Vocabulary

biodiversity: the number and variety of organisms (plants, animals and others)  found within a specified geographic region. 

chaparral: a habitat with dense, small evergreen shrubs that grow where  summers are hot and dry and winters are cool and moist. 

coastal sage scrub: a habitat on drier coastal slopes that consists of drought resistant, deciduous shrubs and other plants. 

disturbance: temporary change in environmental conditions that causes a  pronounced change in an ecosystem. 

ecosystem: all the living and nonliving things that interact in an area; within  each ecosystem is one or more habitats. 

ecosystem services: the benefits that ecosystems provide humans, from the air,  clean water and food to breaking down waste and building soils to beauty,  recreation and comfort/inspiration. 

endangered: at risk or in danger of becoming extinct. 

environment: all the living and nonliving things that surround and affect an  organism. 

erosion: the process by which wind, water, or other means wears away land. estuary: a place where fresh water from rivers meets salt water from the ocean. 

habitat: a specific type of environment inhabited by particular animal and/or  plant species; a place where an animal or plant lives. 

nitrates: nutrients needed by all aquatic plants and animals that come from  decomposing dead plants and animals and the excretions of living animals. 

non-native species: species that have been introduced into new areas that  have not historically been part of their native range. organism: a living thing, such as an animal, plant, alga, bacterium, or fungus.

organism: a living thing, such as an animal, plant, alga, bacterium, or fungus.

Pacific Flyway: a north-south route, extending from Alaska to Patagonia, that is  used by migrating birds. 

pH: a measurement of the acidic or basic quality of water. 

phosphates: nutrients needed for plant and animal growth that can come from  several sources including human and animal waste, industrial pollution, and  agricultural runoff. 

plant community: a collection or association of plant species within a  designated geographical unit, which forms a relatively uniform patch,  distinguishable from neighboring patches of different vegetation types. 

pollution: the presence or introduction into the environment of a substance  (pollutant), usually produced by humans, that causes harm to a natural  environment.  

restoration: restoring to its natural form. 

species: a group of the same type of living organisms that can mate and  produce (reproduce) other living organisms of the same kind. 

threatened: at risk of becoming endangered, leading to extinction. 

water quality: a measure of several factors (e.g., dissolved oxygen, nitrates,  phosphates, and pH) in water relating to a particular purpose of the water (e.g.,  drinking). 

watershed: an area of land that drains the rain falling onto it (or water flowing  through it) into a common body of water, such as a creek or stream, which flows  into a larger body of water, such as a river or lake, which and eventually flows  into an estuary and out to the ocean