basin - Noun.  A large, shallow hole that is shaped like a bowl and is surrounded by higher ground. 

blackwater river - Noun.  A river where the water is stained by broken-down plant matter, giving it a dark, tea-like color.

brownwater river - Noun.  A river full of sediment that makes it look muddy. 

canopy - Noun.  The top layer of a forest, where the branches meet. 

cape – Noun.  A point of land that sticks out into a sea or another body of water. 

clay - Noun.  A sticky soil material made up of very tiny particles.  Clay is used to make bricks, tiles, and pottery. 

climate - Noun.  The normal weather at a place, including the temperature, amount of rain, and the winds. 

coastal plain - Noun.  Low, flat land next to the ocean. 

continental plate - Noun.  Large, moving sections of the Earth's surface. 

dam – Noun.  A blockage built across a river or stream to control the flow of water or to raise the level of the water. 

deciduous - Adjective.  Having leaves that fall off each year as part of the plant's life cycle. 

decomposition - Noun.  The process of slowly breaking down dead material by chemical change; Verb form: to decompose. 

deposition - Noun.  The act of laying down sediment in layers, by a natural process; Verb form: to deposit. 

detritus - Noun.  Any partly broken down plant or animal matter.

ecology - Noun.  The relationship between organisms and their environment.  Also, the branch of science that studies the relationships between organisms and their environment. 

ecoregion - Noun.  A large area of land and water with the same climate, geology, elevation, and plant and animal communities. 

ecosystem - Noun.  A community of living things  (plants and nimals) and their non-living environment (air, water, soil). 

endangered species - Noun.  A plant or animal that is close to becoming extinct and needs special protection. 

erosion – Noun.  The act of breaking down and wearing away rocks by water, wind, or ice; Verb form: to erode. 

evergreen - Adjective.  Having leaves that remain green all year long. 

fall line - Noun.  An imaginary line between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain geologic regions.

fertilizer - Noun.  A substance, such as manure or a chemical mixture, that is used to make soil more fertile for plants. 

fossil - Noun.  A trace of an organism that lived in the past,  and has been preserved in the Earth's surface.  Examples of fossils are bones, a footprint ,or a leaf imprint. 

geology - Noun.  The make-up of the earth’s surface.  Also, the branch of science that studies the make-up of the earth's surface. 

geologic province - Noun.  A large land area that shares a common geology.

hardwood tree - Noun.  Trees with broad, flat leaves and seeds that are inside fruits or nuts.

headwaters – Noun.  The place where a stream begins. 

land cover - Noun.  The type of ecosystem that is found in an area.  Examples of land covers include forests, marshes, and lakes.

land use - Noun.  The way that people use land.  Examples of land uses include shopping malls, neighborhoods, and farms.

lock – Noun.  A part of a canal that is used to move ships past dams.  Locks are closed off from the river by gates.  Once inside the lock, ships are lifted to the same level as the river above the dam by raising the water level in the lock. 

main stem – Noun.  The main course of a river or stream. 

mouth – Noun.  The place where a stream enters a larger body of water. 

naval stores – Noun.  Products that were used to seal the seams of wooden ships. 

nonpoint source pollution - Noun.  Pollution that does not come from any one place, like a pipe, but from rainfall that picks up pollutants as it flows over land.

nutrient - Noun.  A chemical substance that living things need to live and grow.  Too many nutrients can pollute water.

pesticide - Noun.  A chemical used to kill pests such as insects or weeds.

piedmont – Noun.  The "foothills" at the base of a mountain range. 

pollutant - Noun.  A waste material that makes the air, soil, or water dirty. 

predatory - Adjective.  Kills and eats other animals. 

reflection - Noun.  The return of light or sound waves after bouncing off of a surface.  Verb form: to reflect.

reservoir – Noun.  A man-made lake where water is collected and stored for human use. 

ridge - Noun.  An long, narrow strip of raised land, such as a long hill or mountain range. 

river basin – Noun.  The land that is drained by a river and its tributaries. 

runoff – Noun.  Rainfall that does not soak into the soil but flows over the land. 

sandbar – Noun.  A ridge of sand built by moving water, especially in a river or in the ocean. 

satellite - Noun.  An object that orbits the earth, the moon, or another body in space.  Many satellites are used to take pictures of the earth from space. 

saturated – Adjective.  Fully wet. 

sea level – Noun.  The level of water in the ocean.  Sea level is measured halfway between the water level at high tide level and the water level at low tide. 

sediment - Noun.  Eroded rock material that is laid down in layers by water, wind, or glaciers. 

shoal – Noun.  A very shallow place in a body of water where boats can wreck or become stuck. 

shoreline - Noun.  The edge of a body of water. 

swamp - Noun.  A forested wetland. 

tannins - Noun.  Dark-colored broken-down plant matter.

threatened species - Noun.  A plant or animal that will become endangered if it is not protected. 

urban development - Noun.  The process of building cities and other places for people to live.

valley - Noun.  A long, narrow low area in the earth's surface.  Valleys are usually found between hills or mountain ranges. 

watershed – Noun.  The area of land that drains into a river, stream, or body of water. 

wavelength - Noun.  The distance from the top of one wave to the top of the next wave.