geo-, ge- +

1. A zoogeographical region which includes the Nearctic, Palearctic, and Oriental regions: Jenifer learned in class about the specific area of geographic distribution called Caenogaea which consisted of the Neactic, Palearctic, and the Oriental regions.
2. Etymology: Greek kainos, "recent" and gaia, "earth".

A biogeographical region including all of the neotropical regions except temperate South America: Mr. Smart explained to his class that the areas of the world called the Dendrogaea consisted of Central Amical and the Caribbean.

In botany, relating to, or exhibiting a growth movement in a plant or in an organ so that it assumes a position at right angles to the direction of gravity: Rose bushes are considered to be diageotropic in that their roots develop and spread crossways to the direction of the middle of the Earth.

The tendency of a sessile organism (a leaf or flower, that has no stalk but is attached directly to the stem) or structure to grow horizontally to the ground or perpendicularly to the line of gravity: The condition of diageotropism can be seen in tree branches or roots.

Diageotropism can be described as a response of a plant to gravity in which a part of the plant adopts a horizontal position.

Diageotropism can also characterize the tendency of growing parts, such as roots, to become oriented at right angles to the direction of any gravitational force.

A reference to the geographical aspects of ecology: Ecogeographic studies deal with the environmental effects of the dispersion of living organisms.

Referring to a form of life found within or near the surface of the ground: Endogean bacteria and archaea exist in the soil just under the top layer of the ground.

An organism that lives on or near the surface of the ground: Epigeans are organisms that creep or crawl, like worm lizards, or grow, like a vine, on top of the soil.

Termites, for example, dwell in an epigeal mound or nest which is above ground.

A description of the responses of plants on the surface of the earth toward the pull of gravity: In her botany class, Judy learned about the epigeotropic force that gravity has on plants on top of the soil.

Plant growth or plant movement on the surface of the earth in response to gravity: Epigeotropism deals with the development of vegetation across the surface of the soil.

The scientific study of the georaphic distribution of various ethnic groups: Ethnogeography deals with diverse races, peoples, or cultural groups, their adaptations, and relations to the environments in which they live.

The preparation of geological maps that show the distribution of geologic units selected for representation on a map: Field geology includes the plotting of the orientation of such structural features as faults, joints, cleavage, small folds, and the attitude of beds with respect to three-dimensional space.

A common objective is to interpret the structure at some depth below the surface of the earth.

It is possible to determine, with some degree of accuracy, the structure beneath the surface by using information available at the surface of the earth.

1. The "earth mother" or "mother earth": Gaia is the embodiment of the Earth as being fertile, encouraging, supporting and loving mother.
2. A Gaia space craft that is on a "Gaia mission" whose main goal is to make the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of our Galaxy by surveying an unprecedented one per cent of its population of 100 billion stars.

Astronomers will have the challenge of dealing with a flood of data when Gaia begins its work in 2012. Even after being compressed by software, the data produced by the five-year mission will fill over 30 000 CD ROMs. This data will be transmitted "raw" and they will need processing on Earth to turn it into a calibrated set of measurements that can be freely used by the astronomical community.

For more details about Gaia or Gaea, go to Earth, Words from the Myths.

The study of acoustic properties in rocks by using an echo-ranging device with low-frequency seismographic waves intended to determine the composition and characteristics the earth's crust several miles deep: Sam's cousin, Hanson, is a scientist who has developed unique techniques for the use of geoacoustics in his research about the minerals that exist below the surface of the ground.

The capacity of a plant to perceive and to respond to gravity: For her high school botany project, Haden studied the geoaesthesia of both land and water-based plants.

The techniques of geology applied to archaeological issues, such as dating methodology, mineral identification, soil and stratification analysis; the investigation of the relationship between archaeological and geological processes: Geoarchaeology is an ecological approach to archaeology with the goal of understanding the physical context of archaeological remains and the emphasis on the interrelationships among cultural and land systems.