Lesson 1- Glossary
Acknowledgement: Taken from "Living on
the Land 2001"
Algal Bloom: Large, visible masses of algae found in bodies of water during warm water periods, or following nutrient additions.
Anaerobic (anoxic): In the absence of oxygen.
Aquatic: Plants or animal life living in, growing in, or adapted to water.
Aquifer: A sand, gravel, or rock formation capable of storing or conveying water below the surface of the land.
Bacteria: Microscopic one-celled organisms that live everywhere and perform a variety of functions. While decomposing organic matter in water, bacteria can greatly reduce the amount of oxygen in the water.
Best Management Practices (BMP): Practices that have been determined to be the most effective, practical means of preventing or reducing water pollution from nonpoint sources.
Buffer Zone: Neutral area that acts as a protective barrier separating two conflicting forces. An area that acts to minimize the impact of pollutants on the environment or public welfare. For example, a buffer zone is established between a composting facility and neighboring residents to minimize odor problems. A buffer strip is a grassed or planted zone that acts as a protective barrier between an area which experiences livestock grazing or other activities and a water body.
Coliform Bacteria: A group of bacteria predominantly inhabiting the intestines of man or animals, but also found in soil. While harmless themselves, coliform bacteria are commonly used as indicators of the possible presence of pathogenic organisms.
Contaminant: Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance causing an impurity in the environment.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO): Oxygen dissolved in water and readily available to fish and other aquatic organisms.
Eutrophication: Degradation of water quality due to enrichment by nutrients, primarily nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which results in excessive plant ( principally algae) growth and decay. When levels of N:P are about 7:1, algae will thrive. Low dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water is a common consequence.
Evaporation: Loss of water to the atmosphere from the earth’s surface by changing state to water vapor.
Evapotranspiration (ET): Loss of water by transpiration from the leaves of plants.
Fertilizer: Any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more elements essential to the growth of plants.
Floodplain: The land bordering a stream, built up of sediments from overflow of the stream, and subject to inundation when the stream is at flood stage.
Ground Water: The subsurface water supply in the saturated zone below the water table.
Heavy Metals: Those metals that have high density; commonly includes copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, mercury, nickel and lead.
Herbicide: Pesticide (chemical) used to specifically control undesirable plants and vegetation.
Hydrologic Cycle: The movement of water in and on the earth and atmosphere through processes such as precipitation, evaporation, runoff, infiltration and combustion.
Infiltration: Entry of water from precipitation, irrigation, or runoff into the soil profile.
Insecticides: Pesticides (chemicals) used to specifically control insects.
Leaching: The washing out or flushing of a soluble substance from an insoluble one. Gardeners leach soil with water when they want to remove excess salts (see Salinity). In high-rainfall areas, rain water leaches good as well as harmful substances from the soil.
Loading: The quantity of a substance entering the receiving waters.
Manure: Organic material excreted from animals, used as fertilizer and organic amendment to enrich the soil.
Nitrogen: One of the three major nutrients in a complete fertilizer and the first one listed in the formulation on a fertilizer label (as 10-8-6, for example).
Nonpoint Source: Pollutant occurring from widespread or diffuse sources with no definite point of entry. The source is not from a readily discernible point such as a discharge pipe.
Nutrient: That portion of any element or compound in the soil that can be readily absorbed and assimilated to nourish growing plants.
Pathogen: Disease-causing biological agent such as a bacterium, virus, or fungus.
Pesticide: A chemical substance used to kill or control pests such as weeds, insects, algae, rodents, and other undesirable agents. An herbicide is a chemical substance that kills plants.
pH: The symbol for the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen ion concentration, used to indicate an acid or alkaline condition. A pH of 7 indicates neutrality, less than 7 is acid, and greater than 7 is alkaline.
Point Source: Pollutant released from a pipe or discrete conveyance into a water body or a water-course leading to a body of water. e.g. a wastewater treatment plant.
Pollutant: Any substance of such character and in such quantities that when it reaches a body of water, soil, or air, it is degrading in effect so as to impair the water, soil, or air’s usefulness or render it offensive.
Potassium: Referred to as "potash," potassium is the third element contained in a complete fertilizer (such as 10-8-6).
Recharge: Downward movement of water through soil to ground water.
Runoff: That portion of the precipitation or irrigation water that leaves property over the land surface and drains into surface streams or water bodies.
Sediment: The soil material, both mineral and organic, that is in suspension, is being transported, or has been moved from its site of origin by erosion (by air, water, gravity, or ice) and has come to rest on the earth’s surface either above or below sea level.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): Concentration of all substances dissolved in water (solids remaining after evaporation of a water sample).
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): A TMDL specifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, and allocates pollutant loadings among point and nonpoint pollutant sources. By law, EPA must approve or disapprove lists and TMDLs established by states, territories, and authorized tribes.
Toxic: Substances that even in small quantities may poison, cause injury, or cause death when eaten or ingested through the mouth and stomach, absorbed through the skin or inhaled into the lungs.
Transpiration: The release of moisture (absorbed largely by plant roots) through the leaves. Temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed affect transpiration rate.
Watershed (Drainage Basin): All land and water that drains runoff to a specific stream or other surface water body.
(Top)