abiotic Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Not living, non-biological, usually describing factors in an ecosystem: atmospheric gases, humidity, salinity, soil mineral particles, water, and so on.
ablation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Loss of snow and ice from a glacier by *sublimation, melting, and evaporation; and from the *calving
aborigine Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
A member of an indigenous people existing in a land before invasion or colonization from outside. For Canadian aboriginal peoples,
abrasion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Also known as corrasion, this is the grinding away of bedrock by fragments of rock which may be incorporated in
absolute humidity Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The density of the water vapour present in a mixture of air and water vapour. Cold air cannot contain as
absolute plate motion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The movement of a crustal plate in relation to a fixed point, such as a hot spot, or latitude and
abstraction Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The selection and conceptualization of a phenomenon, or some aspect of it; a way of viewing a real world object,
abundance Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The total number of individuals of a certain species present in an area, generally estimated by sampling methods (such as
abyssal Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Of or belonging to the ocean depths, especially below 2000 m. The abyssopelagic zone is that part of deep lakes,
accelerator Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
A factor which increases the momentum of a boom or slump in an economy, so that a small change in
access Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Connection or entry to a service. A. Sen (1999) measures access to advantage by one’s access to basic
accessibility Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The ease of approach to one location from other locations: in terms of the distance travelled, the cost of travel,
accordant Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Complying with; thus, accordant drainage has evolved in conformity with the underlying geological structure: domes show a radial pattern, for
accretion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
1 The growth of land by the offshore deposition of sediment, forming *spits and *tombolos. Accretion is
acculturation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
The adaptation to, and adoption of, a new culture. This may occur simultaneously as two cultures meet, but occurs more
accumulated temperature Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
One of the key factors for crop growth, this is the length of time, from a specific date, for which
accumulation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
1 The input of ice to a glacier. Weaver (1975) Arct. & Alpine Res. 7, 3 suggests that it is
acidification Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
A soil-forming process whereby organic acids (from humus) increase hydrogen ion concentration, as in the transformation of *brown-earth soils
acid rain Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
When *fossil fuels are burned, dioxides of sulphur and nitrogen are released into the air; these dissolve in atmospheric
acid soil Quick reference
A Dictionary of Geography (5 ed.)
Soil with a pH under 7, such as *podzols and *brown earths. Acidity in a soil may
