| Title | Definition |
|---|---|
| Biosalinity |
the study and practice of using saline (salty) water for irrigating agricultural crops. |
| Biosphere |
(1) the part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life; (2) the living organisms and their environment composing the biosphere. |
| Biotechnology |
Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof to make or modify products or processes for specific use |
| Carrying capacity |
the number of cattle or other livestock a pasture or range can support without suffering degradation or losing its productivity. [fn]Source: (IISD 2005) from IISD website; http://www.iisd.org/sd/... read more |
| CGIAR (the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) |
It is the only worldwide partnership addressing agricultural research for development, whose work contributes to the global effort to tackle poverty, hunger and major nutrition imbalances, and... read more |
| Community (ecological) |
An assemblage of species occurring in the same space or time, often linked by biotic interactions such as competition or predation. |
| Community (human, local) |
A collection of human beings who have something in common. A local community is a fairly small group of people who share a common place of residence and a set of institutions based on this fact,... read more |
| Conservation |
The definition accepted in 1969 by the United Nations and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature is “the rational use of the environment to achieve the highest quality of living... read more |
| Corridor/ecological corridor |
Corridors are linear landscape elements that often differ from what is on either side, and may function as habitat, dispersal/movement conduits, or barriers for various organisms and other non-... read more |
| Decision-making |
Choosing one action over other possible alternative actions.[fn]Source:(IISD 2005) from IISD website; http://www.iisd.org/sd/glossary.asp (updated: Aug 2005)[/fn] |
| Deforestation |
Change of land cover with depletion of tree crown cover to less than 10 percent. Changes within the forest class (e.g., from closed to open forest) which negatively affect the stand or site, and... read more |
| Degradation of an ecosystem service |
For provisioning services, decreased production of the service through changes in area over which the services is provided, or decreased production per unit area. For regulating and supporting... read more |
| Degradation of ecosystems |
A persistent reduction in the capacity to provide ecosystem services. |
| Desertification |
land degradation in drylands resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. |
| Development |
a process of economic and social transformation that defies simple definition. Though often viewed as a strictly economic process involving growth and diversification of a country's economy,... read more |
| Drain |
A small artificial watercourse designed to drain swampy areas or irrigated lands. Theoretically, it is actually a small canal, but it is referred to as a "drain" in many localities. |
| Drainage Area |
The drainage area of a stream at the specific location of the site is that area, measured in a horizontal plane, enclosed by a topographic divide from which direct surface runoff from... read more |
| Drainage Basin |
The area from which water is carried off by a drainage system, a watershed, or a catchment area. |
| Dryland system |
Areas characterized by lack of water, which constrains the two major interlinked services of the system: primary production and nutrient cycling. Four dryland subtypes are widely recognized: dry... read more |
| Drylands |
See Dryland system. |