Scienctific terminology useful for Grounds Management

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Rainfall which is more acidic (typically in the pH range of about 4.0 5.0, although a baseline of less than pH 5.6 is often used to identify the start of acid rain) than would occur as natural rainfall without the polluting emissions from human activity. The addition of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere from human activities react with water vapour to create even more acidic rainfall: this is due to the creation of sulphuric acid and nitric acid following the atmospheric reactions. Natural rainfall is a weak carbonic acid (H2CO3), due to the reaction of water and carbo

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Acidity A measure of how acid a substance, such as the soil is. See also, 1. Soil Acidity; 2. pH.

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The key part of a substance which provides pesticidal properties. It is often used interchangeably with ‘Active Substance’ and also shortened to just AI.

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Any substance, such as a chemical, plant extract, pheromone or micro-organism, that is used on plants or against weeds, pests or diseases. Often used interchangeably with the term ‘Active Ingredient’.

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The percentage of cold water insoluble nitrogen that is soluble in hot water. Higher values typically mean a more efficient use (because it is more soluble) of the nitrogen from the applied controlled slow release fertiliser, being either urea formaldehyde or methylene urea products. The term is commonly shortened to AI in equations. AI= (CWIN-HWIN)/CWIN x 100% Note: CWIN = Cold Water Insoluble Nitrogen | HWIN = Hot Water Insoluble Nitrogen (Source: ISO 19670:2017. Fertilizers and soil conditioners - Solid urea aldehyde slow release fertilizer - General requirements)

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A feature which is sharply pointed. Common browntop bent and creeping bent have acute leaves, which is a useful diagnostic feature when identifying grasses.

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The ability of an organism to exploit a particular environmental condition. For example, some plants are better adapted to dry, exposed situations than others.

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An organic nitrogenous compound (adenine) attached to a ribose (a carbohydrate) and is used as the basis for ATP, ADP and, AMP as well as DNA and RNA. It has the chemical formula of C10H13N5O4.

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A compound which is used for energy transfer, being converted back to ATP during photosynthesis and respiration with the breakdown of carbohydrates and nutrients which provides for an additional phosphate group and which is then reformed into ATP, or where through its use in further metabolic processes ADP loses another phosphate group, thus being converted to adenosine monophosphate, having just one phosphate group remaining in the material compound along with adenine and ribose.

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A compound which is used for energy transfer, either being broken down further by being used in metabolic processes or reconverted back to ADP and then ATP. It has just one phosphate group remaining in the material compound along with adenine and ribose.