Water & Carbon key terms

burial and compaction

• Where organic matter becomes buried and is then compressed by the overlying sediment.

• A process where organic matter is exposed to air and decomposes rapidly.

• The method of extracting minerals from the earth's crust.

• A technique used to preserve organic matter in its original state.

water balance

• An equation used to express the relationship between the main water stores – the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, and the atmosphere.

• A method for measuring the amount of rainfall in a specific area.

• A technique for calculating the evaporation rates from bodies of water.

• A formula for determining the temperature changes in the atmosphere.

carbon sink

• A process that releases more carbon than it absorbs.

• Anything that absorbs more carbon than it releases.

• A type of fossil fuel.

• A method of carbon capture that is ineffective.

psammosere

• A type of vegetation succession in a coastal sand dune area.

• A process of soil formation in wetlands.

• A method of planting trees in urban areas.

• A type of aquatic ecosystem found in lakes.

Drainage Basin

• The area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries.

• A region where water flows into a lake or ocean.

• A system of underground water channels.

• The area of land that is covered by a forest.

Dynamic Equilibrium

• A state of balance where inputs equal outputs in a system that is constantly changing.

• A condition where all forces acting on an object are balanced and at rest.

• A temporary state where inputs exceed outputs in a system.

• A situation where a system is static and does not change over time.

overland flow

• Transfer of water over the land surface.

• Movement of water through soil layers.

• Evaporation of water from the surface.

• Collection of water in rivers and lakes.

precipitation

• Transfer of water from the atmosphere to the ground, taking forms such as rain, snow, hail, and dew.

• The process of water evaporating from the ground into the atmosphere.

• The collection of water in rivers, lakes, and oceans.

• The conversion of water vapor into ice or snow in the atmosphere.

runoff

• A type of flow that transfers both water and sediment from one store to another.

• A process where water evaporates from the surface of the earth.

• A method of irrigation that uses minimal water.

• A type of precipitation that occurs in the form of snow.

Halosere

• Vegetation succession that originates in an area of saline water.

• A type of forest ecosystem found in tropical regions.

• A process of soil formation in arid environments.

• A type of aquatic ecosystem dominated by freshwater species.