Glossary - NMDGF

Discover New Mexico Glossary

Search and sort glossary of terms for vocabulary words found in our Wildlife Education curriculum.

Term	Definition
Adaptations	an alteration or adjustment in structure of habitats by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment.
Agile	marked by ability to move with quick, easy grace
Algae	simple plants that can range from microscopic to large seaweeds, such as giant kelp.
Angling	fishing with a rod, reel, fishing line, and bait, fly or artificial lure.
Aquatic invasive species (AIS)	terrestrial or aquatic species that are not native to an area or habitat and that are introduced by humans, animals or by natural means, such as wind or water.
Aquatic invertebrates	organisms without backbones, living in water systems - part of aquatic food webs.
Ballast	heavy material that stabilizes a ship.
Biodiversity	the variety of life forms in a given area.
Browse	the act of grazing or looking for vegetation to feed on, common with hooved herbivores.
Camouflage	coloration or pattern to conceal from danger for predatory advantage.
Carnivore	an animal that eats meat or other animals.
Carrying capacity	the maximum number of individuals that a given habitat can support without negative effects.
Catch-and-release	a practice used in fishing in which fish are released after being caught, in order to conserve fish populations.
Census	procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about members of a given population.
Circumference	the linear distance around the edge of a closed curve or circular object.
Competition	the simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for limited environmental resources, such as nutrients, living space, or light.
Condensation	water molecules that have evaporated combine with dust, pollen and smoke in the air to form clouds. When the clouds cool, the vapor becomes liquid. Condensation can occur on the ground as fog. Condensations occurs on the outside of your cold ice tea glass on a hot summer day.
Conservation	the use of natural resources in a way that ensures their continuing availability to future generations; the wise and intelligent use or protection of natural resources.
Controlled variable	a way in a scientific experiment to control how measurements are taken, samples are collected, and observations are made in order to ensure these are being done the same way every time.
Cover	the term cover is partnered with the term space as a habitat component. An example of cover would be any sheltered area that protects animals. In an aquatic habitat fish use deep, shaded pools to rest, hide or watch for food to come their way.
Cud	a portion of food that returns to some hooved animals, to be chewed a second time. Common in cattle, goats and sheep.
Data	known facts, quantities or information used to draw conclusions from.
Defecate	evacuate or empty bowels.
Den	constructed or found shelter typically used by bears for winter months.
Deposition	natural matter that accumulates in an area; for example soil or rocks that are moved by water.
Digitigrade	describes mammal such as cats or dogs that walk on their toes.
Dominance	refers to the lead animal or lead male, known as a ram.
Dormancy	a period in an organismÕs life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped.
Drought	a prolonged period without rain.
Ecology	the science of the interrelations of between living organisms and their environment.
Economy	process or system by which goods and services are produced, sold and bought in a country or region.
Ecosystem	a natural unit that includes living and nonliving parts interacting to produce a stable system in which the exchange of materials between the living and nonliving parts follows closed paths.
Elusive	tending to avoid tracking or following
Embryo	an animal in the early stages of development and growth.
Encroach / encroachment	move by stealth; to advance beyond usual limits
Encroachment of woody vegetation	usually small shrub-like plants that move into an area and overtake grasses.
Endangered	in wildlife terms, a species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Entomology	study of arthropods including insects.
Erosion	natural process by which rock and soil are broken loose from the Earths surface at one location and moved to another by wind, moving water, ice and landslides.
Evaporate	to convert liquid to vapor-a gas state in the air.
Evaporation	occurs when the sun heats water and it becomes vapor that rises into the atmosphere.
Expenditures	an amount of money that is spent on something.
Extinct	describes an organism that has been removed from existence and no longer survives anywhere.
Extirpated	missing from native range but not extinct.
Fishing ethics	a set of practices used in recreational fishing that are meant to conserve fish populations and provide a safe environment for all fishers.
Food chain	the transfer of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by a higher member.
Food energy system	the first part of an ecosystem is the nonliving substance such as air. The second part consists of those organisms that are called producers, or food makers. The third part of this system is called the consumer because it uses the producer for its food. It may in turn be used as food by a secondary consumer. A secondary consumer is eaten by a tertiary consumer. Energy is moved up through this system.
Food web	an interlocking pattern of food chains.
Forage	refers to vegetation taken naturally by herbivorous animals.
Freshwater mussel	Nature's freshwater version of a marine clam, like clams found on the beach. A freshwater mussel is a bivalve mollusk that lives in freshwater and is often called a clam. They have a hard outer shell and are soft on the inside. Mussels move as much as eight gallons of water per day through their internal filtration systems.
Gait	describes the way an animal moves: walking, trotting, loping and galloping, hopping and bounding.
Gestation	period of time that the female sheep is pregnant.
Habitat components	food, water, shelter (cover) and space in proportion—in balance --suitable to needs of animals.
Herbivore	an animal that eats plants.
Hibernation	a physiologic condition experienced by some animals in the winter, during which the animal goes into a deep sleep, the heart and breathing rates decrease, body temperature decreases, and stored fat is used for energy.
Hydrilla	is a submersed plant. It can grow to the surface and form dense mats. It may be found in all types of water bodies.
Hydrophytes	aquatic plants that are especially suited for living in water. Many are completely submerged in water, while some are able to float on the surface of the water. Hydrophytes are supported by water and have roots that are small and feathery. These are designed to take in oxygen from the water.
Impervious	surface or material that does not absorb water well.
