| abiotic |
| non-living; devoid of life. |
|
| accession |
| a sample of a crop variety collected at a specific location and time; may be of any size. [GBA] |
|
| adaptation |
| a genetically determined characteristic that enhances the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment. |
|
| agrobiodiversity or agricultural biological diversity |
| that component of biodiversity that contributes to food and agriculture production. The term agrobiodiversity encompasses within-species, species and ecosystem diversity. [FAO] |
|
| agroforestry |
| a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (tree, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land management unit as agricultural crops and/or animals, either in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence. [GBA] |
|
| alien species |
- a species that has been transported by human activities, intentional or accidental, into a region where it does not naturally occur. (Also known as an exotic, introduced, nonindigenous, or nonnative species.)
- a species occurring in an area outside of its historically known natural range as a result of intentional or accidental dispersal by human activities. (Also known as an exotic or introduced species.) [GBA] |
|
| allele |
| one of several alternatives of a gene at the same chromosome locus. |
|
| allopatric |
| occupying different geographical ranges. (Opp.: sympatric.) |
|
| aquaculture |
| breeding and rearing fish, shellfish, etc., or growing plants for food in special ponds. [GBA] |
|
| artificial insemination |
| a breeding technique, most commonly used in domestic animals and sometimes in captive breeding of wild animals, in which semen is introduced into the female reproductive tract by artificial means. [GBA] |
|
| artificial selection |
| selective breeding, carried out by humans, to produce a desired evolutionary response. |
|
| asexual reproduction |
| reproduction of a plant or animal without fusion of male and female gametes. It includes vegetative propagation, cell and tissue culture. [CUB] |
|
| bacteria |
| members of a group of diverse single-celled organisms; organisms lacking a nucleus. [CUB] |
|
| bacteriophages |
| a group of viruses whose hosts are specifically bacteria. [CUB] |
|
| benthic |
| living on or in the bottom of water. |
|
| benthos |
| organisms living on or in the bottom of oceans, seas, rivers, lakes and other water bodies. [JVG] |
|
| biodiversity |
| is a synonym of biological diversity, see below. [GBA] |
|
| bioenergy |
| energy made available by the combustion of materials derived from biological sources. [CUB] |
|
| biogeography |
| the scientific study of the geographic distribution of organisms. |
|
| biological control |
- control of pests by using predators to eat them.
- pest control strategy making use of living natural enemies, antagonists or competitors and other self-replicating biotic entities. [FAO bis] |
|
| biological diversity |
the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. [CBD]
(Syn.: biodiversity) |
|
| biological resources |
| includes genetic resources, organisms or parts thereof, populations, or any other biotic component of ecosystems with direct, indirect or potential use or value for humanity. (Syn.: biotic resources) [CBD] |
|
| biomass |
| all organic matter that derives from the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy. [CUB] |
|
| biome |
| a major portion of the living environment of a particular region (such as a coniferous forest or grassland), characterized by its distinctive vegetation and maintained by local climatic conditions. [GBA] |
|
| biopiracy |
| bioprospecting regarded as the perpetuation of the colonial habit of plundering other countries' biological resources without fair and equitable compensation, resulting in environmental, economic and social detriment (ref.: K. ten Kate, 1995. Biopiracy or Green Petroleum? Expectations & Best Practice in Bioprospecting. - Overseas Development Administration, Environment Policy Department, London). |
|
| bioprospecting |
| entails the search for economically valuable genetic and biochemical resources from nature (ref.: K. ten Kate, 1995. Biopiracy or Green Petroleum? Expectations & Best Practice in Bioprospecting. - Overseas Development Administration, Environment Policy Department, London). |
|
| bioregion |
| a territory defined by a combination of biological, social, and geographic criteria, rather than geopolitical considerations; generally, a system of related, interconnected ecosystems. [GBA] |
|
| biosafety |
| safety aspects related to the application of biotechnologies and to the release into the environment of transgenic plants and other organisms particularly microorganisms that could negatively affect plant genetic resources, plant, animal or human health, or the environment. [BSWG/2/5: FAO Draft International Code of Conduct for Plant Biotechnology as it Affects the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources] |
|
| biosphere reserve |
| established under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, biosphere reserves are a series of protected areas linked through a global network, intended to demonstrate the relationship between conservation and development. [GBA] |
|
| biota |
| all of the organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, found in a given area. |
|
| biotic |
| pertaining to any aspect of life, especially to characteristics of entire populations or ecosystems. |
|
| biotope |
| small area with uniform biological conditions (climate, soil, altitude, etc.) |
|
| botanical |
| a substance derived from plants; a vegetable drug, especially in its crude state. [CUB] |
|
| buffer zone |
- the region near the border of a protected area.
- a transition zone between areas managed for different objectives. |
|
