Definitions

Carapace

A hard boney outer covering, as the fused dorsal plates of a turtle or the part of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean. (Webster, 228)

Crustacean

Any of various predominantly aquatic arthropods of the class Crustacea, including lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and barnacles, having segmented bodies, chitinous exoskelotons, and paired, jointed limbs. (Webster, 332)

Filter Feeders

An organism that utilizes filtering mechanisms to gain nourishment from particulate organic material suspended in water. (Webster, 478)

Hibernation

To be in an inactive or dormant state or period. (Webster, 580)

Hybridizing

To produce or cause to produce crossbreeds. (Webster, 599)

Invertebrates

Lacking a backbone or spinal column. (Webster, 641)

Larvae

The newly hatched, earliest stage of any various animals that undergo metamorphosis, differing noticeably in form and appearance from the adult. (Webster, 677)

Metamorphosis

Change in structure and habits of an animal during normal growth. (Webster, 746)

Nocturnal

Taking place during the night. (Webster, 797)

Non-point source pollution

Pollution caused by sediment, nutrients, and organic and toxic substances, originating from land use activities and/or from the atmosphere which are carried to lakes and streams by run-off. (Novotny, 541)

Order

A category of plants and animals ranking above the family and below the class. (Webster, 827)

Organism

A plant or animal. (Webster, 828)

Spawning

To produce offspring. (Webster, 1115)

Species

An organism belonging to such a category, represented by a latin adjective following a name. (Webster, 1116)

Streamed

The channel through which a natural stream of water runs or once ran. (Webster, 1146)

Territorial

Of or relating to a territory or to its jurisdictional powers. (Webster, 1195)

Townships

A subdivision of a county of most northeastern and midwestern states, having a local government and governmental powers. (Webster, 1222)

Watershed

An area where all the runoff, and water from the ground water systems, creeks, and streams eventually ends ups up in the same body of water. (Perciasepe, 38)