Adaptation
Blending into or imposed by its habitat
Camouflage
Species whose continued existence and wellbeing indicates the health of an ecosystem
Indicator species
The angular distance north or south of the earth's equator, measured in degrees.
Latitude
Most common shrubland in the state; dense stands varying from two to seven ft. tall; dominated by big sagebrush and sand sagebrush; low elevations up to 9,000 ft.
Sagebrush Shrublands
A lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture
Wetland
Hibernation
Native to a particular region, not introduced from elsewhere
Indigenous
The Height above sear level
Altitude
A distinctive but relatively narrow belt at the mountain front in rocky areas with coarse and well drained soils approximately 5,500 to 8,500 ft.
Montane Shrublands
All of an organism's role or functions in its functions in its ecological community
niche
To change location periodically, generally moving seasonally one region to another.
Migrate
Species on which many other species rely for their own continued existence and whose loss could precipitate the collapse of an entire ecosystem.
Keystone Species
Occurring over the Great Plains between Approximately 3,300 and 5,500 ft. Also found in intermountain parks up to 10,000 ft.
Grasslands
Dominated by shrubs over a sparse understory of grasses and forbs or even bare ground between approximately 4,00 and 8,000 ft.
Semidesert shrublands
Never woody; reproduced by seed each year; develops in a few weeks or months.
Annual
Living and non-living things that interrelate in a specific physical environment.
ecosystem
Geographic area determined by its altitude and latitude; characterized by a distinct set of animals and plants.
Life zone
Dense to sparse deciduous woody plants with many stems, usually under 10 ft. tall, found between the grassland and the montane life zones.
Foothills / Shrublands
Mid-elevation zone of forested mountains, between approximately 8,000 and 10,000 ft.
Montane forest
Tree/shrub; needle-like or scale-like leaves
Conifer
When a species is faced with the threat of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its historic range in the near future.
Endangered
Altitudinal limit of tree growth; the upper elevational limit of continuous sub-alpine forest of upright trees.
Timberline
Dry environment characterized by low-growing cushion plants above 11,500 ft.
Alpine
Adjacent to water, found throughout the state at all elevations to above 11,000 ft.
Riparian
Plant that sheds its leaves each fall
Deciduous