Outdoor Glossary: B
back Dorsal part of the bird.
backing Thin, high-visibility Dacron line designed to be tied
between the reel spool and the back end of the fly line.
backlash Fouled or tangled line on an open faced reel.
backshore (1) The upper part of the active BEACH above the normal
reach of the tides (high water), but affected by large waves occurring during a
high. (2) (SMP) The accretion or erosion zone, located landward of ordinary high
tide, which is normally wetted only by storm tides.
backwash (1) The seaward return of the water following the uprush
of the waves. Also called backrush or run down. (2) Water of waves thrown back
by an obstruction such as a ship, breakwater, cliff, etc.
backwash ripples Low amplitude ripple marks formed on fine sand
beaches by the backwkash of the waves.
bag limit Restriction in the number of fish that an angler may
retain, generally on a per trip or daily basis.
bail A metal, semicircular arm on an open- faced spinning reel that
engages the line after a cast.
bail arm On a spinning reel, the lever determines the direction of
the spool.
bait food placed on a hook or in a net, trap, or fishing area to
entice fish or other animals as prey. An object or organism used to attract an
animal; live fish are attached to hooks and used as bait in the tuna fishery.
baitcasting fishing with a revolving-spool reel attached on top of
a bait casting rod. Most often used by novice or experienced anglers.
baitfish Smaller fish in the food chain used for bait to catch
larger predator fish.
balanced A term used to describe the proper combination of rod,
reel fly line, leader and fly. A "balanced" outfit is the most effective
fly-fishing system
ballast water Fresh or salt water (sometimes containing sediments)
held in tanks and cargo holds of ships to increase stability and maneuverability
during transit bank: The rising ground bordering a lake, river or sea.
bar An offshore ridge or mound of sand, GRAVEL, or other
unconsolidated material which is submerged (at least at high tide), especially
at the mouth of a river or estuary, or lying parallel to, and a short distance
from, the beach.
barb The nick on the point of a hook. It is intended to keep the
hook from backing out of a fish's mouth after it has been hooked.
barbless hook A hook made without a barb, or a hook on which the
barb has been crimped or flattened. This is the hook style of choice for
catch-and-release fishing.
bark beetle An insect that bores through the bark of forest trees
to eat the inner bark and lay its eggs. Bark beetles are important killers of
forest trees.
baroclinic When isobaric surfaces of a fluid are not parallel with
density surfaces.
barometric pressure (also known as atmospheric pressure) The
pressure at any point in an atmosphere due solely to the weight of the
atmospheric gases above the point concerned.
barotropic When isobaric surfaces of a fluid are parallel with
density surfaces.
barrier beach A bar essentially parallel to the shore, which has
been built up so that its crest rises above the normal high water level. Also
called barrier island and offshore barrier.
barrier island A detached portion of a barrier beach between two
inlets.
barrier spit Similar to a barrier island, only connected to the
mainland.
basal area The area of the cross section of a tree trunk near its
base, usually 4 and 1/2 feet above the ground. Basal area is a way to measure
how much of a site is occupied by trees. The term basal area is often used to
describe the collective basal area of trees per acre.
basin A large submarine depression of a generally circular,
elliptical or oval shape.
bathymetry The measurement of depths of water in oceans, seas and
lakes; also the information derived from such measurements.
bay A recess or inlet in the shore of a sea or lake between two
capes or headlands, not as large as a gulf but larger than a cove. See also
bight, embayment.
bay diving ducks typically, ducks that feed in deep bodies of
water, usually in the coastal bays and deep lakes, and dive for their food.
These include canvasback, goldeneyes, redhead, and scaup.
bay ducks bay diving ducks.
baymouth bar A bar extending partly or entirely across the mouth of
a bay.
BBS Breeding Bird Survey. This survey is typically performed in
June by volunteers on over 4000 bird counts. The counts are done by vehicle
during the morning. Many nocturnal or less vocal species are not well surveyed
by the BBS. Data from this survey is used to generate the BBS maps.
beach (1) A deposit of non-cohesive material (e.g. sand, GRAVEL)
situated on the interface between dry land and the sea (or other large expanse
of water) and actively "worked" by present-day hydrodynamics processes (i.e.
waves, tides and currents) and sometimes by winds. (2) The zone of
unconsolidated material that extends landward from the low water line to the
place where there is marked change in material or physiographic form, or to the
line of permanent vegetation. The seaward limit of a beach unless otherwise
specified is the mean low water line. A beach includes foreshore and
backshore. The zone of unconsolidated material that is moved by waves, wind and
tidal currents, extending landward to the coastline.
