ancestor: A predecessor. It could be a family forebear, such as a parent, grandparent or great-great-great grandparent. Or it could be a species, genus, family or other order of organisms from which some later one evolved. For instance, ancient dinosaurs are the ancestors of today’s birds. (antonym: descendant) 

cacao: The name of a tropical tree and of the tree’s seeds (from which chocolate is made). 

ceramic: A hard but brittle material made by firing clay or some other non-metal-based mineral at a high temperature. Bricks, porcelain and other types of earthenware are examples of ceramics. Many high-performance ceramics are used in industry where materials must withstand harsh conditions. 

coauthor: One of a group (two or more people) who together had prepared a written work, such as a book, report or research paper. Not all coauthors may have contributed equally. 

conservation: The act of preserving or protecting something. The focus of this work can range from art objects to endangered species and other aspects of the natural environment. 

crop: (in agriculture) A type of plant grown intentionally grown and nurtured by farmers, such as corn, coffee or tomatoes. Or the term could apply to the part of the plant harvested and sold by farmers.  

cultivate: To prepare land for growing food or to nurture the growth of a plant. 

ecologist: A scientist who works in a branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. 

federal: Of or related to a country’s national government (not to any state or local government within that nation). For instance, the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health are both agencies of the U.S. federal government. 

field: An area of study, as in: Her field of research is biology. Also a term to describe a real-world environment in which some research is conducted, such as at sea, in a forest, on a mountaintop or on a city street. It is the opposite of an artificial setting, such as a research laboratory.  

forest: An area of land covered mostly with trees and other woody plants. 

fruit: A seed-containing reproductive organ in a plant. 

holistic: An adjective that refers to something being very all-encompassing or comprehensive. (in medicine) An approach to health that focuses not only on disease prevention but also on treating the whole person for any problems. These could be medical, spiritual, mental, environmental and social problems. 

indigenous: Native to some region. (in anthropology) An adjective (and capitalized) for people that have lived for eons in some region, developing a culture that reflects the resources, climate and ecosystems of that place. 

journal: (in science) A publication in which scientists share their research findings with experts (and sometimes even the public). Some journals publish papers from all fields of science, technology, engineering and math, while others are specific to a single subject. Peer-reviewed journals are the gold standard: They send all submitted articles to outside experts to be read and critiqued. The goal, here, is to prevent the publication of mistakes, fraud or work that is not novel or convincingly demonstrated. 

nut: (in biology) The edible seed of a plant, which is usually encased in a hard protective shell.  

protocol: An accepted or agreed-upon procedure for doing something. For instance, a recipe is a protocol used by bakers and cooks. 

rainforest: Dense forest rich in biodiversity found in tropical areas with consistent heavy rainfall. 

replicate: (in biology) To copy something. When viruses make new copies of themselves — essentially reproducing — this process is called replication. (in experimentation) To copy an earlier test or experiment — often an earlier test performed by someone else — and get the same general result. Replication depends upon repeating every step of a test, one by one. If a repeated experiment generates the same result as in earlier trials, scientists view this as verifying that the initial result is reliable. If results differ, the initial findings may fall into doubt. Generally, a scientific finding is not fully accepted as being real or true without replication. 

subjective: (in psychology) An adjective for a feeling or emotional assessment that is based (at least in part) by someone’s own feelings, opinions or preferences. 

taste: One of the basic properties the body uses to sense its environment, especially foods, using receptors (taste buds) on the tongue (and some other organs). 

unique: Something that is unlike anything else; the only one of its kind. 

variety: (in agriculture) The term that plant scientists give to a distinct breed (subspecies) of plant with desirable traits. If the plants were bred intentionally, they are referred to as cultivated varieties, or cultivars.