Glossary definitions

Fishing is defined as the removal from their habitats of aquatic animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) that spend their full life cycle in water (fish, some marine mammals, shellfish, shrimps, squids, corals). Fishing most often results in the death of the aquatic animal, but it may not in some cases. To reflect both situations, fishing has been sub-divided into a lethal and a “non-lethal” category. Lethal fishing is defined as the general and more usual meaning of fishing that leads to the killing of the animal, such as in traditional commercial fisheries. “Non-lethal fishing is defined as the temporary or permanent capture of live animals from their habitat without intended mortality, such as in aquarium fish trade or catch and release. However, unintended mortality may occur in “non-lethal” fishing and the term “non-lethal” is therefore put in quotes. The killing of species that spend part of their life cycle in terrestrial environments (e.g. walrus, sea turtles) is encompassed by the definition of hunting.

Fitness involves the ability of organisms- or populations or species- to survive and reproduce in the environment in which they find themselves, and thus contribute genes to the next generation (Orr, 2009).

Fitness involves the ability of organisms- or populations or species- to survive and reproduce in the environment in which they find themselves, and thus contribute genes to the next generation.

Species that, by being charismatic or famous, can attract funding which will help conservation of other species at the same time (ex.Giant Panda).

Linear areas of land within or at the edges of fields, farms, or other areas (rights of way, riparian areas, etc.) where flowering plants are seeded and encouraged to grow, often for the benefit of pollinators and other wildlife (q.v. insectory strips).

An animal that visits flowers (a.k.a. anthophile) but is not necessarily a pollinator.

Plants that are characterized by producing flowers, even if inconspicuous. They are collectively called Angiosperms and include most plants grown for food and fibre.

People's everyday understanding of the biological world-how they perceive, categorize, and reason about living kinds (Medin & Atran, 1999).

The units of meaning into which a language breaks up the universe for example, folk plant and animal taxa (Berlin, 1973).

Folk medicine is defined as the mixture of traditional healing practices and beliefs that involve use of algae, animals, fungi, and plants, spirituality and manual therapies or exercises in order to diagnose, treat or prevent an ailment or illness.

When all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.

The ability of a region or country to produce enough food (especially staple crops) without needing to buy or import additional food.

Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.

The right to define own policies and strategies for the sustainable production, distribution and consumption of food that guarantee the right to food for the entire population, on the basis of small and medium-sized production, respecting their own cultures and the diversity of peasant, fishing and indigenous forms of agricultural production, marketing and management of rural areas, in which women play a fundamental role.

An important ecological concept representing feeding relationships within a community and implying the transfer of food energy from its source in plants through herbivores to carnivores; normally, food webs consist of a number of food chains meshed together.

see prediction.

A reduction in the capacity of a forest to produce ecosystem services such as carbon storage and wood products as a result of anthropogenic and environmental changes.

A range of systems for the management of forest resources that are intermediate on a continuum between pure extraction and plantation management, and ranging from wild forests modified for increased production of selected products (e.g. fruit and nut trees) to anthropogenic forests with a high density of valuable species within a relatively diverse and complex structure.

A reduction of illegal logging by strengthening sustainable and legal forest management, improving governance and promoting trade in legally produced timber.

Forest management is defined as a practice about managing, using, conserving and repairing forest, woodlands and associated resources. Objectives and goals are fulfilled by implementing and regulating tree management and harvesting practices stipulated in forest management plans.

A shift, usually assessed at the national scale, from net forest loss to net forest gain, whether through natural recovery or planted forests.

A minimum area of land of 0.05-1.0 hectares with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10-30 per cent with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of 2-5 metres at maturity in situ. A forest may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various stories and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest.

A minimum area of land of 0.05 - 1.0 hectares with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10?30 per cent with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of 2?5 m at maturity in situ. A forest may consist either of closed fore.

A minimum area of land of 0.05 - 1.0 hectares with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10-30 per cent with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of 2-5 m at maturity in situ. A forest may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various stories and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest.

Include law and policies e.g. regulations and directives, and fiscal, agricultural or planning policies, to name just a few examples. These are typically based on legal instruments, treaties and customary laws. Informal institutions in turn include social norms and rules, such as those related to collective action.

Fuels such as petroleum derived for fossil oil sources.

Fossil fuels are derived from the remains of ancient plant and animal life: coal, oil and natural gas. In common dialogue, the term fossil fuel also includes hydrocarbon-containing natural resources that are not derived from animal or plant sources.

see Habitat fragmentation.

The process or state of breaking or being broken into fragments. Often used in reference to habitats.

Free implies that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are not pressured, intimidated, manipulated or unduly influenced and that their consent is given, without coercion; prior implies seeking consent or approval sufficiently in advance of any authorization to access traditional knowledge respecting the customary decision-making processes in accordance with national legislation and time requirements of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities; informed implies that information is provided that covers relevant aspects, such as: the intended purpose of the access; its duration and scope; a preliminary assessment of the likely economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts, including potential risks; personnel likely to be involved in the execution of the access; procedures the access may entail and benefit-sharing arrangements; consent or approval is the agreement of the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities who are holders of traditional knowledge or the competent authorities of those Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, as appropriate, to grant access to their traditional knowledge to a potential user and includes the right not to grant consent or approval.

