DNA - Short for deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA is any of the nucleic acids that contain the genetic instructions necessary for the development and functioning of all living organisms as well as some viruses.⏎
El Niño-Southern Oscillation Cycle (ENSO) - A combination of two events, El Niño and La Niña, which are periodic disruptions in the ocean’s temperatures. As a result, the temperatures are warmer or cooler than usual, which has an impact on weather patterns worldwide. ⏎
Ecology - A branch of science that deals with the relation of organisms to one another and their physical environment.⏎
Gene - The physical and functional unit of heredity made up of DNA. Every individual has two copies of each gene, one inherited from the mother and the other from the father.⏎
Ecosystem - A functional unit that consists of all the living organisms in a particular area, as well as the nonliving, physical components in the environment—such as air, soil, water, and sunlight—with which the organisms interact, and how natural and human-made changes affect these interactions.⏎