beach crest The point representing the limit of high tide storm
wave run-up.
beach erosion The carrying away of beach materials by wave action,
tidal currents, littoral currents or wind.
beach face The section of the beach normally exposed to the action
of wave uprush. The foreshore of the beach.
beach head The cliff, dune or sea wall looming the landward limit
of the active beach.
beach nourishment The process of replenishing a beach by artificial
means; e.g., by the deposition of dredged materials, also called beach
replenishment or beach feeding.
beach profile A cross-section taken perpendicular to a given beach
contour; the profile may include the face of a dune or sea wall, extend over the
backshore, across the foreshore, and seaward underwater into the nearshore
zone.
beach ridge A low extensive ridge of beach material piled up by
storm waves landward of the berm. Usually consists of very coarse sand, gravel
or shells. Occurs singly or as a series of more or less parallel ridges.
beach scarp (1) An almost perpendicular slope along the beach
foreshore; an erosional feature due to wave action, it may vary in height from a
few centimeters to several meters, depending on wave action and the nature and
composition of the beach. See escarpment. See escarpment. (2) A steep slope
produced by wave erosion.
beach width The horizontal dimension of the beach measured normal
to the shoreline.
Beaufort Scale The relationship between sea state and wind speed.
The Beaufort Scale can be used to estimate wind speed at sea, but is valid only
for waves generated within the local weather system, and assumes that there has
been sufficient time for a fully developed sea to have become established.
bed The bottom of a watercourse, or any body of water.
bed load Heavy or large sediment particles that travel near or on
the bed.
bedding plane A surface parallel to the surface of deposition,
which may or may not have a physical expression. The original attitude of a
bedding plane should not be assumed to have been horizontal. See also
cross-bedding, sedimentary structures.
belly Ventral part of the bird. Synonym(s): abdomen.
bench mark (BM) A fixed physical object or mark used as reference
for a vertical datum. A tidal bench mark is one near a tide station to which the
tide staff and tidal datums are referred. A primary bench mark is the principal
(or only) mark of a group of tidal bench marks to which the tide staff and tidal
datums are referred. The standard tidal bench mark of the National Ocean Service
is a brass, bronze, or aluminum alloy disk 3- inches in diameter containing the
inscription NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE together with other individual identifying
information. A geodetic bench mark identifies a surveyed point in the National
Geodetic Vertical Network. Most geodetic bench mark disks contain the
inscription VERTICAL CONTROL MARK NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY with other individual
identifying information. Benchmark disks of either type may, on occasion, serve
simultaneously to reference both tidal and geodetic datums. Numerous bench marks
of predecessor organizations to NOS, or parts of other organizations absorbed
into NOS, still bear the inscriptions: U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY,
NATIONAL OCEAN SURVEY, U.S. LAKE SURVEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, and U.S. ENGINEER
OFFICE.
bend The curved angle of a hook from the gap to the point.
benefits The economic value of a scheme, usually measured in terms
of the cost of damages avoided by the scheme, or the valuation of perceived
amenity or environmental improvements.
Benguela Current A South Atlantic Ocean current setting northward
along the southwest coast of Africa.
benthic Pertaining to the sub-aquatic bottom.
benthos Those animals who live on the sediments of the sea floor,
including both mobile and non-mobile forms.
berm (1) On a beach: a nearly horizontal plateau on the beach face
or backshore, formed by the deposition of beach material by wave action or by
means of a mechanical plant as part of a beach recharge scheme. (2) On a
structure: a nearly horizontal area, often built to support or key-in an armour
layer. (3) A linear mound or series of mounds of sand and/or gravel generally
paralleling the water at or landward of the line of ordinary high tide.
berm crest The seaward limit of the berm, or the minimum depth of a
submerged berm; also called berm edge.
bifurcation Location where a river separates in two or more reaches
or branches (the opposite of a confluence).
big game Large mammals, such as deer, elk, and antelope that are
hunted for sport.
bight A slight indentation in a coast forming an open bay, usually
crescent shaped.
bill Beak.
billfish Marlins or swordfish, i.e., a fish whose snout is extended
into a bill or spear.
bioaccumulate The net accumulation of a contaminant in an organism
from all sources, including air, water and food. Toxic chemicals tend to
bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of fish, and these toxins increase in
concentration as they are passed from the prey to the predator (called
biomagnification).
biogenic Describing changes in the environment resulting from the
activities of living organisms.
