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ecological dictionary

C

Calcium deficiency

Insufficient levels of calcium in animals, plants, or people.

Carbon monoxide

A poisonous, odorless and colorless gas. Anthropogenic emissions (i.e. caused by humans) mainly come from automobiles and industry. Thus, carbon monoxide is one of the main causes of pollution in industrial cities with many vehicles.

Cascade

A small waterfall, or series of small waterfalls created as a river flows down a steep slope. Also used to describe biological events or reactions that trigger more biological events or reactions.

Carnivore

An animal that eats other animals. These animals can be secondary consumers in the food chain or food web, meaning they eat herbivores. Or they can be tertiary consumers, meaning they eat other carnivores.

Carotene

A yellow, orange, or rose coloured pigment that comes from plants.

Cell

The basic unit or component of all living organisms.

Cellulose

A substance that forms the primary structural component of green plants. It consists of carbohydrates and is found in abundance in the walls of plant cells.

Chlorophyll

The chemical that gives plants their green color and absorbs solar energy for photosynthesis.

Chromosome

A long string of genes made of DNA which is usually wrapped around proteins. Each cell has either one chromosome (in the case of simple organisms such as bacteria) or many (in the case of animals). Humans have 46 chromosomes in each cell: 23 pairs in the case of females, and 22 pairs and 2 odd ones (called x and y) in the case of males. When a child is conceived, it receives one from each pair of chromosomes from each parent, and one of the odd ones from its father. If it receives its fathers x chromosome, it develops as a female, and if it receives it’s father’s y chromosome, it becomes a male. (See also Genes and DNA.)

Climate

The pattern of weather conditions over a period of time. It is affected by a combination of atmospheric, meteorological and physical factors, and greatly influences a region’s ecological conditions.

Climatology

The study of climate and the factors that affect it.

Closed season

A period during which it is prohibited to hunt, fish, or deforest, with the goal of protecting endangered species.

Cloudy forest

A forest area in mountain ranges with a vegetation cover that supports clouds and frequent fog created as humid air cools down as it rises to high altitudes and moisture condenses.

Contamination

The presence of an unwanted or unnatural substance that has a negative effect on the environment or on the health of living organisms.

Cover (Vegetation)

Vegetation that forms a protective canopy over the surface of the ground, water, or other medium, and enables the development of the area it covers.

Cyanide

A chemical compound that contains a cyano-group. Some cyanide compounds are salts derived from hydrogen cyanide. It is used in metallurgy and pesticides. Many, but not all cyanides are highly toxic.

Cycle

A sequence of events that are regularly repeated. For example, in the hydrologic cycle, the biosphere and the atmosphere constantly exchange vapor from water, oxygen and carbon dioxide. The water on earth comes from rain, which is part of the hydrologic cycle.

Cyclical

A process that repeats itself. Examples include periods of drought or of precipitation throughout the course of a year, climatic processes and the transformation of some chemical compounds.

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