INRS State Scientific Surveys
Arbor Day - a special day (the last Friday in April) set aside for planting new
trees
Our second grade class planted three new trees on Arbor Day.
biodiversity - the total variety of all living things on the planet
Any major loss of habitat is a threat to the biodiversity of the earth.
bore - to make a hole in something
The carpenter is going to bore a hole in the wood with his drill.
botanist - a person who studies plants
The botanist tried to figure out what made the tree die.
cambium - a layer of cells in the stems and roots of plants from which new
phloem and xylem cells grow
The cambium is the area in a tree where annual growth occurs.
carbon dioxide - a gas absorbed from the air by a plant which it uses to make
its own food
Trees can help clean the air by using up some of the carbon dioxide.
cell - the smallest part of any living thing
Trees are made up of millions of living cells.
chemical - a substance that is made by or has something to do with chemistry
The chemical that plants use to make food is called chlorophyll.
chemical reaction - the result of chemicals being mixed together
A chemical reaction happens when plants use chlorophyll to change the air and
water they take in into sugar.
chlorophyll - substance in plants that makes them green
Trees use chlorophyll to make their own food.
compost - to make a mixture of decaying organic materials to use as fertilizer
We compost our table scraps in a special area in our back yard.
cutting - a root, stem or leaf section removed from a plant that can grow into a
new plant
My teacher gave me a cutting of the big plant in our classroom so I could grow a new
plant at home.
decay - a change of plant or animal material back to nutrients
When fallen leaves decay, they become part of the soil.
entomologist - someone who studies insects
The entomologist said that the warm, rainy weather will bring many mosquitoes
this summer.
environment - the surrounding area in which a person, animal or plant lives
Our zoo tries to make each animal's cage like its natural environment.
erosion - slow wearing or washing away
Trees can help keep heavy winds and rains from causing soil erosion.
forester - a person trained in the science of developing and caring for
forests
The forester helps to make sure the trees in the parks are healthy.
forestry - the science of developing and caring for forests
When I grow up, I think I want to study forestry.
fruit - the part of a plant that contains the seeds
Oranges, apples and nuts are fruits that you can eat.
game - wild animals, birds and fish that are hunted for sport and food
My Dad's favorite game bird to hunt is wild turkey.
greenhouse - a building used for growing plants
The greenhouse has many windows so the plants can get lots of sunlight.
harvest - to gather plants or animals for human use
Sometimes we harvest trees to make furniture and other wood products.
herpetologist - a person who studies reptiles and amphibians
The herpetologist told me the difference between frogs and toads.
ichthyologist - someone who studies fish
The ichthyologist found out that the garbage being dumped in the pond as
killing the fish.
invertebrate - an animal with no backbone (spine)
Worms, lobsters and insects are all types of invertebrates.
lobe - a projection that extends out on a leaf
You can tell leaves apart by looking at how many lobes they have.
management - the control, use and replacement of renewable resources
If we use good forest management, we will always have trees around.
mulch - a protective covering of material spread on the ground to enrich the
soil, hold in water or keep the soil at a steady temperature
The gardener spread mulch around the sapling.
natural resources - materials that are found in nature that are useful or
necessary for people to live
There are natural resources that we can touch such as water, trees and minerals
like coal.
nursery - a place where plants and trees are planted, raised and sold
We get trees and shrubs to plant in our yard from the nursery.
nut - the dry fruit of a plant with a hard outer shell and softer inside
Squirrels gather and store nuts for food to eat during the winter.
nutrient - something needed by people, animals and plants for growth
Trees make their food from nutrients they get from the soil.
ornithologist - someone who studies birds
The ornithologist showed the children the marks made by the woodpecker.
oxygen - a gas in the air which people and animals need to survive
When a tree makes its food, it gives off oxygen.
phloem - cells that carry sugar and nutrients from the leaves to all parts of a
tree
A tree's food is moved around the tree in cells called the phloem.
photosynthesis - the process when a plant makes simple sugar using light,
chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water
All green plants use photosynthesis to make their own food.
pigment - a substance that is used in coloring or dyeing
The green pigment in leaves will fade when there is no sunshine or water.
productive - making large amounts of something that is good and useful
A forest is productive because it provides shelter and food for the animals and
plants that live in it.
pruning - to cut away unwanted parts of a tree to help it grow better
Pruning the dead branches can help trees grow fuller and taller.
rain forest - a woodland that usually gets at least 100 inches of rain each
year
Many special plants and animals can only be found in a rain forest.
renewable resources - living parts of the environment that can renew or replace
themselves
Renewable resources like trees and grass can grow back even if they are cut.
sap - liquid that flows through a tree carrying water and nutrients
The sweet sap of a sugar maple tree is used to make maple syrup.
sapling - a young tree usually less than four inches in diameter when measured at
chest height
A sapling needs special care when it is first transplanted.
species - groups of animals or plants that have certain things about them that are
alike
Elms and oaks are two different species of trees.
seed - the part of a plant from which a new plant can grow
We planted the seeds just last week, and we can already see sprouts.
seedling - a young tree usually no taller than two feet that is grown from a
seed
Our old maple tree has many young seedlings growing around it.
timber industry - businesses that manufacture and use tree products
The people who work in the timber industry choose carefully which trees should be
cut down for making paper and other wood products like desks and tables.
transplant - to move a plant from one growing place to another
Each spring we transplant flowers from flowerpots to our front yard.
vein - the system of tubes that carries food and water in a leaf
You can recognize the leaves from different types of trees by the shapes of their
veins.
wildlife biologist - someone who studies and manages animal populations and
habitat
The wildlife biologist in our area told us that there are wood ducks nesting by
our farm pond.
xylem - cells in a tree that carry water and minerals from the roots to the
trunk, branches and leaves
A tree's water and minerals are moved around the tree in the xylem.
zoologist - someone who studies all forms of animal life
The zoologist told us that all animals need shelter to survive.