Glossary

A

Adaptation:  a special feature that helps a plant or animal survive (part of its body or a behavior).

Allosaurus: a large, carnivorous dinosaur that lived in the Jurassic
period (150 million years ago).

Alpine: a high elevation area. The high elevation creates a cold climate.

Anthropology: the study of people and their cultures.

Archaeology: a sub-discipline of anthropology.  It is the study of past human cultures through material remains (like artifacts and sites).

Artifact: any object made or used by humans (things like pottery, baskets, and shelters).

B

Biology: the study of life.

Biome: an area with plants and animals adapted to its climate.

Botanist: a person that studies or has a strong interest in plants.

Botany: the study of plants.

C

Climate: the average weather over a long period of time.

Culture: a set of learned beliefs, values, and behaviors generally shared by members of a society.

D

Desert: a region that receives very little precipitation (usually less than 10 inches per year)

E

Ecology: the study of how living things and their environments interact.

Entomology: the study of insects.

Evaporation: when liquid turns into a gas.

Excavate: digging things (like fossils or artifacts) out of the earth.

G

Genetics: the study of heredity and genetic variations.

Geology: the study of the earth.

I

Insect: invertebrate (no backbone) animals that have six legs, two antennae, and three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen).

Invertebrate: an animal without a backbone.

L

Larva: a young insect before it turns nto a pupa or adult.

Leaves: the above ground plant organ used in photosynthesis.

M

Mammal: warm blooded animals that have fur, milk and live young.

Metamorphosis: the change in an animal's body as it grows into an adult.

N

Natural History Museum: a place that houses, conserves, and studies nature and culture.

O

Organism: something living.

P

Paleontonlgy: the study of life in ancient times.

Photosynthesis:  the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy for the plant.

R

Root: usually below ground part of a plant.  Helps obtain water and anchor the plant.

S

Site: a place where human activity occurred and material remains were left.

Stem: above ground axis of vascular plants.

Stomata: tiny pores on the surface of plant leaves that is used for gas exchange.

T

Taphonomy: the study of what happens to an organism’s remains after it dies.

V

Vertebrate: an animal with a backbone.

Z

Zoology: the study of animals.

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