SW-NCA-color-FINALweb

Glossary 485or drift) from an external source, usually to increase the area that can be used for recreationor to protect the shoreline from coastal stormsbias correction and spatial downscaling method (BCSD) – a method of creating climateprojection results at spatial scales that are meaningful for analysis of regional impacts,by taking GCM results and statistically relating them to the historic climate of the region.Also known as bias-correction and spatial disaggregation.bioallergens – pollens and molds that induce allergic reactions in some individualsbiomass – biological mass from living organisms or recently living organismsbiophysical process – combination of physical processes in biological organisms or systems,such as the uptake of water and nutrients in plantsC3 plants – plants that use the C 3carbon fixation pathway, which grow and lose waterduring the day; these include most broadleaf and temperate zone plantsC4 plants – plants that use the C 4carbon fixation pathway in their metabolism, whichlose little water during the day and makes them well-adapted to hot and dry areas; examplesinclude sugarcane and maizeCAM plants – plants with crassulacean acid metabolism, which store carbon dioxide atnight and thus minimize water loss during the day; examples include orchids, cactusesand agavescalcium carbonate – the component of marine shell material that dissolves in more acidicwaterscarbon sequestration, carbon storage – the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,by natural or other means, and storage of carbon in, for example, plants, soil, oceanscarbon uptake – the absorption of carbon by soils and plantschill time – the accumulation of hours during which temperatures are between 32°F–45°F during bud dormancy in plants; some plants require a certain amount of chill timebefore their buds open and growth can occurclimate change – ways in which systematic trends in some climate factors, such as increasesin heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere (greenhouse gases) and associated increasesin temperature, alter the climate system and its variationsclimate regime – type of climate; climate classification, or an extended period of certainclimatic characteristics, such as a “wet regime” or a “dry regime”climate variability – the inherent variability of climate, for instance, from year to year ordecade to decadeclimatology – the study of climates and their phenomenaco-benefits – multiple benefits of a program, policy, or intervention; for example, a benefitof bicycling to work is reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a co-benefit of bicyclingis improved cardiovascular healthcold spell index – an index that reflects frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial extentof wintertime cold spells over a region. In this report the index was derived from observationsand the CNRM-CM3 model.