one of the three major groups (called Domains) of life on Earth. It comprises all the eukaryotes, organisms that have a nucleus and discrete organelles in their cells, such as animals, plants and fung [..]

small aquatic organisms whose direction is controlled by water movements. Plankton may be able to swim by means of flagella or other appendages, but they are not strong enough to swim against a curren [..]

abioticnon-living. Abiotic factors include all aspects of climate, geology, and atmosphere that may affect living organisms.

bacteria and Archaeamicroscopic life forms that are single-celled and prokaryotic. They are divided into two distantly related groups, the Eubacteria (or "true" bacteria), and the Ar [..]

chemosynthetican organism that derives its energy from chemosynthesis.

diatommicroscopic, single-celled photosynthetic organisms with an external skeleton of silica.

ecosysteman ecological unit that includes all the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic, or chemical, physical) components that interact in an environment or habitat.

G Geographic Information System (GIS)a database that uses spatial and geographic information to create detailed maps. These maps can include anything from the many streams that connect to a river, to [..]

habitatthe particular location where an organism or a population lives.

in situa Latin term referring to something in its original place.