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GLOSSARY

Aeolian Loess: Deposit of wind driven fine particles
Acidophilous: Preferring or thriving in a relatively acid environment
Alkaliphilous: Preferring or thriving in a relatively alkaline environment
Amorphous: Not composed of crystals in a physical structure
Anions: Negatively charged element or compound
Anthropogenic: Related to human activities
BOD: Biological Oxygen Demand
Cations: Positively charged element or compound
CCIW: Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
COD: Chemical Oxygen Demand
Diatom: Unicellular algae with silicified cell walls
Endorheic: Interior drainage, flow does not go to the ocean
Eutrophication: High degree of biological nutrition
Evapotranspiration: Moisture loss to the atmosphere from plants by transpiration and evaporation
GEMS: Global Environment Monitoring System
Macrophytes: Rooted aquatic plants
Mesotrophic: Medium degree of biological nutrition
Orography: Relating to the relief features of mountains
Phytoplankton: Microscopic and macroscopic floating or drifting plant life including algae
RAISON: Computer software package used in GEMS/WATER
TDS: Total Dissolved Solids (sum of major ions and dissolved silica)
Thermocline: Transition zone of rapid temperature change
TSS: Total Suspended Solids
Turbidity: Cloudiness of a liquid caused by suspended matter
Weathering: Physical and chemical breakdown of rocks due to natural processes
WHO: World Health Organization


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GEMS/WATER
URL of this page: http://www.cciw.ca/atlas-gwq/glossary-e.html
Last updated: 2002-02-04