Ecology

Definition of native species

Native species is a notion, sometimes replaced within the discipline known as biogeography by expressions such as native species or indigenous species, that identifies a certain species (whether plant or animal) with a particular ecosystem or territory. Together, the native species, thanks to natural phenomena, make up the fauna […]

Definition of exotic species

An exotic species is an organism that is not native or originating in the region under consideration. Its introduction to the site in question is a consequence of human action, which may be intentional or accidental. By analyzing the two terms that make up the concept, it is easier to understand it. In the field of zoology […]

Definition of terrestrial ecosystem

Ecosystem is a term that is formed with the prefix eco- and the noun system. The compositional element eco- can refer, according to its first meaning collected by the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), to the living environment. A system, meanwhile, is a set of elements that are interrelated and that act in a […]

Definition of ecological succession

With etymological origin in the Latin word successio, succession is a term with several uses recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in its dictionary. It can refer to events or elements that, in time, follow one another. In a succession, therefore, one thing follows another. Ecological, in […]

Definition of Mediterranean forest

A forest is a space that has an abundant amount of bushes and trees. The term has an uncertain etymological origin, according to what is indicated by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in its dictionary. Mediterranean, meanwhile, is an adjective that refers to that linked to the Mediterranean Sea and the areas surrounding […]

Definition of environmental responsibility

The notion of responsibility has several uses. It may be a moral obligation; of a debt that requires some type of repair; or the ability of an individual to understand the consequences of their actions. Environmental, meanwhile, is an adjective that refers to that linked to the environment. In this case, we are interested […]

Definition of radioactive contamination

The concept of pollution comes from the Latin word contaminatio. The term refers to the act and result of contaminating: modifying, in a harmful way and through the action of physical or chemical agents, the natural or normal state of something. On the other hand, what is classified as radioactive is that which has radioactivity. This notion is used in the […]

Definition of FAO

FAO is the acronym corresponding to the English expression Food and Agriculture Organization, which can be translated as Organization for Food and Agriculture. It is an agency of the United Nations (UN). FAO coordinates and promotes global actions aimed at eradicating hunger. Works […]

Definition of aquatic ecosystem

An ecosystem is a set of living organisms that develop their vital processes interacting with each other and according to the physical conditions of the environment they share. The term is formed with the compositional element eco- (which refers to the ecological; that is, to that which is associated with ecology) and the noun system (a group […]

Definition of water cycle

The water cycle is the set of successive changes of state that water goes through as it circulates through the various zones of the hydrosphere (that is, through all the liquid parts of planet Earth). It should be noted that cycle is a concept that comes from the Latin word cyclus, in turn derived from the Greek […]