falsifiable

Being capable of being proved wrong by evidence. (Chapter 2)

famine

A severe shortage of food that leads to widespread hunger. (Chapter 16)

fertilizer

A natural or synthetic mixture that contains nutrients that is added to soil to boost plant growth. (Chapter 16, 17)

flagship species

The focus of public awareness campaigns aimed at generating interest in conservation in general; usually an interesting or charismatic species, such as the giant panda or tiger. (Chapter 13)

food chain

A simple, linear path starting with a plant (or other photosynthetic organism) that identifies what each organism in the path eats. (Chapter 10)

food miles

The distance a food travels from its site of production to the consumer. (Chapter 17)

food security

Having physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. (Chapter 16)

food web

A linkage of all the food chains together that shows the many connections in the community. (Chapter 10)

fossil fuels

Nonrenewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas that were formed over millions of years from the remains of dead organisms. (Chapter 18, 19)

fossil record

The total collection of fossils (remains, impressions, traces of ancient organisms) found on Earth. (Chapter 11)

founder effect

The situation that occurs when a small group with only a subset of the larger population’s genetic diversity becomes isolated and evolves into a different population, missing some of the traits of the original. (Chapter 11)

fracking (hydraulic fracturing)

The extraction of oil or natural gas from dense rock formations by creating factures in the rock and then flushing out the oil/gas with pressurized fluid. (Chapter 19)

freshwater

Water that has few dissolved ions such as salt. (Chapter 14)

fuel rods

Hollow metal cylinders filled with uranium fuel pellets for use in fission reactors. (Chapter 22)