A
Alkali – 1) any strong base or hydroxide that is soluble in water, neutralizes acids and forms salts with them, and turns red litmus blue. Alkalis are generally bitter tasting in water solution and have a pH value of more than 7. Lye and ammonia are two common alkalis. 2) Any salt or mixture of salts that neutralizes acids, found in some desert soils.

Alkaline – Having a pH factor of more than 7; having a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions (contrasted with acid, especially as a characteristic of soil).

Altocumulus – These clouds contain mostly water droplets and look like waves of the sea with white and gray coloring and shadows.

Altostratus – These clouds from a bluish or grayish veil that totally or partially covers the sky.

B
Biometry – The branch of biology that studies living things by measurements and statistics.

Buffer solutions – a solution which resists change in the degrees of acidity on the addition of an acid or base.

C
Calibration – To set or check an instrument against an index or standard of known value through some type of proportional or statistical relationship.

Cirrocumulus – These clouds contain primarily ice crystals and contain thin white layers with a texture that makes them look like patches of cotton or ripples without shadows.

Cirrostratus – These clouds are made of ice crystals and are a thin, almost transparent whitish layer that may appear like a halo around the sun.

Cirrus – These clouds contain ice crystals and generally look like white wispy feathers.

Classification System – A comprehensive set of categories, with labels and definitions arranged in a hierarchy or branching structure.

Clinometer – A tool that measures angles to determine the heights of objects without directly measuring them.

Conductivity – The power to transmit or be a channel for heat, electricity, sound or other form of energy.

Cumulonimbus – These large, heavy and dense clouds have a flat dark surface and large tops shaped like mountains. They are generally associated with lightning, thunder, halo and sometimes tornadoes.

Cumulus – These clouds have a flat base and a dense, mound shaped top that resembles a large cauliflower. Where the sun hits these clouds they are a brilliant white.

D
Densionmenter – A tool for measuring ground and canopy cover.

E

F

G

H
Homogenous – Made up of similar elements or parts; of uniform nature or character throughout.

Hydrologic Cycle – The series of stages through which water passes from the atmosphere to the earth and returns to the atmosphere. These stages include condensation, precipitation, accumulation in soil and bodies of water and re-evaporation.

I
in situ – Situated in its original natural place.

J

K

L
Logarithm – the power to which a base (usually 10) must be raised to produce a given number. If the base is 10, the logarithm of 1000 is 3; the logarithm of 10,000 is 4; the logarithm of 100,000 is 5.

M
Maximum/minimum thermometer – A U-shaped thermometer with two separate temperature readings, one for the maximum temperature and one for the minimum temperature.
Meniscus – The curved upper surface of a column of liquid.
MicroSiemens/cm – The metric unit of measurement for conductivity.

N
Nimbostratus – A massive dark and gray colored cloud layer that blots out the light of the sun and has continuous precipitation.

Nitrate nitrogen mg/L – Nitrate measurements. Concentrations of nitrate (N03) are often expressed as mass of nitrogen per volume of water.

Nitrite nitrogen mg/L – Nitrite measurements. Concentrations of nitrite (NO2) are often expressed as mass of nitrogen per volume of water.

Nitrate – A salt of nitric acid (NO3-). Nitrates are often highly soluble and can be reduced to form nitrites or ammonia.

Nitrite – A salt of nitrous acid (NO2-). Nitrites are often highly soluble and can be oxidized to form nitrates or reduced to form ammonia.
Eutrophication – A high degree of productivity in a body of water due to an increased supply of nutrients.

O

P
Pedology – The science dealing with the origin, classification, and utilization of soils.

Precipitation – Separation in solid form from a solution due to chemical or physical change (e.g. adding a reagent or lowering the temperature.)

Q

R

S
Saturate – to cause (a substance) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance.

Standard – A measure with a value established through outside means for use in calibration; a known reference.

Stratocumulus – These clouds are a gray whitish color whose base tends to more round than flat.

Stratus – These clouds are gray and look like a sheet layer. They rarely produce precipitation.

T
Titrant – a substance used to cause a reaction and detect another substance.

Titration – The process of finding the quantity of a given chemical or substance by the addition of a liquid reagent of known strength, and measuring the volume of that reagent necessary to cause a reaction that changes the form of the chemical in question.
Transparency – The depth to which light will penetrate a body of water.
Turbid – Not clear, or transparent due to stirred up sediment.

U

V
Vegetation – The total mass of plants and plant life growing in a particular area.

W

X

Y

Z