| Adaptations |
|
structures, behaviours or physiologies which confer survival
advantages on an organism |
| Biomass |
|
the total synthesized organic content of a given area. |
| Bivalve |
|
a
two-shelled mollusc (e.g. oyster, scallop). |
| Competition |
|
the struggle between organisms or groups of organisms for similar
biological or physical resources. |
| Consumer |
|
an organism which obtains energy by feeding on the tissues of
another organism. |
| Ecosystem |
|
a complex set of physical and biological elements interacting
with each other. |
| Endemic |
|
only found in a particular area |
| Gastropod |
|
a
mollusc that has a large, muscular foot. |
| Invertebrate |
|
an animal without a backbone. |
| Molluscs |
|
a phylum of invertebrates, generally possessing a soft body
covered by a shell. |
| Osmosis |
|
the
tendency of water to move from an area of low ionic concentration
to an area of higher ionic concentration. |
| Photosynthesis |
|
the process used by green plants to convert C02 and H2O into
carbohydrate and oxygen, using light energy. |
| Phytoplankton
|
|
plankton
able to photosynthesize. |
| Plankton |
|
free
floating plants and animals, usually microscopic. |
| Predator |
|
an
organism which hunts live food. |
| Prey |
|
an organism which is eaten by a predator. |
| Productivity |
|
the level of biomass produced by an ecosystem. |
| Salinity |
|
the level of dissolved salts in water. |
| Transect |
|
an
artificial, cross-sectional line usually made by placing a length
of rope or tape over a particular area of terrain. Detailed
surveys of points along the transect can reveal variations in
the distribution of environmental parameters. |
| Trophic |
|
to
do with feeding. |
