Climate Background Definitions

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Atom - basic unit of matter

Isotopes - atoms of the same element but with different numbers of neutrons

Molecule - group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

Lithosphere - the Earth's surface soils, rocks, and sediments. Part of the larger geosphere.

Hydrosphere - the combined mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of the Earth.

Water cycle - the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth

The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow

Transpiration - the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially from leaves but also from stems and flowers

Evapotranspiration - water transpired from plants and evaporated from the soil.

Atmosphere - the gases surrounding the Earth held in place by gravity.

Carbon sequestration - the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

May refer to carbon dixoide removal, carbon capture and storage or the natural biogeochemical cycling of carbon between the atmosphere and reservoirs, such as by chemical weathering of rocks

Cryosphere - the portions of the Earth´s surface where water is in solid form.

Includes sea ice, lake ice, river ice, snow cover, glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets, and frozen ground (which includes permafrost).

Permafrost - soil at or below the freezing point of water 0 °C (32 °F) for two or more years

Glacier - large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its melting and sublimation over many years, often centuries

Ice sheet - mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km2, thus also known as continental glacier.

The only remaining ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland

Glacial period - interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances.

The last glacial period ended about 15,000 years ago

Interglacial period - periods of warmer climate between glacial periods.

The Holocene epoch is the current interglacial.

Species - a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring

Population - all the organisms of the same group or species, who live in the same geographical area, and have the capability of interbreeding.

Community - all of the populations of different species living in one area, interacting with one another

Ecosystem - a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system

Biosphere - global sum of all ecosystems, the "zone of life" on Earth.

Carbon cycle - biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth

Forcing - a factor that can shape climate.

Also known as climate forcings or "forcing mechanisms"

Sources: Wikipedia