# Epigeal

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{{Refimprove|date=September 2014}}
{{Short description|Organism activity above the soil surface}}
'''Epigeal''', '''epigean''', '''epigeic''' and '''epigeous''' are [biological](/source/biological) terms describing an [organism](/source/organism)'s activity above the [soil](/source/soil) surface.

In [botany](/source/botany), a [seed](/source/seed) is described as showing '''[epigeal germination](/source/epigeal_germination)''' when the [cotyledon](/source/cotyledon)s of the [germinating](/source/germinate) seed expand, throw off the seed shell and become [photosynthetic](/source/photosynthesis) above the ground. The opposite kind, where the cotyledons remain non-photosynthetic, inside the seed shell, and below ground, is [hypogeal germination](/source/hypogeal_germination).

The terms '''epigean''', '''epigeic''' or '''epigeous''' are used for organisms that crawl (epigean), creep like a [vine](/source/vine) (epigeal), or grow (epigeous) on the soil surface: they are also used more generally for [animal](/source/animal)s that neither burrow nor swim nor fly. The opposite terms are [hypogean](/source/hypogean), [hypogeic](/source/hypogeic) and [hypogeous](/source/hypogeous).

An epigeal nest is a term used for a termite mound, the above ground nest of a [colony](/source/Colony_(biology)) of [termite](/source/termite)s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Soil Ecology |last1=Lavelle |first1=P. |last2=Spain |first2=A. |year=2001 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9780792371236 |page=503 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iCC1sOmFTSMC&pg=PA503 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [List of plant morphology terms](/source/List_of_plant_morphology_terms)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Category:Ecology
Category:Plant reproduction
Category:Plant morphology

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