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 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.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Africa assessment |
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.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
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 forest formations where trees of various stories and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest.
|
Pollination assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Americas assessment |
formal institution |
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.
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment |
fossil fuel |
Fuels such as petroleum derived for fossil oil sources.
|
Land degradation and restoration assessment |
fossil fuel |
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.
|
Sustainable use assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
fragmentation |
see Habitat fragmentation.
|
|
fragmentation |
The process or state of breaking or being broken into fragments. Often used in reference to habitats.
|
Asia-Pacific assessment |
free, prior and informed consent |
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.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Sustainable use assessment |
functional diversity |
The range, actual values, relative abundance and distribution of functional trait attributes in a given community.
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment |
functional diversity |
Value, range and relative abundance of functional traits in a given ecosystem.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Land degradation and restoration assessment |
functional diversity |
The range, actual values and relative abundance of functional trait attributes in a given community.
|
|
functional extinction |
See 'Exctinction'.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
functional group |
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.
|
Sustainable use assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
functional redundancy |
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.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
functional trait |
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).
|
Asia-Pacific assessment |
functional trait |
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.
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
functional trait |
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.
|
Americas assessment, Pollination assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
functional trait |
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.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
fungicide |
A substance that kills or inhibits the growth and development of fungi. Fungicides may be synthetic chemicals, natural chemicals, or biological agents.
|
Pollination assessment |
habitat |
The place or type of site where an organism or population naturally occurs. Also used to mean the environmental attributes required by a particular species or its ecological niche.
|
Americas assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Africa assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Sustainable use assessment |
habitat connectivity |
The degree to which the landscape facilitates the movement of organisms (animals, plant reproductive structures, pollen, pollinators, spores, etc.) and other environmentally important resources (e.g. nutrients and moisture) between similar habitats. Connectivity is hampered by fragmentation (q.v.).
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Pollination assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Americas assessment |
habitat degradation |
A general term describing the set of processes by which habitat quality is reduced. Habitat degradation may occur through natural processes (e.g. drought, heat, cold) and through human activities (forestry, agriculture, urbanization).
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Europe and Central Asia assessment, Africa assessment, Americas assessment, Pollination assessment, Pollination assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
habitat ecosystem functions |
The ability of soil or soil materials to serve as a habitat for micro-organisms, plants, soil- living animals and their interactions.
|
Land degradation and restoration assessment |
habitat fragmentation |
A general term describing the set of processes by which habitat loss results in the division of continuous habitats into a greater number of smaller patches of lesser total and isolated from each other by a matrix of dissimilar habitats. Habitat fragmentation may occur through natural processes (e.g. forest and grassland fires, flooding) and through human activities (forestry, agriculture, urbanization).
|
Sustainable use assessment, Africa assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Americas assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment |
habitat heterogeneity |
The number of different habitats in a landscape.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
habitat degradation |
A general term describing the set of processes by which habitat quality is reduced. Habitat degradation may occur through natural processes (e.g. drought, heat, cold) and through human activities (forestry, agriculture, urbanization).
|
Sustainable use assessment |
habitat modification |
Changes in an area's primary ecological functions and species composition due to human activity and/or non-native species invasion.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
habitat service |
The importance of ecosystems to provide living space for resident and migratory species (thus maintaining the gene pool and nursery service).
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment |
habitat specialist |
Species that require very specific habitats and resources (e.g. narrow range of food sources or cover types) to thrive and reproduce.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
habitat |
The place or type of site where an organism or population naturally occurs.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Scenarios and models assessment |
habitat |
the area, characterized by its abiotic and biotic properties, that is habitable by a particular species
|
Invasive alien species assessment |
harmful algal bloom |
They occur when colonies of algae (simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater) grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds.
|
Asia-Pacific assessment |
harmful algal bloom |
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when colonies of algae grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
harmonization |
The process of bringing together, and comparing, models or scenarios to make them compatible or consistent with one another.
|
Scenarios and models assessment, Sustainable use assessment, Pollination assessment, Africa assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment |
harmonization |
The process of bringing something together, and comparing (e.g. models or scenarios) to facilitate compatibility or consistency.
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment |
hazard |
A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Hazards that this assessment discusses are mostly environmental hazards (chemical, natural and biological hazards), while cognizant that many hazards are socio- natural, in that they are associated with a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. Natural hazards are predominantly associated with natural processes and phenomena, including geological or geophysical hazards that originate from internal earth processes (earthquakes, volcanic activities, landslides, tsunamis), and hydrometeorological hazards, which are of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic origin (tropical cyclones, floods, drought; heatwaves, and storm surges). Biological hazards are of organic origin or conveyed by biological vectors, including pathogenic microorganisms, toxins and bioactive substances. Examples are bacteria, viruses or parasites, as well as venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous plants and mosquitoes carrying disease-causing agents.
|
Sustainable use assessment |
heat island effect |
Describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas. Heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
hedgerow |
A row of shrubs or trees that forms the boundary of an area such as a garden, field, farm, road or right-of-way.
|
Americas assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment |
hedonic pricing |
An economic valuation approach that utilizes information about the implicit demand for an environmental attribute of marketed commodities.
|
Europe and Central Asia assessment |
herbicide |
A substance that kills or inhibits the germination, growth and development of plants. Herbicides may be synthetic chemicals, natural chemicals, or biological agents.
|
Pollination assessment |
holocene |
The Holocene is the current geological epoch. It began after the Pleistocene, approximately 11,650 calendar years before present.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
homegarden |
Yard areas surrounding a house for vegetable and fruit production and keeping of domestic animals. In many regions homegardens contain wild species utilized as medicinal plants, timber or other uses.
|
Sustainable use assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme) |
homeotherm |
Organisms (vertebrates) with a constant and high body temperature, with a high level of energy exchange.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |
homogenisation |
When used in the ecological sense homogenisation means a decrease in the extent to which communities differ in species composition.
|
Pollination assessment |
homogenisation |
When used in the ecological sense homogenisation means a decrease in the extent to which communities differ in species or functional composition.
|
Sustainable use assessment |
homogenisation |
When used in the ecological sense homogenization means a decrease in the extent to which communities differ in species composition.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme), Europe and Central Asia assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment |
honey bee |
Any bee that is a member of the genus Apis. They are primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests from wax. Currently, eight species of honey bee are recognized.
|
Pollination assessment |
horticulture |
High investment crop production using resources intensively for high value product.
|
Sustainable use assessment |
hotspot of agrobiodiversity |
Areas with significantly high levels of agrobiodiversity.
|
Global assessment (1st work programme) |