| gabbro |
Coarse-grained igneous rock consisting of
plagioclase (calcium aluminium silicate) and
pyroxene (calcium, magnesium, iron silicate) |
|
| gabion |
a wire mesh framework filled with rocks; used to restore erosion gullies |
|
| game auction |
selling game at a traditional auction with the animals on display |
|
| game cubes |
a type of supplemental feed |
|
| game farm |
A farm where game is bred as business or for hunting, but ecotourism is not a priority |
|
| game lodge |
The physical lodge buildings and related infrastructure as found on game reserves, farms and ranches |
|
| game ranch |
Same as a game Farm, ranch is simply an American term |
|
| game reserve |
A protected area for the growth and development of game animals and their habitats. Primarily used as an ecotourism destination, but may also include hunting, breeding and research |
|
| ganglia |
primitive brain or neural network |
|
| gas energy |
energy lost from the animal in the form of heat |
|
| gasterophilidae |
a fly family representing those species which lays eggs in the coat/hide of animals |
|
| gastro-intestinal tract |
a combination of interconnecting organs and structures from the esopgagus to the anus. The path of food from ingestion to excretion |
|
| gastropod |
Member of the diverse group of
molluscs that includes the snails, slugs and
their relatives; some live on land (land snails
and slugs), but the majority are aquatic (fresh
water: mainly snails, and marine – e.g. whelks,
periwinkles, marine snails, etc.) |
|
| geeldikkop (sunlight sickness) |
Disease affecting animals ingesting plants with chemicals which cause photo-sensitivity in animals. |
|
| gene |
the part of a chromosome which determines the individuals characteristics |
|
| gene pool |
the total of the genes in a population of organisms |
|
| genera |
In biology, a genus(plural: genera) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus. |
|
| genotype |
the sum total of the hereditary factors of an organism |
|
| geology |
the study of the history and life of the earth as it is recorded in rocks |
|
| geomorphology |
the study of relief features of the earth's surface |
|
| geophagia |
the eating of soil by herbivorous animals |
|
| geotropism |
The term used to describe a plant's response to gravity. Stems and branches grow up, roots grow down. Even if plant is inverted. |
|
| geotropsim |
the growth of a plant in respone to gravity |
|
| gestation |
pregnancy; the period from conception to birth for viviparous animals |
|
| gifblaarsiekte (poison leaf sickness) |
a disease affecting the central nervous system od carnivores and the heart of ruminants |
|
| ginkgo |
Generic name of the group of gymnospermous plants that were abundant in the
past; today only Ginkgo biloba survives; the
formal name for the group is Ginkgoopsida |
|
| git |
Gastro Intestinal Tract (mouth to anus) |
|
| glacial striations |
Grooves and scratches on a
rock surface formed by glaciers dragging rock
fragments over the surface |
|
| glossopterids |
Members of the family to which the
extinct seed fern, Glossopteris, belongs |
|
| glossopteris |
Generic name for the leaves of a
group of seed ferns that dominated the floras of
Gondwana during the Permian Period; remains
of this plant make up the bulk of southern
hemisphere coal deposits today |
|
| glycosides |
substances found in the leaves of plants, which may be toxic to animals in large quantities |
|
| gnathosoma |
the mouthparts of a tick |
|
| gneiss |
Coarse-grained metamorphic rock with a
distinct banding of lighter and darker layers; its
mineral composition is usually similar to granite |
|
| gonads |
reproductive organs of animal species |
|
| gondwana |
Ancient continental landmass made
up from the present landmasses of Africa,
South America, the Falkland Islands, India,
Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and
Madagascar that is believed to have formed
about 500 million years ago |
|
| gorgonopsian |
Group of flesh-eating mammal-like
reptiles (therapsids) that lived during the late
Permian and became extinct at the end of the
Permian Period |
|
| gousiekte (quick sickness) |
disease affecting ruminants which ingest dwarf medlar plants. Animals die rapidly from chronic heart seizure |
|
| graben |
Elongated block of rock that has been
lowered by faulting relative to the surrounding blocks |
|
| graded signal |
A call or other type of signal that varies in intensity and/or frequency, thus being capable of transmitting subtle differences in the mood/intentions of the sender (cf discrete signal). |
|
| graminivorous |
subsisting on grass |
|
| granite |
Coarse-grained igneous rock consisting
mainly of quartz (silicon dioxide) and alkali
feldspar (sodium and potassium aluminium
silicates) |
|
| granivores |
organisms that feed on seed |
|
| granodiorite |
Coarse-grained igneous rock consisting of feldspar (mainly sodium aluminium
silicate), minor quartz (silicon dioxide)
and amphibole (calcium, iron, magnesium
aluminium silicate) |
|
| granophyre |
Fine-grained igneous rock consisting
mainly of quartz (silicon dioxide) and alkali
feldspar (sodium and potassium aluminium
silicates); quartz and feldspar crystals form a
distinctive interlocking texture |
|
| grass sward |
a clump of grass |
|
| graviportal |
The structural plan of very large animals like elephants, rhinos, and hippos, featuring pillar-like limbs to bear the body's heavy weight. |
|
| grazers |
animals which consume mostly grass |
|
| grazing capacity |
the maximum number of productive animals that can be maintained on an area without causing deterioration of the veld condition |
|
| greenhouse effect |
the effect of increased heating caused by the absorption of radiation (heat) by carbon dioxide in our atmosphere |
|
| greenstone |
Metamorphic rocks composed of
minerals with a distinctly greenish colour,
usually a product of metamorphism of basalt |
|
| greenstone belt |
Large, linear mass of greenstone;
a characteristic feature of the geology of
ancient cratons |
|
| gregarious |
living together in colonies or groups |
|
| gregarious species |
a species that prefers to congregate in groups |
|
| grenville belt |
Linear region of metamorphic
rocks in eastern Canada formed about 1 100
million years ago |
|
| group |
Term used in stratigraphy to denote a
related group of layered rocks |
|
| growth rate |
the increase in size of a populaton from one year to the next, expressed as a % of the population |
|
| guard hairs |
The outer coat that overlies the shorter, softer hairs of the underfur (underfur is sparse or absent in many tropical mammals, e.g. most ungulates and primates). |
|
| gully erosion |
Gully erosion is an obvious form of soil erosion consisting of an open, incised and unstable channel generally more than 30 centimetres deep |
|
| gustatorial |
pertaining to taste |
|
| gutenberg discontinuity |
Sudden change in
seismic velocity that occurs at the boundary
between Earth’s mantle and core |
|
| guttation |
The exudation (release) of drops of water (xylem sap) from the leaves of some vascular plants as a result of root pressure.
Not to be confused with drops of water exuded by froghopper (“spittle bugs”) insects that are frequently found sucking the sap on the Apple Leaf (Rain tree) trees. |
|
| gymnosperm |
unprotected seed / division of seed bearing plants |
|
| gymnosperm (2) |
Seed plant with seeds not enclosed
in an ovary (e.g. conifers, cycads, cycadeoids
and ginkgos); means naked seed (from Greek) |
|
| gyroscope |
Device consisting of a spinning mass, typically a disk or wheel, mounted on a base so that its axis can turn freely in several directions and maintain orientation regardless of movement of the base |
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