40 



APPENDIX C 



Glossary of Terms 



acid Term applied to water with a pH less than 5.5. 



alkaline Term applied to water with a pH greater than 7.4. 



bar An elongated landform generated by waves and currents, 

 usually running parallel to the shore, composed predominant- 

 ly of unconsolidated sand, gravel, stones, cobbles, or rubble and 

 with water on two sides. 



beach A sloping landform on the shore of larger water bodies, 

 generated by waves and currents and extending from the water 

 to a distinct break in landform or substrate type (e.g., a fore- 

 dune, cliff, or bank). 



brackish Marine and Estuarine waters with Mixohaline salin- 

 ity. The term should not be applied to inland waters (see page 

 25). 



boulder Rock fragments larger than 60.4 cm (24 inches) in 

 diameter. 



broad-leaved deciduous Woody angiosperms (trees or shrubs) 

 with relatively wide, flat leaves that are shed during the cold 

 or dry season; e.g., black ash (Fraxinus nigra). 



broad-leaved evergreen Woody angiosperms (trees or shrubs) 

 with relatively wide, flat leaves that generally remain green 

 and are usually persistent for a year or more; e.g., red man- 

 grove (Rhizophora mangle). 



calcareous Formed of calcium carbonate or magnesium car- 

 bonate by biological deposition or inorganic precipitation in suf- 

 ficient quantities to effervesce carbon dioxide visibly when 

 treated with cold 0.1 normal hydrochloric acid. Calcareous sands 

 are usually formed of a mixture of fragments of mollusk shell, 

 echinoderm spines and skeletal material, coral, foraminifera, 

 and algal platelets (e.g., Halimeda). 



channel "An open conduit either naturally or artificially created 

 which periodically or continuously contains moving water, or 

 which forms a connecting link between two bodies of standing 

 water" (Langbein and Iseri 1960:5). 



channel bank The sloping land bordering a channel. The bank 

 has steeper slope than the bottom of the channel and is usual- 

 ly steeper than the land surrounding the channel. 



circumneutral Term applied to water with a pH of 5.5 to 7.4. 



codominant Two or more species providing about equal areal 

 cover which in combination control the environment. 



cobbles Rock fragments 7.6 cm (3 inches) to 25.4 cm (10 inches) 

 in diameter. 



deciduous stand A plant community where deciduous trees or 

 shrubs represent more than 50% of the total areal coverage 

 of trees or shrubs. 



dominant The species controlling the environment. 



dormant season That portion of the year when frosts occur (see 

 U.S. Department of Interior, National Atlas 1970:110-111 for 

 generalized regional delineation). 



emergent hydrophytes Erect, rooted, herbaceous angiosperms 

 that may be temporarily to permanently flooded at the base 

 but do not tolerate prolonged inundation of the entire plant; 

 e.g., bulrushes (Scirpus spp.), saltmarsh cordgrass. 



emergent mosses Mosses occurring in wetlands, but generally 

 not covered by water. 



eutrophic lake Lake that has a high concentration of plant 

 nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. 



evergreen stand A plant community where evergreen trees or 

 shrubs represent more than 50% of the total areal coverage 

 of trees and shrubs. The canopy is never without foliage; 

 however, individual trees or shrubs may shed their leaves 

 (Mueller-Dombois and Ellenberg 1974). 



extreme high water of spring tides The highest tide occurring 

 during a lunar month, usually near the new or full moon. This 

 is equivalent to extreme higher high water of mixed semidiurnal 

 tides. 



extreme low water of spring tides The lowest tide occurring 

 during a lunar month, usually near the new or full moon. This 

 is equivalent to extreme lower low water of mixed semidiurnal 

 tides. 



flat A level landform composed of unconsolidated sediments— 

 usually mud or sand. Flats may be irregularly shaped or 

 elongate and continuous with the shore, whereas bars are 

 generally elongate, parallel to the shore, and separated from 

 the shore by water. 



floating plant A non-anchored plant that floats freely in the 

 water or on the surface; e.g., water hyacinth (Eichhornia 

 crassipes) or common duckweed (Lemna minor). 



floating-leaved plant A rooted, herbaceous hydrophyte with 

 some leaves floating on the water surface; e.g., white water 

 lily (Nymphaea odorata), floating-leaved pondweed (Potamoge- 

 ton natans). Plants such as yellow water lily (Nuphar luteum) 

 which sometimes have leaves raised above the surface are con- 

 sidered floating-leaved plants or emergents, depending on their 

 growth habit at a particular site. 



floodplain "a flat expanse of land bordering an old river. . . " 

 (see Reid and Wood 1976:72, 84). 



fresh Term applied to water with salinity less than 0.5°/» 

 dissolved salts. 



gravel A mixture composed primarily of rock fragments 2 mm 

 (0.08 inch) to 7.6 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Usually contains 

 much sand. 



growing season The frost-free period of the year (see U.S. 

 Department of Interior, National Atlas 1970:110-111 for 

 generalized regional delineation). 



haline Term used to indicate dominance of ocean salt. 



herbaceous With the characteristics of an herb; a plant with no 

 persistent woody stem above ground. 



histosols Organic soils (see Appendix D). 



hydric soil Soil that is wet long enough to periodically produce 

 anaerobic conditions, thereby influencing the growth of plants. 



hydrophyte, hydrophytic Any plant growing in water or on a 

 substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen as a 

 result of excessive water content. 



hyperhaline Term to characterize waters with salinity greater 

 than 40"/oo, due to ocean-derived salts. 



hypersaline Term to characterize waters with salinity greater 

 than 40°A», due to land-derived salts. 



macrophytic algae Algal plants large enough either as individ- 

 uals or communities to be readily visible without the aid of 

 optical magnification. 



mean high water The average height of the high water over 19 

 years. 



