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Glossary definitions

The IPBES glossary terms definitions page provides definitions of terms used in IPBES assessments. Some definitions in this online glossary have been edited for consistency. Please refer to the specific assessment glossary for citations/authorities of definitions. 

We invite you to report any errors or omissions to [email protected].

Concept Definition Deliverable(s)
exploitation

The consumptive use of any natural resources.

Sustainable use assessment
exploratory scenario

See scenario.

exploratory scenario

Scenarios that examine a range of plausible futures, based on potential trajectories of drivers - either indirect (e.g. socio-political, economic and technological factors) or direct (e.g. habitat conversion, climate change).

Scenarios and models assessment
exploratory scenario

Scenarios that examine a range of plausible futures, based on potential trajectories of drivers - either indirect (e.g. socio-political, economic and technological factors) or direct (e.g. habitat conversion, climate change).

Sustainable use assessment
exposure

The state of having no protection from something potential harmful.

Asia-Pacific assessment
extensive forest management

Low or no input in regeneration or site amelioration is practiced in sparsely populated regions with large forest areas, such as boreal forests (Taiga) of Canada and Siberia, and across much of the world´s major tropical forest biomes.

extensive grazing

Extensive grazing is that in which livestock are raised on food that comes mainly from natural grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts. It differs from intensive grazing, where the animal feed comes mainly from artificial, seeded pastures.

Asia-Pacific assessment, Americas assessment
extensive grazing (lands)

A form of grazing in which livestock are raised on food that comes mainly from natural grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands and deserts. It differs from intensive grazing, where the animal feed comes mainly from artificial, seeded pastures.

Land degradation and restoration assessment
extent (spatial or temporal)

see spatial scale and temporal scale”.

Scenarios and models assessment
externality

A positive or negative consequence (benefits or costs) of an action that affects someone other than the agent undertaking that action and for which the agent is neither compensated nor penalized through the markets.

Land degradation and restoration assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme), Asia-Pacific assessment, Sustainable use assessment, Americas assessment
externality

an economic concept of uncompensated environmental effects of production and consumption that affect consumer utility and enterprise cost outside the market mechanism

Invasive alien species assessment
extinction

A population, species or more inclusive taxonomic group has gone extinct when all its individuals have died. A species may go extinct locally (population extinction), regionally ( extinction of all populations in a country, continent or ocean) or globally. Populations or species reduced to such low numbers that they are no longer of economic or functional importance may be said to have gone economically or functionally extinct, respectively. Species extinctions are typically not documented immediately: for example, the IUCN Red List categories and criteria require there to be no reasonable doubt that all individuals have died, before a species is formally listed as Extinct (see IUCN Red List).

Sustainable use assessment
extinction debt

The future extinction of species due to events in the past, owing to a time lag between an effect such as habitat destruction or climate change, and the subsequent disappearance of species.

Global assessment (1st work programme), Global assessment (1st work programme), Europe and Central Asia assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Pollination assessment
extinction

A population, species or more inclusive taxonomic group has gone extinct when all its individuals have died. A species may go extinct locally (population extinction), regionally (e.g. extinction of all populations in a country, continent or ocean) or glo.

extinction

The evolutionary termination of a species caused by the failure to reproduce and the death of all remaining members of the species; the natural failure to adapt to environmental change.

Americas assessment
extractive practice

Extractive practices are defined as the temporary or permanent removal of organisms, part of them or materials derived from them, and may result in mortality of the individual to be used (hunting or whole plant harvest), but does not necessarily do so (e.g. limited collection of plant propagules or shearing and releasing of vicuna).

Sustainable use assessment
extractives

Hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and minerals.

Americas assessment
kelp

A large brown seaweed that typically has a long, tough stalk with a broad frond divided into strip.

Asia-Pacific assessment
key biodiversity area

Sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. They represent the most important sites for biodiversity worldwide, and are identified nationally using globally standardised criteria and thresholds.

Americas assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Africa assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme), Asia-Pacific assessment
key biodiversity area

Sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. They represent the most important sites for biodiversity conservation worldwide, and are identified nationally using globally standardized criteria and thresholds.

key players

People and organizations who both can influence and become affected by decisions - that is, in certain contexts, they serve as influencers, while at the same time are involved in actual decision making.

Values assessment
keystone species

A species whose impact on the community or ecosystem is disproportionately large relative to its abundance. Effects can be produced by consumption (trophic interactions), competition, mutualism, dispersal, pollination, disease, or habitat modification (non-trophic interactions).

