A

Adaptation The process in which living things change, over several generations, to become better suited to their environment. They adapt to climate, available food and avoiding of predators. For example, Arctic hares have thick fur to keep warm, a keen sense of smell to help find plants under the snow and a white coat to blend in with their surroundings.

Algae Plants without true stems, roots and leaves. Algae are found in water or moist ground. The still waters of ponds and lakes are an ideal habitat for algae.

Anther The bag-like part at the tip of a stamen in a plant, where pollen is produced.

Aquatic A plant or animal that lives in water.

Asexual reproduction (in plants) Reproduction involving just one plant, without pollination. A new shoot or root develops into a new plant identical to the parent.

B

Bark The tough outer layer on the stem of trees and shrubs. The outer bark protects against damage, cold and loss of water. The inner bark, or phloem, carries sugars made in the leaves to other parts of the tree.

Bioluminescence Natural light created in the body of a living creature. Many deep-water animals are bioluminescent. They may use the light to lure prey, as camouflage, or as a signal to other creatures of the same species. They may also flash lights on and off to confuse an attacker.

Biome A large ecosystem with similar plants, animals and climate that occurs in different regions around the world. For example, woodlands of different broadleaved trees together make up the temperate woodland biome. There are several types of biome, including polar, mountain, tundra, taiga, temperate woodland, scrubland, grassland, desert, tropical rainforest and ocean.

Blossom The flowers of fruit trees. They usually flower in spring. Peach, most cherry and some almond blossoms are pink, while plum, apple, orange blossoms, some cherry and most almond blossoms are white.

Boreal forest The dense, coniferous forest that covers northern parts of the world, such as Russia and North America. Also called taiga.

Botany The science of plant life.

Broadleaf A flowering tree that produces fruits with seeds inside. Many have wide, flat leaves. Most broadleaf trees are deciduous but some, such as holly, are evergreen.

Browsers Animals that feed on leaves and twigs from trees and bushes, rather than grasses.

Bud A small growth on a stem or branch that will develop into a flower, stem or leaf.

Bulb A round, underground stem with thick leaves emerging from the top, and roots emerging from the bottom. Tulips and onions grow from bulbs.

Burrow A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by an animal. Burrows provide animals with a safe place to live or rear their young.

C

Canopy A “roof” of foliage in a rainforest where many fruits and flowers grow in the open sunshine. Most birds, insects and monkeys live here.

Carnivore An animal that feeds only on other animals.

Carnivorous plant A plant that obtains its nutrients by digesting animals.

Carpel The female reproductive organ of a flower. It consists of an ovary, style and stigma. Some flowers have a cluster of carpels, called a pistil.

Catkin A dangling cluster of flowers. They disperse pollen via the wind. Catkins are found on willows, birches and oak trees.

Chlorophyll A green substance, present in a plant's leaves, that absorbs sunlight and uses the sun’s energy to carry out photosynthesis.

Chloroplast A small structure within the cell of a plant leaf. It contains chlorophyll. Photosynthesis is carried out inside the chloroplasts of a plant.

Climate The pattern of weather in a particular region over a long period of time. Regions with tropical climates, for example, have hot, wet weather all year round, while regions with temperate climates have warm summers and cold winters.

Cold desert An area with less than 25 centimetres (10 inches) of precipitation (snow or rain) a year, and with an average temperature of less than 10°C (50°F). Antarctica is a cold desert, because it rarely snows there. The Gobi desert in Mongolia is cold and dry, because the surrounding mountains block warm, moist air currents from reaching it.

Colony A group of one species of animal living together.

Community A group of different species living together in the same environment.

Cone The reproductive parts of a coniferous tree. Conifers have male and female cones. When ripe, the male cone releases pollen, which is carried by the wind to female cones. Seeds then develop inside the female cone while on the tree.

Conifer A tree, such as a pine or fir, that grows its seeds inside cones and has needle-like leaves. Almost all conifers are evergreen but some, such as larches, are deciduous. Coniferous forests are those forests mainly made up of conifers. They are mostly found in northern and mountainous areas.

Coral A hard substance consisting of the skeletons secreted by tiny animals called polyps. The polyps are coloured by the presence of algae inside their bodies. The layers of polyp skeletons underneath are white.

Coral reef An underwater structure formed from the hard skeletons of coral polyps. Coral reefs are found in warm, clear, shallow waters around volcanic islands or rocky coastlines. They teem with wildlife.

D

Deciduous tree A tree, such as an oak, maple or birch, that sheds its leaves in the autumn. This allows it to conserve water during the cold months. In the spring it grows new leaves from buds.
Deciduous woodlands grow in areas with warm summers but cool winters.

Decomposer A small or microscopic living thing that breaks down dead matter and recycles nutrients in the soil. Fungi, bacteria and some animals, such as earthworms, are decomposers.

Den A home made by wild animals.

Dispersal The process by which a plant scatters its seeds.

