Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Application, pre-emergent:
Application of herbicides, designed to pre-
vent the germination of plant seeds.
Bacteria:
Microscopic, single-cell organisms, some beneficial and some
pathogenic, that live in a variety of forms throughout the biosphere.
Burning, of leaves by fertilizers:
Desiccation of leaves due to applica-
tion of fertilizers or other materials in excessive concentrations.
Calcium carbonate:
A compound used to raise soil pH, but rarely on
established turf, because of its burn potential.
Calibration:
The process of adjusting equipment to ensure the desired
rate of application of chemicals.
Canopy:
The continuous layer formed by the leaves of a stand of turf-
grass.
Cation:
A positively charged ion.
Cation exchange capacity (CEC):
The total quantity of exchangeable
cations that a soil can adsorb.
Chelate:
A chemical formulation in which a metal atom (very often a
micronutrient such as iron) is bound with an organic component to
improve the overall uptake of the micronutrient.
Clay:
A soil material with particles of 0.002 mm diameter or less, noted
for high moisture- and nutrient-holding capacity; also used to refer to a
soil mixture containing more than 40% clay.
Coated fertilizer:
Granular fertilizer that has been coated with a
material of known permeability to ensure the controlled release of nutri-
ents into the soil.
Compaction:
Compression of the topsoil, primarily due to foot or
vehicular traffic and tending to prevent the passage of air, water and
nutrients into the soil.
Contact herbicide:
A pesticide that acts only on the portion of the plant
it touches.
Controlled-release fertilizer:
A product engineered to release nutrients
into the soil over a designated period of time.
Crown:
A group of nodes separated by very short internodes in the
central core of a turf-grass plant or the elevated centre portion of a sports
field, raised to promote the runoff of surface water.
