Wildlife Management Terms - L
Lacustrine: related to or associated with lakes
Landscape: area composed of interacting ecosystems that are repeated because of geology, land form, soils, climate, biota and human influences throughout the area. Landscapes are generally of a size, shape and pattern which is determined by interacting ecosystems
Landscape capability (LC): potential capability of the landscape in a given region to provide habitat for a particular species based on approximate environmental conditions
Larva: immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect before it undergoes metamorphosis
Lateral: pertaining to the side
Learned trait: characteristic or behavior that is learned or developed through experience
Legumes: plants that capture organic nitrogen from the air. These plants, which typically form seeds in pods, include soybeans, peas, alfalfa, lespedeza, and locust
Lentic: pertaining to static or slow moving open water
Lesion: open injury to the body or organs, usually well-defined in a circular pattern similar to a blister
Licking branch: branch above a scrape that is often licked and scent market by a gland in the forehead as a way for deer to communicate during the rut or mating season
Life zone: ocean zones characterized based on physical and biological features. Horizontal life zones extend from land out toward sea, vertical life zones range from the surface of the water to the depths of the ocean, and the benthic life zone includes the habitats on the sea floor
Limestone: rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate, may include fossilized shells
Limiting factor: anything that affects a species population. It could result from causes in nature as well as human activities. Examples: food, water, shelter, space, disease, predation, climatic conditions, pollution, hunting, poaching and accidents
Limpkins: two-foot-tall, brown feathered birds, living in wooded swamps, primarily feeding on snails, producing a loud, mournful, penetrating wail. The name is associated with the species gait
Lingual crests: tooth ridges running from front to back adjacent to the tongue
Litter: number of young born with each birthing
Lizard: reptile with a long, round body, a long tapering tail, short neck, raised head, two pairs of legs, and a skin of overlapping scales made of keratin
Lotic: pertaining to fast-moving water habitats, such as streams and rivers
Low tide: low point ebb of ocean water, occurring every 12 hours, due to gravity, the sun, moon, and the rotation of the earth