E

Ecosystem An area in which living things survive together in conditions to which they are suited. An ecosystem contains several different habitats. It can be as small as a single tree or as large as a whole forest.

Environment The living and non-living surroundings of a living thing.

Epiphytes Small plants that grow on other plants. In a rainforest, epiphytes root themselves among the sunlit canopy. They take moisture and nutrients from the rain and from falling fruit and leaves.

Everglades An area of swampland in Florida. In the Everglades, wading birds such as flamingos feed in the shallows, while alligators roam the deeper waters.

Evergreens Trees such as holly and pines that have leaves all year round. Evergreen trees constantly lose and replace their leaves throughout the year.

Evolution The process by which living things gradually change over many generations in order to make them better suited to their environment. Those that are best suited, or adapted, to the conditions are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on the features that helped them survive to their offspring. Conditions change naturally over long periods of time—for example, the climate may become colder or warmer. Living things must adapt to the new conditions or die out. They survive by evolving.

Extinction The process whereby every member of a species dies out.

F

Filament A stalk-like part of a flower that holds the male anther.

Flower The part of a flowering plant in which reproduction takes place. Some flowers have both male and female organs, while others have only one or the other. A flowering plant produces fruits containing seeds.

Food chain The sequence in which a plant is eaten by an animal, which is then eaten by another animal and so on. Most animals eat several different food types, so they are a part of several food chains.

Food web All the different food chains in an ecosystem linked together.

Freshwater Water that is not salty. Freshwater is found in streams, rivers, lakes and some swamps.

Fruit An outer coat surrounding a seed or seeds. It is formed from a flower’s ripe ovary and may be soft or hard. Some fruits have tasty flesh that attracts animals to eat them so they will disperse seeds in their droppings.

Fungi (singular: fungus) Life-forms that feed by absorbing (taking in) nutrients from the material they grow in. This may be wood, soil, cheese, plants or animals (alive or dead). Fungi reproduce by producing spores. The group includes mushrooms, yeasts, moulds and mildews.

G

Germination The growth of a plant from a seed.

Grasslands Open areas of land where grasses and low-lying bushes thrive. Grasslands grow in areas that have more rainfall than deserts but less than forests. The steppes of Asia, the prairies of North America and the pampas of South America are all grasslands. The African savanna has more trees.

Grazers Animals that feed on grasses. Deer, horses and cows are all grazers.

Growth layer A layer of a plant’s trunk just beneath the inner bark. It makes new bark on the outside and new sapwood on the inside.

H

Habitat The type of surroundings in which a plant or animal lives. Woodlands, marshes and lakes are all types of habitat.

Heartwood The inner core of a tree’s trunk made of old, hardened sapwood. The heartwood gives a tree its strong “backbone”.

Herbivore An animal that feeds only on plants.

Herd A large group of animals that live and travel around together. Most hooved animals and many other plant-eaters live in herds. The herd offers them some protection, as a large group is more likely to spot predators.

Hibernation The process whereby some animals spend winter in a state of reduced activity. Breathing and other body systems slow down, conserving energy.

Hot desert An area with less than 25 centimetres (10 inches) of rainfall a year, and an average temperature of over 20°C (68°F). Some deserts have temperatures reaching up to 50°C (about 120°F).

L

Leaf A flat surface on a plant where photosynthesis and transpiration take place. Most leaves are broad so that as much light as possible can fall on them.

Leaf litter A layer of fallen leaves that builds up on the forest floor. In a deciduous woodland, earthworms live among the litter. They break it down into nutrients which are taken up by growing plants through their roots.

Lichen Algae and fungi living together. The algae makes food through photosynthesis. The fungus gathers water and forms a protective layer over the algae.

M

Mangrove A tree or shrub that grows on warm, sheltered coastlines. Mangroves have shallow roots that stand up above the water line. Nutrient-rich mud collects in the roots, providing food for many animals.

Marsh A low-lying, shallow wetland often found near rivers or the coast. Most marsh plants are grasses and reeds.

Minerals Non-living, solid substances made of natural chemical elements.

Mudflat A wetland formed from mud and sand dumped by rivers as they near the sea and flow slowly. They are an important habitat for wading birds such as herons.

N

Natural selection The process by which living things best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. If their offspring inherit the same features, they, too, have a better chance of survival. Natural selection is the driving force of evolution.

Nocturnal Active during the night and inactive during the day.

Nut A fruit with a very tough outer case.

Nutrients Chemical substances that are needed to maintain a living thing's activity and growth.

O

Omnivore An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

Organism Any living thing.

Ovary A flower’s female reproductive organ where egg cells are produced. Once the eggs are fertilized by male cells (pollen), the ovaries begin to enlarge into fruit.

P

Palm tree A tree with a straight trunk and no branches. At the top is a crown of large leaves. Palm trees grow mostly in tropical and subtropical areas.

Petal A leaf-like structure surrounding the reproductive parts of a flower. Petals are often brightly coloured to attract insects. These pollinate flowers as they move from plant to plant to drink nectar.

