Glossary definitions

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.