Glossary definitions

The strategies used by people to promote both high quality and quantity of forage for domesticated livestock.

Great Acceleration refers to the acceleration of human-induced changes of the second half of the 20th century, unique in the history of human existence. Many human activities reached take-off points and sharply accelerated towards the end of the century.

A mode of private financing that tap the debt capital market through fixed income instruments (i.e. bonds) to raise capital to finance climate-friendly projects in key sectors of, but not limited to, transport, energy, building and industry, water, agriculture and forestry and waste.

Green growth means fostering economic growth and development while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our well-being relies.

Green hunting occurs with tranquilizer dart guns and the animals are released alive. This is typically performed for veterinary procedures or translocation, and has been suggested as an alternative to lethal forms of hunting.

Green infrastructure refers to the natural or semi-natural systems (e.g. riparian vegetation) that provide services for water resources management with equivalent or similar benefits to conventional (built) “grey” infrastructure (e.g. water treatment plants).

A process whereby public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life-cycle when compared to goods, services and works with the same primary function that would otherwise be procured.

Period of food crop productivity growth that started in the 1960s due to a combination of high rates of investment in crop research, infrastructure, and market development and appropriate policy support, and whose environmental impacts have been mixed: on one side saving land conversion to agriculture, on the other side promoting an overuse of inputs and cultivation on areas otherwise improper to high levels of intensification, such as slopes.

A set of research and the development of technology transfer initiatives occurring between the 1930s and the late 1960s (with prequels in the work of the agrarian geneticist Nazareno Strampelli in the 1920s and 1930s), that increased agricultural production worldwide, particularly in the developing world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s. The initiatives resulted in the adoption of new technologies, including: new, high- yielding varieties (HYVs) of cereals, especially dwarf wheats and rices, in association with chemical fertilizers and agro-chemicals, and with controlled water-supply (usually involving irrigation) and new methods of cultivation, including mechanization. All of these together were seen as a package of practices to supersede traditional technology and to be adopted as a whole.

Period of food crop productivity growth that started in the 1960s due to a combination of high rates of investment in crop research, infrastructure, and market development and appropriate policy support, and whose environmental impacts have been mixed: on.

Water transpired through plants to the atmosphere.

Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere, and clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse gases are those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Moreover, there are a number of entirely human-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as the halocarbons and other chlorine- and brominecontaining substances, dealt with under the Montreal Protocol. Beside CO2, N2O and CH4, the Kyoto Protocol deals with the greenhouse gases sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Greenhouse gases are those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Moreover, there are a number of entirely human-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as the halocarbons and other chlorine- and bromine containing substances, dealt with under the Montreal Protocol. Beside CO2, N2O and CH4, the Kyoto Protocol deals with the greenhouse gases sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Any wastewater that is not contaminated with faecal matter.

Total terrestrial Gross Primary Production (GPP) is the total mass of carbon taken out of the atmosphere by plant photosynthesis.

The amount of carbon fixed by the autotrophs (e.g. plants and algaes).

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

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Observing is defined as a non-extractive practice that is based on the observation of wild species. The observation can imply some interaction with the wild species, such as the activities of wildlife tourism and whale watching or no interaction with the wild species, such as photography.

See acidification.

Large system of rotating ocean currents. There are five major gyres: the North and South Pacific Subtropical Gyres, the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre (NOAA, 2018c).

Oxygen-deficient layers in the ocean water column. OMZs correspond to subsurface oceanic zones reaching ultra-low values of O2 concentration (Paulmier & Ruiz-Pino, 2008).

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.

From an ecological point of view, old-growth forests are a stage of forest development characterized by large/old trees and structural complexity including live and dead trees, and vertical and horizontal heterogeneity (including a multi-layered canopy). The structural diversity of old growth forests often supports distinctive/specialist biodiversity; large/old trees are keystone components of the ecosystem (Lindenmayer et al., 2012). In addition, the long-period of forest development without stand replacement disturbance allows many poor-dispersing species to accumulate (IUFRO, 2018). Other definitions can be found based on economic and social perspectives (Hilbert & Wienscczyk, 2007).

Nutrient-poor environment (IUCN, 2012a).

Nutrient-poor environment.

interdisciplinary approach to biosecurity policy and research that builds on the interconnections between human, animal, plant, and environmental health to effectively prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species. It provides an integrated perspective to address the many biosecurity risks that transcend the traditional boundaries of health, agriculture, and the environment. Individual invasive alien plant and animal species often have multiple impacts across sectors: as hosts of zoonotic parasites, vectors of pathogens, pests of agriculture or forestry, as well as threats to biodiversity and ecosystem function

The One Health Initiative is a movement to forge co-equal, all inclusive collaborations between physicians, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses and other scientific-health and environmentally related disciplines.

an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent (One Health High-Level Expert Panel

The philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations.

The study or concern about what kinds of things exist - what entities there are in the universe. It is a branch of metaphysics,.

Marine ecosystems in the light-flooded (euphotic) zone.

The added cost of using resources (as for production or speculative investment) that is the difference between the actual value resulting from such use and that of an alternative (such as another use of the same resources or an investment of equal risk but greater return).

The foregone benefits of carrying out one activity in favor of another, or giving up their initial preferred land-use plan.

The potential ability to use some of nature’s benefits in the future, although they are not currently used, or the likelihood for their future use is low. It represents the willingness to preserve an option for the future enjoyment of nature’s benefits.

Any system that emphasizes the use of techniques such as crop rotation, compost or manure application, and biological pest control in preference to synthetic inputs. Most certified organic farming schemes prohibit all genetically modified organisms and almost all synthetic inputs. Its origins are in a holistic management system that avoids off-farm inputs, but some organic agriculture now uses relatively high levels of off-farm inputs.