GK Notes: Ecology Glossary

Bio Fuels produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils from plants such as alcohol from fermented sugar, black liquor from the paper manufacturing process, wood and soyabean oil.
Biogas Gas rich in methane, which is produced by the fermentation of animal dung, human sewage or crop residues in an airtight container.
Biomass Organic material, both above ground and below ground and living and dead, such as trees, crops, grasses and roots.
Carbon credit The concept of Carbon Credit came into existence as a result of increasing awareness of the need for pollution control. Carbon credits are certificates awarded to countries that successfully reduce the emissions that cause global warming.
Carbon Credits are measured in units of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). Each CER is equivalent to one tonne of CO2 reduction.
Carbon Footprint The Carbon Footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases in terms of tonnes or kg of CO2 equivalent.
Carbon Market The Kyoto Protocol allows countries that have emissions units to spare, emissions, permitted but not 'used' to sell this excess capacity to countries that are over their targets. This is called the
carbon market, because carbon dioxide is the most widely produced greenhouse gas and because of this other greenhouse gases will be recorded and counted in terms of their 'carbon dioxide equivalents'.
Green Tax It is a tax with a potentially positive environmental impact. It includes energy tax, transport taxes and taxes on pollution and resources. They are also called
environmental taxes.
Biomes Biomes are regions of the world with similar climate (weather, temperature), animals and plants. Examples of Aquatic biomes are : Fresh water, marine, Coral reef and Estuaries. Examples of Terrestrial biomes are : Tundra, Rainforest, Savanna, Taiga, Alpine and Desert etc.
Environment The environment is the biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organisms or population and includes particulary the factor that have an influence in their survival, development and evolution.
Ecology It is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment.
Ecosystem An ecosystem is a biological system consiting of all the living organisms or biotic components in a particular area and the non-living or abiotic components with which the organisms interact such as air, mineral soil, water and sunlight.
Biosphere The biosphere is the portion of Earth, in which all known life forms exist. If includes a thin layer of air (atmosphere), water (hydrosphere) and Earth (lithosphere).
Geosphere The atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere are together referred to as the Geosphere.
Mitigation The structural and nonstructural measures undertaken to limit the adverse impact of natural hazards, environmental degradation and technological hazards.
Sustainable Development Development that meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Ecological Pyramid An Ecological Pyramid is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or biomass productivity at each Trophic level in a given ecosystem.
Trophic Level Successive stages of nourishment as represented by the links of the foodchain.