hairy root cultureA culture consisting of highly branched roots of a plant. A plant tissue is treated with the bacterium Agrobacterium rhizogenes containing the Ri plasmid…
hairy root diseaseA disease of broad-leaved plants, where a proliferation of root-like tissue is formed from the stem.
Half-grabenA geological term that describes a sedimentary basin where one side is bounded by a normal (extensional) fault.
Half-lifeThe time in which half the atoms of a particular radioactive nuclide disintegrate. The half-life is a characteristic property of each radioactive isotope.
HaloAny of a variety of bright circles or arcs centered on the sun or moon, caused by the refraction or reflection of light by ice crystals suspended in the…
HalocarbonsCompounds containing either chlorine, bromine or fluorine and carbon. Such compounds can act as powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
HalonsCompounds, also known as bromofluorocarbons, that contain bromine, fluorine, and carbon.
halophyteA plant species adapted to soils containing a concentration of salt that is toxic to most plant species. See: salt tolerance.
HalophyticSalt-loving. Plants that thrive in soils that contain salt and/or sodium. A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil.
HammermillA device consisting of a rotating head with free-swinging hammers which reduce chips or hogged fuel to a predetermined particle size through a perforated…
Hand pileA pile of slash constructed by a crew, not by machine. Hand piles are typically less than 10´ high and less than 12´ in diameter.
HaploidA cell or organism containing one of each of the pairs of homologous chromosomes found in the normal diploid cell.
Haploid cellA cell containing only one set, or half the usual (diploid) number, of chromosomes.
Haploid human cellA cell such as an egg or sperm that contains only twenty-three chromosomes.
haploinsufficiencyA situation in which the protein produced by a single copy of an otherwise normal gene is not sufficient to assure normal function. See also gene, protein
HaplotypeA specific allelic constitution at a number of loci within a defined linkage block.
haptenA small molecule, which by itself is not an antigen, but which as a part of a larger structure when linked to a carrier protein, can serve as an antigenic…
haptoglobinA serum protein that interacts with haemoglobin during recycling of the iron molecule of haemoglobin. Synonym: alpha globulin.
HarassmentThe intentional or unintentional disturbance of individual animals causing them to flee a site or avoid use of an area.
Hard waterWater may be considered hard if it has a hardness greater than the typical hardness of water from the region.
hardening offAdapting glasshouse or controlled environment grown plants to outdoor conditions by reducing availability of water, lowering the temperature, increasing…
HardnessA characteristic of water determined by the levels of calcium and magnesium. Water hardness is largely the result of geological formations of the water…
HardpanA dense, often impermeable soil horizon cemented with silica, iron oxides, calcium carbonate, or organic matter.
hardwoodOne of the botanical groups of dicotyledonous trees that have broad leaves in contrast to the conifers or softwoods.
HardwoodsUsually broad-leaved and deciduous trees.
Hardy-Weinberg equilibriumThe frequencies of genotypes at a locus resulting from random mating at that locus; for two alleles, A1 and A2, with respective frequencies in a…
Harmonic(s)A sinusoidal quantity having a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency of a periodic quantity to which it is related.
HarrowAn agricultural tool that loosens and works the ground surface.
HarvestIn a recreational fishery, refers to numbers of fish that are caught and kept. See catch.
HarvestingThe process of retrieving or collecting electronic data from storage media or devices; an EDiscovery vendor harvests electronic data from computer hard…
HatcheryA facility where fish and raised for stocking.
Haul distanceThe distance measured along the center line or most direct practical route between the center of the mass of excavation and the center of mass of the fill…
Haunches (haunch)The outside areas between the springline and the bottom of a pipe. In pipe, the sides of the lower third of the circumference.
HazardSomething (e.g., a dam) that creates the potential for adverse consequences such as loss of life (LOL), property damage, and adverse social and…
Hazard classificationThe rating for a dam based on the potential consequences of failure. The rating is based on potential for loss of life and damage to property that failure…
Hazardous materialAny material that poses a threat to human health and/or the environment. Hazardous materials are typically toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive, or…
Hazardous materialsMaterials that pose the potential for grave, immediate, future, and genetic injury and illness when handled without proper equipment and precautions.
Hazardous substancesElement or compound other than oil which when discharged into the environment, in any quantity, presents an imminent or substantial threat to public…
Hazardous wasteBy-products of society that can pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed.
