Glossary

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

 facultative

used to describe organisms that are able to grow in either the presence or absence of a specific environmental factor (e.g., oxygen). See also facultative anaerobe.

 facultative anaerobes

microorganisms that can grow in either the presence or the absence of molecular oxygen. In the absence of oxygen these microorganism can utilize another compound (e.g., sulfate or nitrate) as a terminal electron acceptor.

 Fick's First Law

an equation describing the rate at which a gas transfers into solution. The change in concentration of gas in solution is proportional to the product of an overall mass transfer coefficient and the concentration gradient.

 Fick's Second Law

an equation relating the change of concentration with time due to diffusion to the change in concentration gradient with distance from the source of concentration.

 field capacity

the maximum amount of water that a soil can retain after excess water from saturated conditions has been drained by the force of gravity.

 flow tube

a calibrated flow measuring device made for a specific range of flow velocities and fluids.

 flux

the rate of movement of mass through a unit cross-sectional area per unit time in response to a concentration gradient or some advective force.

 free product

a petroleum hydrocarbon in the liquid (

 friable

easily crumbled, not cohesive or sticky.

 fungi

aerobic, multicellular, nonphotosynthetic, heterotrophic microorganisms. The fungi include mushrooms, yeast, molds, and smuts. Most fungi are saprophytes, obtaining their nourishment from dead organic matter. Along with bacteria, fungi are the principal organisms responsible for the decomposition of carbon in the biosphere. Fungi have two ecological advantages over bacteria