Wildland–urban interfaceThe wildland–urban interface (WUI) is a zone of transition between wilderness (unoccupied land) and land developed by human activity – an area where a built environment meets or intermingles with a natural environment. Human settlements in the WUI are at a greater risk of catastrophic wildfire. In the United States, the wildland–urban interface (WUI) has two definitions. The US Forest Service defines the wildland–urban interface qualitatively as a place where "humans and their development meet or intermix with wildland fuel.
SclerophyllSclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct sunlight. The word comes from the Greek sklēros (hard) and phyllon (leaf). The term was coined by A.F.W. Schimper in 1898 (translated in 1903), originally as a synonym of xeromorph, but the two words were later differentiated.
Stratification (vegetation)Stratification in the field of ecology refers to the vertical layering of a habitat; the arrangement of vegetation in layers. It classifies the layers (sing. stratum, pl. strata) of vegetation largely according to the different heights to which their plants grow. The individual layers are inhabited by different animal and plant communities (stratozones). The following layers are generally distinguished: forest floor (root and moss layers), herb, shrub, understory and canopy layers.
Secondary successionSecondary succession is the secondary ecological succession of a plant's life. As opposed to the first, primary succession, secondary succession is a process started by an event (e.g. forest fire, harvesting, hurricane, etc.) that reduces an already established ecosystem (e.g. a forest or a wheat field) to a smaller population of species, and as such secondary succession occurs on preexisting soil whereas primary succession usually occurs in a place lacking soil.
Hereford (race bovine)La hereford, ou vache figure blanche en français cadien, est une race bovine britannique. thumb|200px|Taureau Hereford en 1888.Elle appartient au rameau des races bovines du littoral de la mer du Nord. Elle est ainsi apparentée à la shorthorn. Elle est issue du comté du Herefordshire (Ouest de l’Angleterre) qui lui a donné son nom. Du bétail décrit en 1627 mentionne cette race. Sa ressemblance avec la race néerlandaise Groningue vient d'animaux importés par lord Scudamore, un éleveur de cette race.
Primary successionPrimary succession is the beginning step of ecological succession after an extreme disturbance, which usually occurs in an environment devoid of vegetation and other organisms. These environments are typically lacking in soil, as disturbances like lava flow or retreating glaciers scour the environment clear of nutrients. In contrast, secondary succession occurs on substrates that previously supported vegetation before an ecological disturbance.
GraineDans le cycle de vie des « plantes à graines », appelées spermatophytes, la graine est la structure qui contient et protège l'embryon végétal. Elle est souvent contenue dans un fruit qui permet sa dissémination. La graine permet ainsi à la plante d'échapper aux conditions d'un milieu devenu hostile soit en s'éloignant, soit en attendant le retour de circonstances favorables. Elle provient d'une transformation de l'ovule fécondé.
Chien de prairieLes chiens de prairie (Cynomys) forment un genre de rongeurs qui comprend cinq espèces. Les espèces de ce genre tirent leur nom de leur habitat principal, les prairies, et du fait que leur cri s’apparente à l’aboiement du chien. Ils ressemblent aux marmottes européennes, en plus petit. Les chiens de prairie se nourrissent d'herbe et de graines qu'ils trouvent dans la prairie. Ils en consomment beaucoup plus avant l'hiver, afin de constituer des réserves de graisse. Ils se nourrissent également de fruits épineux et d'insectes tels que les chenilles.
Cycle sylvigénétiqueLe cycle sylvigénétique (aussi appelé cycle sylvogénétique) est le cycle d'évolution naturelle d'une forêt sauvage (non exploitée par l'homme). Cette succession écologique inclut des dynamiques successives d'évolution interne de la forêt et de ses milieux, partant d’un stade dit pionnier et tendant à aboutir à un stade dit climacique jusqu’à ce qu'une perturbation (chablis résultant de tempêtes, incendies, glissements de terrain, avalanches...) réintroduise les conditions d’expression du premier stade.
Cattle feedingThere are different systems of feeding cattle in animal husbandry. For pastured animals, grass is usually the forage that composes the majority of their diet. Cattle reared in feedlots are fed hay supplemented with grain, soy and other ingredients to increase the energy density of the feed. The debate is whether cattle should be raised on fodder primarily composed of grass or a concentrate. The issue is complicated by the political interests and confusion between labels such as "free range", "organic", or "natural".
