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| Languages Directory>English>for Specific Purposes>Environmental English Terms,ESL Definitions |
English for Science & Nature Glossary of Terms
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beach closure -
the closing of a beach
to swimming, usually
because of pollution.
bill - a proposed
law, to be debated and
voted on.
biodegradable
-
waste material
composed primarily of
naturally-occurring
constituent parts, able
to be broken down and
absorbed into the
ecosystem. Wood, for
example, is
biodegradable, for
example, while
plastics are not.
biodiversity -
a large number and wide
range of species of
animals, plants, fungi,
and microorganisms.
Ecologically, wide
biodiversity is
conducive to the
development of all
species.
biomass - (1)
the amount of living
matter in an area,
including plants, large
animals and insects; (2)
plant materials and
animal waste used as
fuel.
biosphere -
(1) the part of the
earth and its atmosphere
in which living
organisms exist or that
is capable of supporting
life; (2) the living
organisms and their
environment composing
the biosphere.
Biosphere Reserve
- a part of an
international network of
preserved areas
designated by the United
Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO). Biosphere
Reserves are vital
centers of biodiversity
where research and
monitoring activities
are conducted, with the
participation of local
communities, to protect
and preserve healthy
natural systems
threatened by
development. The global
system currently
includes 324 reserves in
83 countries.
biotic - of or
relating to life.
birth control
- preventing birth or
reducing frequency of
birth, primarily by
preventing conception.
birth defects
- unhealthy defects
found in newborns, often
caused by the mother's
exposure to
environmental hazards or
the intake of drugs or
alcohol during
pregnancy.
birth rate -
the number of babies
born annually per 1,000
women of reproductive
age in any given set of
people.
bloc - a group
of people with the same
interest or goal
(usually used to
describe a voting bloc,
a group of
representatives
intending to vote the
same way).
blood lead levels
- the amount of lead in
the blood. Human
exposure to lead in
blood can cause brain
damage, especially in
children.
bottled water
- purchased water sold
in bottles.
bycatch - fish
and/or other marine life
that are incidentally
caught with the targeted
species. Most of the
time bycatch is
discarded at sea. |
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