Hazardous Waste IndicatorsIndicators that may signal the presence of hazardous materials include stressed vegetation or unusual lack of vegetation; dead or sick domestic stock…
Hazardous waste sitesAny spill, authorized or unauthorized dumping, abandoned, or inactive waste disposal sites containing or suspected of containing hazardous materials.
Hazardous Weather OutlookA narrative statement produced by the National Weather Service, frequently issued on a routine basis, to provide information regarding the potential of…
Hazards AssessmentCPC's Hazards Assessment provides emergency managers, planners, forecasters and the public advance notice of potential hazards related to climate, weather…
Haze(abbrev. HZ)- An aggregation in the atmosphere of very fine, widely dispersed, solid or liquid particles, or both, giving the air an opalescent appearance…
Headward ErosionErosion which occurs in the upstream end of the valley of a stream, causing it to lengthen its course in such a direction.
Headwater(1) The source and upper reaches of a stream; also the upper reaches of a reservoir; (2) the water upstream from a structure or point on a stream; (3) the…
Headwater Advisory Program (ADVIS)(ADVIS)A Program which uses the Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) method of estimating runoff, unit hydrograph theory and stage-discharge ratings to produce…
Headwater Advisory TableA table developed by a River Forecast Center for a Headwater Guidance Point; a pre-computed matrix of values allows a forecaster to ascertain an…
Headwater BasinA basin at the headwaters of a river. All discharge of the river at this point is developed within the basin.
Health physicsThat science devoted to recognition, evaluation, and control of all health hazards from ionizing radiation.
HeapThe soil carried above the sides of a body or bucket.
HeatPressure and intimidation used by a casino to discourage card counters.
Heat Absorbing Window GlassA type of window glass that contains special tints that cause the window to absorb as much as 45% of incoming solar energy, to reduce heat gain in an…
Heat AdvisoryIssued within 12 hours of the onset of the following conditions: heat index of at least 105°F but less than 115°F for less than 3 hours per day, or…
Heat BalanceEnergy output from a system that equals energy input.
Heat balance of the Earth-atmosphere systemHeat balance of the Earth-atmosphere system The equilibrium that exists on the average between the radiation received by the Earth and atmosphere from the…
Heat budgetHeat budget Relation between fluxes of heat into and out of a given region or body and the heat stored by the system.
heat capacityThe ratio of the heat absorbed (or released) by a system to the corresponding temperature rise (or fall).
Heat ContentThe amount of heat in a quantity of matter at a specific temperature and pressure.
Heat EngineA device that produces mechanical energy directly from two heat reservoirs of different temperatures.
Heat ExchangerA device used to transfer heat from a fluid (liquid or gas) to another fluid where the two fluids are physically separated.
Heat ExhaustionA mild form of heat stroke, characterized by faintness, dizziness, and heavy sweating.
Heat fluxHeat flux Amount of heat, transferred in a liquid, in particular in the atmosphere, per unit of time through a unit area.
Heat GainThe amount of heat introduced to a space from all heat producing sources, such as building occupants, lights, appliances, and from the environment, mainly…
Heat IndexThe Heat Index (HI) or the "Apparent Temperature" is an accurate measure of how hot it really feels when the Relative Humidity (RH) is added to the actual…
heat index (HI)(HI)An index that combines air temperature and relative humidity to determine an apparent temperature-how hot it actually feels.
Heat LightningLightning that occurs at a distance such that thunder is no longer audible.
Heat LossThe heat that flows from the building interior, through the building envelope to the outside environment.
Heat PipeA device that transfers heat by the continuous evaporation and condensation of an internal fluid.
Heat PumpAn electricity powered device that extracts available heat from one area (the heat source) and transfers it to another (the heat sink) to either heat or…
Heat Pump Water HeatersA water heater that uses electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly.
Heat rateThe ratio of fuel energy input as heat per unit of net work output; a measure of a power plant thermal efficiency, generally expressed as Btu per net…
Heat Recovery VentilatorA device that captures the heat from the exhaust air from a building and transfers it to the supply/fresh air entering the building to preheat the air and…
Heat RegisterThe grilled opening into a room by which the amount of warm air from a furnace can be directed or controlled; may include a damper.
heat shock protein(... PROH-teen) One of a group of proteins that help protect cells from stresses such as heat, cold, and low amounts of oxygen or glucose (sugar).
Heat TransferThe flow of heat from one area to another by conduction, convection, and/or radiation. Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler material or space.