G LOSSARY Alluvial Plain : A level tract of land made up of alluvium or fine rock material brought down by a river. Archipelago : A group of islands that lie in fairly close proximity. Arid : Denoting any climate or region in which the rainfall is insufficient or barely sufficient to support vegetation. Backwater : A stretch of water that has become bypassed by the main flow of a stream, although still joined to it.
It has a very low rate of flow. Bedrock : The solid rock lying beneath soil and weathered material. Biosphere Reserve : These are multi-purpose protected areas, where every plant and animal size is to be protected in its natural habitat. Its major objectives are : (i) to conserve and maintain diversity and integrity of the natural heritage in its full form, i.e.
physical environment, the flora and the fauna; (ii) to promote research on ecological conservation and other aspects of environment at preservation; (iii) to provide facilities for education, awareness and explaining. Bunding : The practice of constructing embankments of earth or stone for conserving water and soil to increase crop production. Calcareous : Composed of or containing a high proportion of calcium carbonate. Catchment Area : The area drained by a major river and its tributaries.
Climate : The average weather conditions of a sizeable area of the earth’s surface over a period of time (usually spread over a span of at least years). Coast : The boundary between land and sea. It includes the strip of land that borders the sea shore. Coastal Plain : It is a flat low lying land between the coast and higher ground inland.
Conservation : The protection of natural environment and natural resources for the future. It includes the management of minerals, landscape, soil and forests to prevent their destruction and over exploitation. Coral : It is a small calcium secreting marine polyp that occurs in colonies, mainly in warm shallow sea water. It forms the coral reefs.
Depression : In meteorology; it denotes an area of relatively low atmospheric pressure, which is found