Climate Change - The process of shifting from one prevailing state in regional or global climate to another. Climate change is typically the preferred term over “global warming” because it helps to convey that the characteristics of climate change are not limited to rising temperatures.⏎
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. ⏎
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.⏎
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.⏎
Endemic - The baseline level of disease usually present in a community.⏎