acidification: The process of lowering the pH of a solution. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it causes a chemical reaction that produces carbonic acid.
average: (in science) a term for arithmetic mean. This is the sum of the group of numbers divided by the size of the group.
blue whale: Baleen Whale seeds (Balaenoptera muscle) This is the largest animal known to have ever existed. They grow to a length of 30 meters (almost 100 feet) and weigh up to 170 metric tons.
calcium carbonate: The main compound of limestone, a rock made from the tiny shells of ancient sea creatures. That formula is CACO3 (That is, it contains one calcium atom, one carbon atom, and three oxygen atoms). It is also an active ingredient in some antacid drugs (used to neutralize stomach acid).
carbonate: A group of minerals including those that make up limestone, which contains carbon and oxygen.
component: A piece of something else (such as a piece that goes into an electronic circuit board or an ingredient that goes into a cookie recipe).
coral: Marine animals that often produce hard, stony exoskeletons and tend to live in coral reefs (exoskeletons of dead ancestral corals).
coral bleaching: Corals depend on specific algae to grow. If the coral's water gets too hot or infected with a disease-causing agent, those algae can escape, turning the coral a pale white. This is a bleaching event. If the algae do not return quickly, the coral may die.
ecologist: Scientists working in the field of biology deal with the relationship of living things to each other and their physical environment.
ecosystem: A group of interacting organisms, including microorganisms, plants, animals, and the physical environment within a particular climate. Examples include tropical coral reefs, rainforests, alpine meadows, and polar tundra. The term can also be applied to elements that make up artificial environments, such as businesses, classrooms, and the Internet.
environment: The sum of everything that exists around some organism or process and the conditions that they create. Environment may refer to the weather and ecosystem in which some animals live, or perhaps temperature and humidity (or placing things near items of interest).
habitat:A region or natural environment where animals and plants normally live, such as deserts, coral reefs, and freshwater lakes. The habitat is home to thousands of different species.
marines:Related to the ocean world and environment.
outbreak: The sudden appearance of a disease in a population of people or animals. The term may also be applied to the sudden appearance of a catastrophic natural phenomenon such as an earthquake or tornado.
untouched: an adjective that refers to something in its original or nearly original state. It means that something is somewhat old, but in a seemingly “pristine” or unaltered condition.
leaf: Rocks, corals, sand ridges. It can rise from the ocean floor and come just above or just below the water's surface.
sea: sea (or area that is part of the sea). Unlike lakes and streams, sea water – or ocean water – is salty.
seed: A group of similar organisms that can survive and produce offspring that can reproduce.
whale: A common but rather imprecise term for a class of large mammals that live in the ocean. This group includes dolphins and rats.
Source: www.snexplores.org