biological amplification The increase in concentration of a
chemical in organisms that reside in environments contaminated with low
concentrations of various organic compounds. For example, fish living in aquatic
environments contaminated with compounds such as the chlorinated hydrocarbons
will absorb those compounds through the gills. Chemicals likely to be
bioaccumulated are not readily decomposed in either the environment or in an
organism and are likely to be stored in the fatty tissue. Bioaccumulation can
also be used to describe the progressive increase in the amount of a chemical in
an organism resulting from the uptake, or absorption, of the substance exceeding
its breakdown or excretion rates. In the complementary process of biological
magnification, an increase in chemical concentration in organisms is a result of
the passage of the chemical through the food chain, not directly absorbed from
the air, water, or soil, as in bioaccumulation. Also called bioconcentration,
biological amplification, and biological concentration.
biological control The use of natural means to control unwanted
pests. Examples include introduced or naturally occurring predators such as
wasps, or hormones that inhibit the reproduction of pests. Biological controls
can sometimes be alternatives to mechanical or chemical means.
biological diversity The number and abundance of species found
within a common environment. This includes the variety of genes, species,
ecosystems, and the ecological processes that connect everything in a common
environment.
biomass The total weight of all living organisms in a biological
community.
biome The complex of living communities maintained by the climate
of a region and characterized by a distinctive type of vegetation. Example of
biomes in North America include the tundra, desert, prairie, and the western
coniferous forests.
biota The plant and animal life of a particular region.
biotic Living. Green plants and soil microorganisms are biotic
components of ecosystems.
birds of prey this term is synonymous with raptors and includes
eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, and owls.
bitmap Albie Slang term for an albacore
bitmap barn door Slang term for a large halibut
bitmap bird's nest same as backlash
bitmap boils Disturbances in the surface of the water due to
feeding game fish
bitmap breezers Small or large schools of rapidly moving fish
bitmap cattle boat Slang term for a sport fishing passenger
boat
bitmap coffee grinder Slang term for a spinning reel
bitmap color The term for the ability to visually see the color of
the fish under water
bitmap crowder Net type device used to crowd bait fish closer
together so they are more easily netted
bitmap deckhand Term for a crewmember on a sport or private boat or
yacht.
bitmap drop back Free spooling a lure or bait back to a predator
fish while trolling or after the boat
bitmap firecracker Slang term for a small California yellowtail.
bitmap flylining Fishing a live or dead bait without the use of any
weight
bitmap jackpot the term used for the pool of money that everyone on
a boat gets into and the person who catches the biggest fish for the day or
trip, takes home the winnings.
bitmap long fin A slang name for an albacore
bitmap meatball The term used to describe a tightly packed school
of bait fish that may be trying to escape from predator fish.
bitmap on the hook A boat that is anchored
bitmap pencil A slang term for a very small barracuda.
bitmap plugged Term used to describe a boat that is full of fish
bitmap pulpit - A railed platform extension that extends from a
boats bow.
bitmap salami Slang term used for larger mackerel baits fished for
very large predator fish.
bitmap short Term used for a fish that is caught and it is below
the legal limit in size and must be released.
bitmap squirt A slang word used to describe squid.
bitmap teaser A lure fished with no hooks in order to attract game
fish while trolling so they can be fished with live bait.
bitmap toad Slang term for a large fish.
bitmap wired Slang word used to describe an angler that is hooked
up to a fish.
blank A rod without a handle, guides or reel seat.
blank rod The fiberglass or graphite shaft or rod without any
hardware attached
blowout A depression on the land surface caused by wind
erosion.
bluff A high, steep bank or cliff.
BMP (Best Management Practices) Practices designed to prevent or
reduce water pollution.
board foot A measurement term for lumber or timber. It is the
amount of wood contained in an unfinished board 1 inch thick, 12 inches long,
and 12 inches wide.
boat rod A heavy duty and durable rod used specifically for big
game fishing
body Main mass of the bird as distinguished from its
appendages.
bog A wet, spongy, poorly drained area which is usually rich in
very specialized plants, contains a high percentage of organic remnants and
residues and frequently is associated with a spring, seepage area, or other
subsurface water source. A bog sometimes represents the final stage of the
natural processes of eutrophication by which lakes and other bodies of water are
very slowly transformed into land areas.
boil An upward flow of water in a sandy formation due to an
unbalanced hydrostatic pressure resulting from a rise in a nearby stream, or
from removing the overburden in making excavations.
bootfoot waders Waders that feature built-in boots.
bore Same as tidal bore.
bottom boundary layer The lower portion of the water flow that
experiences frictional retardation based on its proximity to the bed. See also
velocity profile.
bottom fishing Fishing on or near the bottom of the water with
weighted bait.
boulder A rounded rock on a beach, greater than 256 mm in diameter,
larger than a cobble. See also gravel, shingle.
box gage A tide gage that is operated by a float in a long vertical
box to which the tide is admitted through an opening in the bottom. In the
original type of box gage the float supported a graduated rod which rose and
fell with the tide.
brackish water Water with a salt content between 1000 and 4000
parts per million.
