Download Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly Glossary

Ashley Fong
SEA-DISC
January 8, 2013
Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly Glossary
Biodiversity: the variability among living organisms from all sources including, terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this
includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
Captive Breeding:
Dominant: most frequent or common
Ecological Niche: Total way of life or role of a species in an ecosystem. It includes all physical,
chemical, and biological conditions that a species need to live and reproduce in an ecosystem.
Ecological Quality: Determined by the biological and physical quality of the site. The biological
quality includes the diversity of insect families, EPT families and Sensitive families.
Ecological Roles:
Economic Value: the amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair
equivalent for something else
Ecosystem: An environment and the community of organisms that inhabit it.
Endangered: pose a threat to; present a danger to, put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or
difficult position
Endangered Species: a species whose numbers are so small that the species is at risk of
extinction
Endangered Species Act (ESA): An act of Congress signed into law in 1973 that offers federal
protection to species, or distinct populations of a species, deemed to be threatened or endangered
with extinction, along with the habitat on which they depend.
Endemic: a plant that is native to a certain limited area
Extinct: no longer in existence; lost or especially having died out leaving no living
representatives
Florida Department of Environmental Protection: created in the mid-1970s. It was formed
from the Department of Pollution Control and portions of the Board of Trustees of the Internal
Improvement Trust Fund and the Florida Department of Natural Resources. It is responsible for
many aspects of the state's natural environment.
Food Chain: a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member
Global Warming: an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes
corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect.
Habitat: the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or occurs
Habitat Destruction: the alteration of a natural habitat to the point that it is rendered unfit to
support the species dependent upon it as their home territory.
Hardwood Hammocks: an "island" of primarily hardwood trees and associated understory
plants growing on an elevated, well-drained site, surrounded by vegetation characteristic of
lower, wetter surroundings. The term "hammock" is also used to describe any of the temperate
hardwood forests in Florida, which may include dry, mesic, and wet sites.
Host Plant: A plant that other things feed from. Many plants are host plants for butterflies.
Illegal Collection:
Indicator Species: an organism that occurs only in areas with specific environmental conditions.
Because of their narrow ecological tolerance, the presence or absence of these species on a site is
a good indicator of environmental conditions. Foresters often use the distribution of indicator
understory plants to get a quick estimate of site conditions, for example, drainage and fertility.
Biologists may use indicator species to evaluate the health of an ecosystem.
Inhabited: be an inhabitant of, reside in, be present in, exist or be situated within
Insecticide Use:
Intrinsic Value: Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on
its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to humans
Invertebrate: any animal lacking a backbone or notochord
Keystone Species: a species that exerts an impact on its community that is both strong and
disproportionate to its abundance.
Larvae: the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at
hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose
Mutualism: ecological interactions between two species in which both benefit.
Native: indigenous plants and animals
Outlaw: declare illegal; outlaw
Organism: any biological individual capable of self-sustained independent living including the
functions of maintenance of its internal environment and reproduction.
Pesticides: a chemical used to kill pests (as rodents or insects)
Petition: A formal request made in writing to the court.
Pollinate: fertilize by transferring pollen
Pollinator: an insect that carries pollen from one flower to another
Population: a group of organisms of the same species inhabiting a given area
Predators: an interaction between species in which one species uses another species as food.
Primary: of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary
Pupae:
Species: taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
Stable:
Range: the limits within which something can be effective
Taxonomy: a classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure or origin
Threatened Species: likely in the near future to become endangered species
Unnatural: not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
U.S. Fish and Wildlife: an agency in the Department of the Interior that conserves and protects
fish and wildlife and their habitats; assesses the environmental impact of pesticides and nuclear
power site and hydroelectric dams and thermal pollution
Vulnerable: capable of being wounded or hurt, susceptible to attack
References:
1. Erickson, T. 2008. Glossary of Terms. Retrieved January 8, 2013. From Millers Creek
Website. Website: http://wiki.mtri.org/display/milcreek/Glossary
2. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013. From
Wikipedia. Website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Department_of_Environmental_Protection
3. Glossary of Terms. 2006-2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013. From Washtenaw County
Trial Court. Website: http://washtenawtrialcourt.org/friend_of_court/glossary_terms
4. Glossary of Terms. 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2013. From Long Live the Kings.
Website: http://www.lltk.org/about/glossary
5. Hubbard, Latt, Long. 2012. Forest Terminology for Multiple-Use Management.
Retrieved January 8, 2013. From University of Florida IFAS Extension. Website:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr063
6. Lovett, M. 2012. WordNet Search. Retrieved January 8, 2013. From Princeton
University. Website: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
7. Dave's Garden. (2012) Retrieved January 9, 2013. From Dave's Garden Website:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/terms/go/1046/#b
8. Clevland, Cutler. (2012) Become an EoE Contributor. Retrieved January 9, 2013 from
Encyclopedia of Earth Website:
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Become_an_EoE_Contributor