Allegheny River A river
that rises in the state of Pennsylvania and flows north into New York,
meaders back south through Pennsylvania again to join the
Monongahela River at Pittsburgh which is the beginning of the Ohio
River.
aerial photo A
photograph taken from above in aircraft or
satellites, for example.
Bernheim Forest A 14,000
acre forest, arboretum and nature preserve
located at Clermont, Kentucky with hundreds of
labeled plants and trees. A portion of the area
is open to the public. (Bernheim
Arboretum & Research Forest).
biennial A plant having
a life cycle that normally takes two seasons
from germination to death to complete;
flowering biennials usually bloom and
fruit in the second season.
biodiversity The variety
of plant and animal life in a particular habitat
(or on the planet as a whole)
confluence The flowing together of
streams, especially where they meet. This term can also refer to the
stream that is thus formed.
corymbs Flat-topped or convex
flowering parts of plants in which the individual flower stalks grow up
from various points on the main stem to approximately the same height.
The outer flowers open first.
Cumberland Gap A natural passageway
through the Cumberland Mountains section of the Appalachians, near the
area where the boundaries of the states of Kentucky, Tennesssee, and
Virginia meet. This gap was much traveled by pioneers heading west in
early American history.
deciduous (In reference to plants)
Shedding foliage at the end of the growing season.
drainage basin The geographical
area drained by a stream and its tributaries.
Dripping Springs Escarpment A
sandstone escarpment that seperates the Western Coal
Field region of Kentucky from the Pennyroyal.
(See escarpment below.)
ecosystem A system formed by the
interaction of a community of organisms with their physical
environment, such as a forest, or a swampland.
escarpment This term is used to
describe a transition between two land areas that differ in elevation.
This transition zone often involves steep slopes or cliffs.
evergreen (In reference to plants)
Having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the
year.
fronds Compound leaves of a fern,
palm, or cycad.
fumitory family Erect or climbing
herbs of the northern hemisphere such as bleeding heart, Dutchman's
breeches, and squirrel corn.
habitat The type of environment in
which an organism or group normally lives or occurs. Synonym: home
ground
herbaceous A nonwoody herb or
plant.
hydroelectric power Electricity
generated by the energy (flow) of water.
impoundment In reference to water,
an impoundment is a body of water created by placing a barrier, (dam),
to stop the flow of water. Synonym: reservoir.
introduced species Refers to a
species that does not naturally occur in a given area, but has instead
been brought in by other means.
karst (landscape) In geology,
refers to a limestone landscape characterized by underground water
erosion features such as sinkholes, gorges, and
caverns.
Monongahela River A river that
rises in northern West Virginia and flows north into the state of
Pennsyvlania where it joins the Allegheny River (see above), at
Pittsburg to form the Ohio
River.
Muldraugh Hill An escarpment in
central Kentucky that seperates the Bluegrass
Region from the Pennyroyal.
This escarpment feature blends into the Pottsville Escarpment on the
east. (See escarpment above and
Pottsville Escarpment
below.)
Murphy's Pond A bald cypress swamp
in Western Kentucky and one of the most important ecosystems in the
state. The area is home to 200 species of birds, 45 species of mammals,
40 species of reptiles, and 30 species of amphibians.
native species A species naturally
occurring in a given area.
naturalized species An introduced
species that has occurred for such a length of time that it appears
native. (See introduced species above.)
nocturnal Active during the
night.
panicles Compound branched clusters
of flowers.
perennial In reference to plants,
lasting for three seasons or more.
physiographic Refers to the
physical features of the earth's surface.
Pottsville Escarpment An escarpment
of steep sandstone cliffs in Eastern Kentucky. (See Muldraugh
Hill and escarpment above.)
Reelfoot Lake A natural lake formed
in the state of Tennessee, (near the Kentucky border), by the New Madrid
earthquakes of 1811 and 1812.
species Individual organisms which
are similar in apprearance due to their genetic likeness.
wild river (classification) Refers
to a river that has excellent water quality and flows freely in a
primitive area.
