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There are approximately 4000 species of flowering plants in Canada, of which about 3000 may be considered wildflowers. About one-quarter of these have been introduced from other regions of the world.

The vulture is a large, long-winged, bald-headed bird of prey, normally abundant in warmer latitudes.

A biosphere reserve represents one of the world’s important ecosystems and is divided into three zones: a protected core zone (such as a park or wildlife area), a buffer zone around the core, and a transition zone that fosters sustainable economic and cultural activity. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves includes 686 sites around the world, 18 of which are in Canada. The network is part of the larger Man and the Biosphere Program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO to help conserve biodiversity, demonstrate sustainable development and build the local community’s capacity to deal with human and environmental issues.

Whitefish, common name for several freshwater fishes of class Actinopterygii, family Salmonidae (salmon), subfamily Coregoninae (sometimes elevated to family rank).

Willow (Salix) is a genus of trees and shrubs of the willow family (Salicaceae). About 300 species occur worldwide, chiefly in the Northern Hemisphere.

The pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is a small, very fleet ungulate of the order Artiodactyla.

In the atmosphere, between about 1.2 and 1.6 km above the Earth's surface, winds tend to blow parallel to rather than across the lines of equal pressure (isobars).

Toxic PropertiesToxic reactions generally are caused by chemical compounds that are produced by plants or absorbed from soil. These compounds produce undesirable physiological responses in individuals or animals.

Dock, herbaceous plant of genus Rumex, family Polygonaceae (buckwheat); most docks are perennial.

Flowers, mostly small, commonly white or yellow, are borne as terminal clusters on hairy stalks. Plants form tufted, spreading cushions, frequently giving striking patches of colour. S.

Origins Lava tube caves, an important minor class, are formed by channelled outflow of molten lava in congealing flows. Sea caves most commonly result from erosion by waves.

Successful actions to protect the ENVIRONMENT and conserve natural RESOURCES constitute environmental management.

 Biodiversity is the variety of life (genetic, species and ecosystem levels) on Earth or some part of it. It includes all living forms, plants, animals and micro-organisms. It is the natural wealth of a region that provides resources and ecological services.

El Niño is a pronounced warming of the Pacific Ocean current off the coast of South America.

Phlogopite can be found in metamorphosed LIMESTONES, dolomites, serpentines and IGNEOUS ROCKS. It is light to dark brown and has properties and uses similar to muscovite.

Once one of the purest and cleanest places on Earth, the Arctic has been tarnished, dimmed by a dirty blanket of reddish-brown smog. Coined in the 1950s, the arctic haze which arrives each fall and winter is a totally unexpected phenomenon recorded nowhere else on Earth.

Several steps are involved when COSEWIC evaluates the status of species. The committee begins by commissioning status reports on species suspected of being in danger.

During the prolonged darkness of winter, the air over the huge snow- and ice-covered surfaces of Canada may stagnate for weeks, radiating heat to outer space.

Sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata or rugosa) is an annual vegetable of the grass family.

Ozone depletion is a chemical thinning of the OZONE LAYER in the stratosphere or upper atmosphere. Scientists determined in the 1970s that it is caused by ozone depleting substances (ODSs), particularly by the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).