Waterfest 
Vocabulary List
Vocabulary Word List – Water Fest 2006
aquatic insect: An insect that spends part or all of its life in the water.
aquifer: permeable, saturated geologic unit that can transmit significant quantities of water
atmosphere: blanket of gases surrounding our planet
benthic macroinvertebrate: Bottom dwelling aquatic organisms, without a backbone, which can be seen with the naked eye.
cave: channel formed by groundwater dissolving limestone or dolomite bedrock
confined aquifer: bounded above and below by confining beds - also called artesian aquifer
diversity: Number of different types of organisms that can live together in a certain habitat
dolomite: limestone with considerable amounts of magnesium carbonate
ecosystem: the sum of all plants, animals, and other living things, plus their surroundings (soil, climate). Living things within an area are dependent upon each other and the resources available. Example: a pond with its bottom soil and plant growth that feeds fish, and other fish that feed on each other. Each member of the system provides support for other parts.
environment: the total conditions that affect an organism such as climate, soil, water, and other living things.
erosion: the wearing away of the land surface by wind or water.
geology: the scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the earth.
gills: Structures which organisms that live in water use to get oxygen.
gravity: the force which attracts any object of any mass towards another object of any mass.
groundwater recharge: infiltration of water from the earth’s surface into the groundwater system.
habitat: The place where animals, fish, and plants live. In a stream it includes pools, riffles, deep water, undercut banks, vegetation, gravel and rocks.
head - thorax - abdomen: Three main body parts of an insect.
karst: geographic areas where the land surface is formed by the dissolving of soluble bedrock. A karst region is characterized by caves, sinkholes, and losing streams and springs.
larva: the immature form of an insect that transforms through complete metamorphosis
limestone: sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate. Formed by the deposits of aquatic lime- secreting organisms
losing stream: a stream in which a section of the stream is losing water into the subsurface material
macroinvertebrate: organisms (aquatic insects) that lack a backbone and can be seen with the naked eye
metamorphosis: When insects change from juvenile to adult involving the reorganization of body tissue. Considered its life cycle, including egg, larva, pupa and adult.
moderately tolerant organism: organism that can survive with some pollution
nymph: the immature form of an insect that transforms through complete metamorphosis
percolate: to move through a permeable substance; penetrate; to ooze or trickle down through a permeable substance
pollution: any substance that changes our environment in a harmful way and stresses living things. The quality of the environment is impaired.
pollution run-off (non point): coming from a general or non-specific location or cause
point source pollution: a stationary source of pollution, such as a discharge pipe
non-point source pollution: an unknown pollution source, such as drainage from pasture land
precipitation: water from the atmosphere that falls to the ground as rain, snow, or sleet, or hail
predator: living things which prey upon and eat other living things as a source of food
pupa: in insects with complete metamorphosis, a stage where the immature insect is enclosed in a tissue- like cocoon, where reorganization occurs and an adult emerges. (Usually an immobile stage)
riparian zone: Land that is located on the banks of a body of water, and 10 or more feet parallel to it.
run- off: fresh water from precipitation and melting ice that flows on the ground surface into nearby streams, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs
sensitive organism: an organism which dies with exposure to a low level of pollution
silt: very fine particles of earth often transported by water and deposited as sediment
sinkhole: depression in the earth’s surface caused by the subsurface removal of soil and rock. Collapsed caves form sinkholes.
somewhat sensitive organisms: organisms which can survive with some pollution
spring: an opening on the earth’s surface where water discharges- where the water table intersects the earth’s surface
tolerant organism: organisms which can survive in polluted conditions
unconfined aquifer: aquifer where the water table is the upper boundary of the aquifer
water cycle: the system by which Earth's water is collected, purified, and distributed from the environment to living things, and back to the environment
water pollution: the addition of harmful or objectionable material to water in concentrations or sufficient quantities that adversely affect its usefulness or quality
water quality: a rating given to a body of water based on the diversity of life that can live there
watershed: The land area from which surface run-off drains into a stream channel, lake, reservoir or other body of water, also called a drainage basin
water table: the upper boundary of an unconfined aquifer
well: a hole that is drilled into the ground to a depth below the water table
Partial
funding for Waterfest 2006 has been provided through the Missouri Department
of Natural Resources. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VII,
through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, has provided partial
funding for this project under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.