Inflow	some of the water that falls to Earth infiltrates the sub soil and rock and can recharge groundwater.
Limiting factors	various influences that affect any animal, population of animals or species. For example: food water, shelter, space/cover, space, disease, predation, climate, pollution, hunting, poaching and accidents. Limiting factors affect the overall size of a population.
Manipulated variable	a condition in a scientific experiment which will be changed.
Mature	fully developed adult.
Metabolism	chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
Microorganisms	microbes or organisms that are so small they are microscopic, or invisible to the naked eye. Microorganisms can be single celled or multicellular.
Migration	annual movement of birds or other animals from one region or country to another.
Mortality	death
Mortality	[the quality or state of being alive; the state of being mortal with certainty of death].
Muzzle	nose of sheep or other animal.
Native species	a plant or animal species that was produced, grew, or originated in a certain region.
Natural resources	include water, soil, plants and animals.
Navigate	to move from one place to another; to travel through an area by foot or other means.
Nymph stage	this is the aquatic invertebrate life cycle stage after the organism hatches from an egg. It often eats differently than later during its adult stage. It may look very different than the adult stage. The full life cycle is known as metamorphosis.
Omnivore	an animal that eats both plants and animals.
Persistence and persisting populations	dedication, not giving up and populations that continue to grow
Pervious	surface or material that allows water to infiltrate.
Plantigrade	describes humans and bears that walk with the soles of their feet flat on the ground.
Pneumonia	lung inflammation
Poaching	illegal hunting and taking of game animals and wildlife.
Population	the number of a particular species in a defined area.
Population	refers to the whole heard of animals in any given area
Porous	surface or material that has holes, allowing water or air through.
Precipitation	liquid in the clouds becomes heavy and gravity pulls the liquid down to Earth as rain or snow.
Predation	refers to the act of any predator (the primary predators of bighorn sheep are mountain lions) stalking and killing another animal (prey).
Predator	an animal that kills and eats other animals.
Prey	animals that are killed and eaten by other animals.
Proportionate	a size, number or amount that is directly related to or appropriate for something.
Protists	refers to a classification in the Animal Kingdom that includes some unicellular protists and some multicellular algae. There are 50,000 species of protists. A few protists that are often studied in high school biology are amebae and paramecia.
Quagga mussle	a freshwater, bivalve mussel.
Ratio	relationship of two numbers of the same kind. Ratio can also be relationship of two different objects.
Recharge	water that infiltrates the sub soil that then reaches deeper to add to groundwater supplies.
Regulations	rules that pertain to fishing and/or hunting and trapping.
Reliable	consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted.
Remnant population	population that existed after a die out
Responding variable	a condition in a scientific experiment which will be observed/measured.
Runoff	occurs when rain water reaches Earth and flows across the land into lakes, streams and oceans.
Rut	the period of time when male sheep fight for harems (groups of female sheep) in order to mate and pass on their genes to the next generation.
Scat	fecal material.
Sediment	small pieces of matter that settle at the bottom of liquid, soil, sand and materials washed from land into waterways.
Solitary	one individual alone
Species	a population of individuals that are more or less alike and that are able to breed and produce fertile offspring under natural conditions; a category of biological classification immediately below the genus and subgenus.
Spin casting	technique in angling, or fishing with a rod, that uses a spinning lure in order to entice fish to bite.
Sport fishing	fishing with a rod, reel, fishing line, and bait, or angling, done for sport or recreation.
Sportfish	typically any species of fish that is fished for sport and for food. Most fish raised in fish hatcheries are sportfish.
Stagnate	not moving or flowing, to become stale or foul.
Stationary	not moving; motionless.
Statistics	the practice or science of collecting, analyzing and presenting numerical data.
Straddle	width measurement for set of tracks.
Stride	refers to the spacing between track patterns. This measurement increases as the animal moves faster.
Surreptitiously	secretly
Survey	to ask (many people) a question or a series of questions about what most people do or think about something. It can also refer to the inventory and monitoring of animal or plant populations.
Taxidermy	the art of preparing, stuffing and mounting the skins of animals for display.
Threatened	in wildlife terms, a species present in its range but in danger because of a decline in number.
Torpor	a state of lowered physiological activity typically characterized by reduced metabolism, heart rate, respiration and body temperature that occurs in varying degrees in different animals. Usually is used to differentiate from hibernation.
Tracks	foot imprint left by animal.
Transplants	refers to wildlife that has been relocated to better habitats in New Mexico
Transportation	related to runoff, transportation means movement of water and all natural plants, roots, sand and soil that is moved along with the flow of the water.
Traverse	to move along steep slopes horizontally
Tree cavity	base of tree where female bears like to den for the winter months.
Trophic level	refers to the nutritional relationship in an ecosystem. The position of an organism in a food chain is called its trophic level.
Turbidity	a measure of the relative clarity of water, or how murky or cloudy the water appears. High levels of turbidity are harmful to aquatic organisms. It can raise water temperature and this causes oxygen levels to decrease. Aquatic plants and animals need high levels of oxygen. This is why many human-made ponds have aerator pumps in themÑpumping oxygen into the water.
Urinate	discharge or release urine.
Water cycle	words that help define water cycle include evaporation, condensation, liquid, ice, vapor, precipitation, runoff and transpiration. Look at water cycle graphics to fully understand
Whirling disease	a disease of the salmonid family of fish that includes trout. A microscopic parasite infects the fish and affects the nerves and cartilage. The infection causes the fish to whirl abnormally. Severe infections kill fish.
Wildlife management	the science of balancing the needs of wildlife and of people.