Ephemeral
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| ==Geographical examples== | ==Geographical examples== | ||
| An ephemeral [[waterbody]] is a [[wetland]], [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]], [[stream]], [[river]], [[pond]] or [[lake]] that only exists for a short period following [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] or [[snowmelt]]. They are not the same as intermittent or seasonal waterbodies, which exist for longer periods, but not all year round. | An ephemeral [[waterbody]] is a [[wetland]], [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]], [[stream]], [[river]], [[pond]] or [[lake]] that only exists for a short period following [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] or [[snowmelt]]. They are not the same as intermittent or seasonal waterbodies, which exist for longer periods, but not all year round. | ||
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| - | Examples of ephemeral streams are the [[Luni river]] in [[Rajasthan]], [[India]], [[Ugab River]] in [[Southern Africa]], and a number of small ephemeral [[watercourse]]s that drain [[Talak (Niger)|Talak]] in northern [[Niger]]. Other notable ephemeral rivers include the [[Todd River]] and [[Sandover River]] in [[Central Australia]] as well as the [[Son River]], [[Batha River]] and the [[Trabancos River]]. | ||
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| - | Any [[endorheic basin]], or closed basin, that contains a [[Dry lake|playa]] or dry lake at its drainage lowpoint can become an ephemeral lake. Examples include [[Lake Carnegie (Western Australia)|Lake Carnegie]] in [[Western Australia]], [[Lake Cowal]] in [[New South Wales]], [[Mystic Lake (California)|Mystic Lake]] and [[Rogers Dry Lake|Rogers Lake]] in California, and [[Sevier Lake]] in [[Utah]]. Even the driest and lowest place in North America, [[Death Valley]] (more specifically [[Badwater Basin]]), became flooded with a short-lived ephemeral lake in the spring of 2005.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7182113/</ref> | ||
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| - | There are also ephemeral islands such as [[Banua Wuhu]] and [[Home Reef]]. These islands appear when volcanic activity increases their height above sea level, but disappear over the course of several years due to wave erosion. [[Bassas da India]], on the other hand, is a near-sea level island that appears only at low tide. | ||
| ==Biological examples== | ==Biological examples== | ||
| - | {{main|Ephemeral plant}} | + | ::''[[Ephemeral plant]]'' |
| Many plants are adapted to an [[Ephemeral plant|ephemeral lifestyle]], in which they spend most of the year or longer as seeds before conditions are right for a brief period of growth and reproduction. The spring ephemeral plant [[mouse-ear cress]] is a well-known example. | Many plants are adapted to an [[Ephemeral plant|ephemeral lifestyle]], in which they spend most of the year or longer as seeds before conditions are right for a brief period of growth and reproduction. The spring ephemeral plant [[mouse-ear cress]] is a well-known example. | ||
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| ==Ephemeral artifacts== | ==Ephemeral artifacts== | ||
| - | {{main|Ephemera}} | + | :''[[Ephemera]]'' |
| Ephemeral can also be used as an adjective to refer to a fast-deteriorating importance or temporary nature of an object to a person. [[Brands]] are notoriously ephemeral assets, [[magazine]] publishing was once much more ephemeral than it is today, as was [[television]] programming. | Ephemeral can also be used as an adjective to refer to a fast-deteriorating importance or temporary nature of an object to a person. [[Brands]] are notoriously ephemeral assets, [[magazine]] publishing was once much more ephemeral than it is today, as was [[television]] programming. | ||
Revision as of 12:58, 16 October 2013
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Ephemeral things (from Greek εφήμερος – ephemeros, literally "lasting only one day") are transitory, existing only briefly. Typically the term is used to describe objects found in nature (such as some flowers, insects, and diseases) , although it can describe a wide range of things.
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Geographical examples
An ephemeral waterbody is a wetland, spring, stream, river, pond or lake that only exists for a short period following precipitation or snowmelt. They are not the same as intermittent or seasonal waterbodies, which exist for longer periods, but not all year round.
Biological examples
Many plants are adapted to an ephemeral lifestyle, in which they spend most of the year or longer as seeds before conditions are right for a brief period of growth and reproduction. The spring ephemeral plant mouse-ear cress is a well-known example.
Animals can be ephemeral, with brine shrimp and the mayfly being examples. The placenta is considered an ephemeral organ present during gestation and pregnancy.
Ephemeral artifacts
Ephemeral can also be used as an adjective to refer to a fast-deteriorating importance or temporary nature of an object to a person. Brands are notoriously ephemeral assets, magazine publishing was once much more ephemeral than it is today, as was television programming.
A number of art forms can be considered ephemeral because of their temporary nature. Early land art and all sand sculptures, ice sculptures and chalk drawings on footpaths are examples of ephemeral art. G. Augustine Lynas and Duthain Dealbh create ephemeral sculptures.
Other uses
Often happiness is described as being ephemeral, as one does not find it to be a permanent state, within the scope of human lives. There are always varying shades of happiness and disappointment.
In computer networking technology, an ephemeral port is a TCP, UDP or SCTP port which is dynamically assigned to a client application for a short period of time (the duration of time the application is running). This is in contrast to the "well known" ports which are typically statically assigned to a specific application or service.
Other uses also include:
- Ephemeral film, a film made by a particular sponsor for a specific purpose other than as a work of art
- Ephemeral key, a cryptographic key generated for each execution of a key establishment process
- Ephemeral (EP), a 2009 EP by post-metal band Pelican
- Ephemeral, a 1997 album by Synæsthesia (band)
- Ephemeral data structures, the opposite term for persistent data structures
- Ephemeralization, an accelerating increase in the efficiency of achieving the same or more output (products,
services, information, ...) while requiring less input (effort, time, resources, ...)
Further reading
- Christine Buci-Glucksmann, Esthetique De L'ephemere, Galilee, ISBN 2-7186-0622-3
Etymology
From New Latin ephemerus, from Ancient Greek ἐφήμερος (ephēmeros), the more common form of ἐφημέριος (ephemerios, “of, for, or during the day, living or lasting but for a day, short-lived, temporary”), from ἐπί (epi, “on”) + ἡμέρα (hēmera, “day”).
Synonyms
temporary, transitory, fleeting, evanescent, momentary, short-lived, short, volatile
Antonyms
- lasting for a long period of time: permanent, eternal, everlasting
See also