The range, actual values, relative abundance and distribution of functional trait attributes in a given community.

Value, range and relative abundance of functional traits in a given ecosystem.

The range, actual values and relative abundance of functional trait attributes in a given community.

See 'Exctinction'.

A collection of organisms with similar suites of co-occurring functional attributes. Groups are traditionally associated with similar responses to external factors and/ or effects on ecosystem processes. A functional group is often referred to as ‘guild.

The occurrence in the same ecosystem of species filling similar roles, which results in a sort of insurance in the ecosystem, with one species able to replace a similar species from the same functional niche.

A feature of an organism, which has demonstrable links to the organism's function (Lavorel et al. 1997). As such, a functional trait determines the organism's response to pressures (Response trait), and/or its effects on ecosystem processes orservices(Effect trait).Functional traits are considered as reflecting adaptations to variation in the physical and biotic environment and trade-offs (ecophysiological and/or evolutionary) among different functions within an organism. In plants, functional traits include morphological, ecophysiological, biochemical and regeneration traits, including demographic traits(at population level). In animals, these traits are combined with lifehistory and behavioural traits (e.g. guilds, organisms that use similar resources/ habitats).

Any feature of an organism, expressed in the phenotype and measurable at the individual level, which has demonstrable links to the organism's function. As such, a functional trait determines the organism's response to external abiotic or biotic factors (response trait), and/or its effects on ecosystem properties or benefits or detriments derived from such properties (effect trait). In plants, functional traits include morphological, ecophysiological, biochemical and regeneration traits. In animals, these traits include e.g. body size, litter size, age of sexual maturity, nesting habitat, time of activity.

Any feature of an organism, expressed in the phenotype and measurable at the individual level, which has demonstrable links to the organism's function (Lavorel et al. 1997; Violle et al. 2007). As such, a functional trait determines the organism's response to external abiotic or biotic factors (Response trait), and/or its effects on ecosystem properties or benefits or detriments derived from such properties (Effect trait). In plants, functional traits include morphological, ecophysiological, biochemical and regeneration traits. In animals, these traits include e.g. body size, litter size, age of sexual maturity, nesting habitat, time of activity.

Any feature of an organism, expressed in the phenotype and measurable at the individual level, which has demonstrable links to the organism’s function. As such, a functional trait determines the organism’s response to external abiotic or biotic factors (Response trait), and/or its effects on ecosystem properties or benefits or detriments derived from such properties (Effect trait). In plants, functional traits include morphological, ecophysiological, biochemical and regeneration traits. In animals, these traits include e.g., body size, litter size, age of sexual maturity, nesting habitat, time of activity.

A substance that kills or inhibits the growth and development of fungi. Fungicides may be synthetic chemicals, natural chemicals, or biological agents.

Gathering is defined as the removal of terrestrial and aquatic algae, fungi, and plants (other than trees) or parts thereof from their habitats. Gathering may, but often does not, result in the death of the organism. Gathering includes whole plant harvest and removal of above and/or below ground plant parts, as well as the fruiting bodies of macrofungi. It also includes removal of non-woody portions of trees (leaves, propagules, and bark). Where removal of propagules or death of an individual plant occurs (e.g. whole plant and root removal) effects on population sustainability are contingent upon factors including timing, frequency, and intensity of harvest. The harvest of wood and woody parts of trees is encompassed by the definition of logging.

The term gender refers to the socially-constructed expectations about the characteristics, aptitudes and behaviors associated with being a woman or a man. Gender defines what is feminine and masculine. Gender shapes the social roles that mean and women play and the power relations between them, which can have a profound effect on the use and management of natural resources. Gender is not based on sex or the biological differences between women and men; rather, gender is shaped by culture and social norms. Thus, depending on values, norms, customs and laws, women and men in different parts of the world have adopted different gender roles and relations. Within the same society, gender roles also differ by race/ethnicity, class/caste, religion, ethnicity, age and economic circumstances. Gender and gender roles then affect the economic, political, social, and ecological opportunities and constraints faced by both women and men (Convention on Biological Diversity, 2017). The framing of sex and gender as binaries is in fact a cultural ideology. The empirical reality is that sex is a spectrum, manifesting in a wide array of sex variance. Some people don't neatly fit into the categories of man or woman, or “male” or “female.” For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female. Some people don't identify with any gender, or their gender changes over time.

The basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes are made up of DNA, and occupy a fixed position (locus) on a chromosome. Genes achieve their effects by directing the synthesis of proteins.

The movement of individuals, and/or the genetic material they carry, from one population to another. Gene flow includes lots of different kinds of events, such as pollen being blown to a new destination or people moving to new cities or countries.

A numerical representation of the physical processes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and land surface based on the physical, chemical and biological properties of their components, their interactions and feedback processes, and accounting for all or some of its known properties.

A species able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and that can make use of a variety of different resources (for example, a flower-visiting insect that lives on the floral resources provided by several to many different plants).

The composition in alleles of a population.

The variation at the level of individual genes, which provides a mechanism for populations to adapt to their ever-changing environment. The more variation, the better the chance that at least some of the individuals will have an allelic variant that is suited for the new environment, and will produce offspring with the variant that will in turn reproduce and continue the population into subsequent generations.