Brazil Current A South Atlantic Ocean current setting southwestward
along the central coast of South America.
breaching Failure of the beach head or a dike allowing flooding by
tidal action.
breaker A wave that has become so steep that the crest of the wave
topples forward, moving faster than the main body of the wave. Breakers may be
roughly classified into four kinds, although there is much overlap (see Figure
2): Spilling bubbles and turbulent water spill down the front face of wave.
The upper 25 percent of the front face may become vertical before breaking.
Breaking generally across over quite a distance. Plunging a crest curls over
air pocket; breaking is usually with a crash. Smooth splash-up usually follows.
Collapsing breaking occurs over lower half of wave. Minimal air pocket and
usually no splash-up. Bubbles and foam present. Surging wave peaks up, but
bottom rushes forward from under wave, and wave slides up beach face with little
or no bubble production. Water surface remains almost plane except where ripples
may be produced on the beach face during backwash.
breaker index Maximum ratio of wave height to water depth in the
surf zone, typically 0.78 for spilling waves, ranging from about 0.6 to
1.5.
breaker zone The zone within which waves approaching the coastline
commence breaking, typically in water depths of between 5 m and 10 m.
breaking depth The still-water depth at the point where the wave
breaks.
breakwater Rubble mound with horizontal berm of armour stones at
about sea-side water level, which is allowed to be (re)shaped by the
waves.
breakwater (1) A structure protecting a harbor, anchorage, or basin
from waves. (2) Offshore structure aligned parallel to the shore, sometimes
shore-connected, that provides protection from waves.
breast Front part of the chest.
breast That ventral region extending immediately behind the
pectoral fins of the isthmus
breast band Stripe across the breast.
breast spot Small, differently colored area on the breast.
breathability The amount of air that is let into a garment and
water wicked, or taken, away from the inside of the garment.
broadcast burn A prescribed fire that burns a designated area.
These controlled fires can reduce wildfire hazards, improve forage for wildlife
and livestock, or encourage successful regeneration of trees.
browse Twigs, leaves, and young shoots of trees and shrubs that
animals eat. Browse is often used to refer to the shrubs eaten by big game, such
as elk and deer.
bubbler tide gauge Same as gas purged pressure gauge.
buffer A land area that is designated to block or absorb unwanted
impacts to the area beyond the buffer. Buffer strips along a trail could block
views that may be undesirable. Buffers may be set aside next to wildlife habitat
to reduce abrupt change to the habitat.
buffer area A parcel or strip of land that is designed and
designated to permanently remain vegetated in an undisturbed and natural
condition to protect an adjacent aquatic or wetland site from upland impacts, to
provide habitat for wildlife and to afford limited public access.
bulkhead (1) A structure separating land and water areas, primarily
designed to resist earth pressures. (2) A structure or partition to retain or
prevent sliding of the land. A secondary purpose is to protect the upland
against damage from wave action.
buoy A float; especially a floating object moored to the bottom, to
mark a channel, anchor, shoal rock, etc. Some common types include: a nun or nut
buoy is conical in shape; a can buoy is squat and cylindrical above water and
conical below water; a spar buoy is a vertical, slender spar anchored at one
end; a bell buoy, bearing a bell, runs mechanically or by the action of waves,
usually marks shoals or rocks; a whistling buoy, similarly operated, marks
shoals or channel entrances; a dan buoy carries a pole with a flag or light on
it.
buoyancy The resultant upward forces, exerted by the water on a
submerged or floating body, equal to the weight of the water displaced by this
body.
butt extension In reference to the section of the rod that extends
behind the fishing reel.
buzzbaits These are like a spinnerbait, but have a flat blade that
causes it to rise quickly to the top, and create a disturbance along the surface
like a minnow.
bypassing, sand Hydraulic or mechanical movement of sand from the
accreting updrift side to the eroding downdrift side of an inlet or harbor
entrance. The hydraulic movement may include natural as well as movement caused
by man.
|