Phloem The tissue inside plants that carries sugars made by photosynthesis from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Photosynthesis The process by which plants make the sugars they need for food. They use sunlight as an energy source to combine carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. Photosynthesis also produces oxygen, which seeps out into the air.

Plankton Tiny plants, known as phytoplankton, and animals, known as zooplankton, that float or swim in the surface waters of the ocean.

Plant A living thing that gets energy from sunlight by photosynthesis. They also absorb water and minerals from the ground. Plants cannot move freely around their environment.

Pollen Tiny, dust-like particles produced by a plant's anthers. Pollen contains the male sex cells.

Pollination The transfer of pollen from the male to the female parts of a flower. Pollen grains are light and many are carried in the air. Others are sticky and carried by animals that drink nectar from flowers.

Polyp A tiny animal made up of a stomach, mouth and tentacles. Its soft body is protected by a hollow, cup-like skeleton.

Predator An animal that obtains its food by hunting and killing other animals.

Prey An animal that is killed and eaten by predators.

Protist A living thing made up of a single cell containing a nucleus.

R

Reproduction Breeding, or the production of offspring. All living things can reproduce.

Resin A sticky substance produced by trees. Resin helps to seal any wounds in the trees’ bark to protect it from infection. It also traps insects to stop them from eating the plant’s wood.

Root The part of a plant that normally grows below ground. Roots anchor a plant and take in water and minerals from the soil. Root hairs grow at the tips. These increase the surface area of roots so they can take up more nutrients.

S

Sapwood The layer inside a tree beneath its growth layer. The sapwood carries water from the roots up to the leaves. A new layer of sapwood grows each year, appearing as a ring.

Savanna An area of grassland found close to the Equator. The largest areas of savanna are in Africa. It is mostly grass, but is also scattered with bushes and trees. The climate is hot, with a dry season followed by a wet season. The savanna supports many plant-eating animals, including herds of giraffe, zebra and wildebeest. They are preyed upon by large carnivores such as lions, leopards and hyenas.

Scavenger An animal that feeds on the remains of food that has been killed by another animal.

Scrubland Plants mostly made up of shrubs and grasses that are perfectly adapted for dry environments.

Seed A small case, containing a plant embryo and a supply of food. The food provides energy for the plant to grow until it develops the ability to carry out photosynthesis.

Semi-desert A region that lies between a desert (or arid) and a humid (wet) climate. The vegetation is dominated by scrubland or dry grasses.

Shoot A new growth on part of a plant.

Shrub A low-lying plant with woody stems branching out from a base just above the ground.

Species A group of living things that are usually similar in appearance, and that are able to breed together and produce young that can also breed successfully.

Spores Tiny, dust-like particles that grow into new plants. Non-flowering plants such as ferns reproduce using spores, as do fungi.

Stamen The male reproductive part of a flower. It consists of an anther and filament.

Stem The long, stiff part of a plant that supports its leaves, flowers, fruits or cones. Water and nutrients from the roots travel through the stem to the rest of the plant.

Stigma In a plant, the part of the carpel at the end of the style. Pollen is received here.

Stoma (plural: stomata) A tiny hole on the underside of a leaf, through which carbon dioxide enters and oxygen seeps out.

Stone A large hard seed inside a fleshy fruit.

Style In a plant, the long, thin part of the carpel connecting the ovary to the stigma.

Swamp A wetland that is forested. Many are found along the banks of large rivers or lakes.

T

Taiga see Boreal forest

Transpiration The release of water as vapour (gas) through a plant’s stoma.

Tree A tall plant with a woody stem and branches high above the ground. Its branches, which divide into smaller twigs, spread out leaves so that they all receive as much sunlight as possible. The roots below ground anchor the tree and soak up water and nutrients from the soil.

Tropical rainforest A dense forest of tall trees found in regions that are hot and wet all year round.

Trunk The main stem of a tree. A tree trunk has several layers: the outer bark, inner bark, growth layer, sapwood and heartwood.

Tuber A thick, underground stem or root that stores food for the next growing season. Potatoes are types of stem tuber.

Tundra An area with little plant growth because the soil is almost always frozen. Tundra is found on the land that borders the Arctic Ocean. During the summer, the ground thaws at the surface and small plants grow.

Twig A small division of a branch. Leaves, flowers and fruits grow from buds on twigs.

V

Veins Tiny tubes in a leaf that transport water and nutrients to all of its cells. They also support its structure.

W

Wetland An area of waterlogged land. Wetlands are found on the edge of lakes, near the coast, or where rain or rivers flood the land. They can be either freshwater or saltwater environments. Wetlands are especially important to birds, as they provide a safe site for nests, and an abundance of insects for food.

Wildfire A natural fire that takes place in grassland or forest. The most common cause of wildfire is lightning.

X

Xylem The tissue in vascular plants that carries water and minerals from a plant’s roots to the rest of the plant. This liquid is called sap.

Consultant: Chris Jarvis
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