h

ecological dictionary

H

Habitat

The place where an organism lives.

Haddock

A fish that lives mostly in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere.

Herbaceous

Having a non-woody herbal characteristic. Also called grassy.

Herbicide

A chemical that kills or inhibits the growth of plants.

Holistic

The philosophy that natural forces need to be seen as a whole, not as isolated parts.

Holism

The idea that the parts of a natural system must be viewed and understood in relation to the whole. Its opposite, reductionism, is the analytic method of modern science.

Humus

Organic material that is totally or partially decomposed in the earth by chemical reactions and microorganisms. Humus is important for the fertility of the ground and its concentration depends on the local climate.

Hurricane

A very strong tropical wind that moves in a circular pattern.

Hydrate

A chemical compound of water and another molecule.

Hydrologic balance

Also called water balance. A way to calculate the quantity of available water in a particular zone or system. It is deduced from water utilized or lost due to various causes, from water which has increased through precipitation or other ways. It is given by: P=Q+E ± S, where P indicates precipitation, Q is runoff, E is evotranspiration, and S is storage (in earth or bedrock).

Hydrologic cycle

The phases through which the earth’s water is conserved and circulated. The main processes are precipitation and evaporation.

Hydrosphere

The watery area of the earth’s surface. It includes water vapor in the atmosphere, liquid water in oceans, rivers, lakes and under the ground, and in continental ice.

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