VOCABULARY - T
Taiga - a Russian term for the forest communities found south of the tundra in cold, wet climates, consisting of a mostly coniferous community (stunted spruces, firs) with birches and aspens found in drier locales.
Taproot - the root structure formed during germination that anchors the plant to the soil does not persist in all plants.
Teamster - (historical term) the person who brings the loaded sleighs down to the river with horse or oxen.
Temperate Forest - a forest that grows in regions with moderate temperatures, found north and south of tropical forests.
Tertiary Consumer - a high-level consumer, which is usually the top predator in an ecosystem and/or food chain.
Thinning - a management technique in which some trees are removed to make room for other trees to grow.
Threatened Species - a species that is likely to become endangered.
Till - soil and other material deposited by glaciers during the last ice age. Timber - the wood of trees used for construction.
Timber Production - the growth of trees, the annual output of which is reflected in the monetary values of removals.
Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) - a forestry practice used to improve the composition, structure, conditions, health, and growth of a forest stand.
Toothed - a leaf edge with small points or bumps along it. Single-toothed means that all the teeth are about the same size. Double-toothed means that on each tooth there is a smaller tooth.
Topography - the relative elevations of different features in a landscape.
Township - an area of land that is six miles by six miles and contains 36 sections.
Tracheids - a long tapering plant cell found in xylem tissue, having pits in the cells wall through which water is conducted.
Transpiration - the evaporation of water from plants.
Tree - a perennial plant (lives more than one growing season) with a well defined woody stem, crown, and roots.
Tree Characteristics - the identifying traits (physical, biological, or chemical) of a tree and include leaf shape, crown shape, buds, branching, and bark.
Trophic Level - an energy level in an ecosystem, based on feeding levels.
Tropical Forest - a forest that grows in winterless tropical climates with high temperatures and generally high annual rainfall.
Trunk - the part of a tree that connects the crown to the roots.