutrophication

A process whereby excessive levels of phosphorus in our waterways lead to the excess growth of algae and bacteria and an increased consumption of oxygen, suffocating fish and other aquatic animals.

flow of matter

This refers to how matter circulates through the ecosystem in different directions.

geological carbon cycle

A long-term cycle over hundreds to millions of years resulting in the carbon bulk being locked in rocks or sediments as fossil fuels.

geosequestration

The capture and storage of carbon underground.

global warming

Increase in the Earth’s temperature due to the presence of certain human-made gases.

hydrosphere

Collection of all the Earth’s water.

isobar

A line drawn on a weather map that joins places of equal air pressure.

lithosphere

Outermost rocky layer of the Earth, consisting of the mantle and crust.

natural greenhouse effect

The phenomenon whereby water vapour and other gases present in small amounts in the atmosphere affect the Earth’s radiation balance, resulting in a higher surface temperature.

nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Bacteria that convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into various nitrogen compounds.

permafrost

Permanently frozen ground.

photolysis

The breakdown of a chemical substance by light, one example being the breakdown of water into oxygen and hydrogen.

precipitation

The process of condensed water droplets falling as rain.

radiation

Emission of energy from the nucleus of an atom as either particles or waves.

tectonic plate

A large layer of solid rock that covers part of the surface of the Earth; movement of tectonic plates can cause earthquakes.

water vapour

A gaseous form of water.

weather

A snapshot of what the air and conditions are like in any one place on the Earth at any one time.

wind

The sideways movement of air as a result of lower density warm air rising through the atmosphere.