Sustainable use assessment
keystone species

A species whose impact on the community or ecosystem is disproportionately large relative to its abundance. Effects can be produced by consumption (trophic interactions), competition, mutualism, dispersal, pollination, disease, or habitat modification (no.

keystone species

Species that maintain the organization and diversity of their ecological communities and are thus exceptional, relative to the rest of the community, in their importance. Species that, despite low biomass, exert strong effects on the structure of the communities they inhabit.

Asia-Pacific assessment
kinship-centric principle (non-humans)

animals, plants and spirits, and such approach forms part of an indigenous cultural identity. Maintaining reciprocal and healthy relationships through a continuum with animals, plants and the lands where they reside involve the giving and taking of resources in appropriate ways, at appropriate times. In some cases, animals and plants are seen and treated as equals to humans and shape and reshape human relations with nature. Often, the values embedded in these relationships drive human behaviour and are elicited through certain valuation methods. Appreciation (no disregard) for spiritual entities (e.g. sacred mountains, rivers, among others) residing on ancestral lands, can be an example of a Kinship-central approach (focused on non-humans).

Values assessment
kinship-centric principle (other humans)

Actions of mutual support between humans such as sharing, gender equity, social equity, honesty, humility, modesty. Some of these elements can be revealed as relevant through valuation methods and approaches, as well as by practices associated with them.

Values assessment
knowledge system

Indigenous and local knowledge systems are understood to be dynamic bodies of integrated, holistic, social and ecological understandings, know-hows, practices and beliefs pertaining to the relationship of living beings, including people, with one another and with their environment. Indigenous and local knowledge is grounded in territory, is highly diverse and is continuously evolving through the interaction of experiences, skills, innovations and different types of wisdom expressed in multiple ways (written, oral, visual, tacit, practical and scientific). Such knowledge can provide information, methods, theory and practice for sustainable ecosystem management. Indigenous and local knowledge systems have been, and continue to be, empirically tested, applied, contested and validated through different means in different contexts. Western Academic knowledge systems relate to often explicit knowledge that has been derived from applying formal methods in academic or technical institutions.

Values assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth.

Scenarios and models assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth. They are organized structures and dynamic processes (a) generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are (b) domain-specific or characterized by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer, (c) reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility), (d) enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and (e) subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Europe and Central Asia assessment, Americas assessment, Sustainable use assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment
knowledge system

Organized structures and dynamic processes (a) generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are (b) domain-specific or characterized by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer, (c) reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility), (d) enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and (e) subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Pollination assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth. They are organised structures and dynamic processes: generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are, domain-specific or characterised by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer,, reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility),, enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and,, subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Africa assessment
kyoto protocol

An international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

Asia-Pacific assessment
sacred grove

A particular type of sacred natural sites represented by patches of forest revered as sacred (Bhagwat & Rutte, 2006). Sacred groves may be revered e.g. as burial grounds (Mgumia & Oba, 2003) or sites of ancestral or deity worship (Ramakrishnan et al., 1998). There are locally-established rules that regulate how sacred groves can be used (Hughes & Chandran, 1998). Observation of those rules often contributes to the biodiversity conservation on those sites (Bhagwat & Rutte, 2006).

Global assessment (1st work programme)
sacred grove

A particular type of sacred natural sites represented by patches of forest revered as sacred (Bhagwat & Rutte, 2006). Sacred groves may be revered as burial grounds (Mgumia & Oba, 2003) or sites of ancestral or deity worship (Ramakrishnan et al., 1998). There are locally-established rules that regulate how sacred groves can be used (Hughes & Chandran, 1998). Observation of those rules often contributes to the biodiversity conservation on those sites.

Sustainable use assessment
sacred natural sites

Areas of land or water that have special spiritual significance to peoples and communities. They consist of natural features, ranging from entire ecosystems, such as mountains, forests or islands, to single natural features such as a tree, spring or boulder, and are very important for the conservation of nature and culture. Sacred natural sites have been managed based on indigenous and local knowledge systems, developed over long periods of time, and are source of cultural identity.

Sustainable use assessment
sacred natural sites

Areas of land or water that have special spiritual significance to peoples and communities (Verschuuren et al., 2010). They consist of natural features, ranging from entire ecosystems, such as mountains, forests or islands, to single natural features such as a tree, spring or boulder, and are very important for the conservation of nature and culture. Sacred natural sites have been managed based on indigenous and local knowledge systems, developed over long periods of time, and are source of cultural identity.

Global assessment (1st work programme)
sacrilegious

Involving or committing sacrilege.

Asia-Pacific assessment
safe trade

export of products that are free from invasive alien species

Invasive alien species assessment
salinization

The process of increasing the salt content in soil is known as salinization. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the gradual withdrawal of an ocean. It can also come about through artificial processes such as irrigation.

Asia-Pacific assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme)
salinization

The process of increasing the salt content in soil is known as salinization. Salinization can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the gradual withdrawal of an ocean. It can also come about through artificial processes such as irrigation.

Land degradation and restoration assessment, Americas assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment
satoyama initiative

A global initiative with the purpose of realizing societies in harmony with nature through the conservation and advancement of socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)” around the world.

Asia-Pacific assessment
satoyama-satoumi

Satoyama is the Japanese term for a socio-ecological production landscape (SEPL) represented by a mosaic of different ecosystem types: secondary forests, timber plantations, farmlands, irrigation ponds, and grasslands—along with human settlements. Satoyama is managed through the interaction between ecosystems and humans to create ecosystem services for human well-being. Satoumi refers to Japan's coastal areas where human interaction over time has resulted in a higher degree of productivity and biodiversity. Foundational to both concepts is the positing of a relationship of interaction between humans and their environment, coupled with the notion that properly maintained the relationship is mutually beneficial.

Asia-Pacific assessment
savanna

Ecosystem characterised by a continuous layer of herbaceous plants, mostly grasses, and a discontinuous upper layer of trees that may vary in density.

Africa assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment
savanna

Ecosystem characterized by a continuous layer of herbaceous plants, mostly grasses, and a discontinuous upper layer of trees that may vary in density.

Americas assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment
sawnwood

Sawnwood is defined as planks, sleepers (cross-ties), beams, joists, boards, rafters, 1679 scantlings, laths, boxboards and lumber that exceed 5 mm in thickness.

Sustainable use assessment
scale paradox

Process in which land use outcomes vary (often counterintuitively) according to the geographic location and spatial scale under consideration.

Land degradation and restoration assessment
scale

The spatial, temporal, quantitative and analytical dimensions used to measure and study any phenomenon. The temporal scale is comprised of two properties: (i) temporal extent - the total length of the time period of interest for a particular study (e.g. 10 years, 50 years, or 100 years); and 2) temporal grain (or resolution) - the temporal frequency with which data are observed or projected within this total period (e.g. at 1-year, 5-year or 10- year intervals). The spatial scale is comprised of two properties: 1) spatial extent - the size of the total area of interest for a particular study (e.g. a watershed, a country, the entire planet); and (ii) spatial grain (or resolution) - the size of the spatial units within this total area for which data are observed or predicted (e.g. fine-grained or coarse-grained grid cells).

Land degradation and restoration assessment
scale

The spatial, temporal, quantitative and analytical dimensions used to measure and study any phenomenon.The temporal scale is comprised of two properties:temporal extent - the total length of the time period of interest for a particular study (e.g. 10 years, 50 years, or 100 years);temporal grain (or resolution) - the temporal frequency with which data are observed or projected within this total period (e.g. at 1-year, 5-year or 10-year intervals).The spatial scale is comprised of two properties:spatial extent - the size of the total area of interest for a particular study (e.g. a watershed, a country, the entire planet);spatial grain (or resolution) - the size of the spatial units within this total area for which data are observed or predicted (e.g. fine-grained or coarse-grained grid cells).

scale

see spatial scale and temporal scale.

Scenarios and models assessment
scale

The spatial, temporal, quantitative and analytical dimensions used to measure and study any phenomenon. The temporal scale is comprised of two properties: 1) temporal extent - the total length of the time period of interest for a particular study (e.g. 10 years, 50 years, or 100 years); and 2) temporal grain (or resolution) - the temporal frequency with which data are observed or projected within this total period (e.g. at 1-year, 5-year or 10-year intervals). The spatial scale is comprised of two properties: 1) spatial extent - the size of the total area of interest for a particular study (e.g. a watershed, a country, the entire planet); and 2) spatial grain (or resolution) - the size of the spatial units within this total area for which data are observed or predicted (e.g. fine-grained or coarse-grained grid cells).

Europe and Central Asia assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Americas assessment