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Biota Living organisms of an area
Cladistics Taxonomic method based on evolutionary branching
Conservation status The level of threat to which the relevant
taxon is currently exposed. Various methods of assessing this have been
proposed.
D'MOSS Durban Metropolitan Open Space System
Ecotone Zone of contact between ecosystems or habitat
types
Endangered A taxon is endangered when it is facing
a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future
Endemic Occurring only in the area referred to, restricted
to local area
Exotic Introduced, not native to area
Extirpation Local extinction in a locality or region
but not affecting the whole range
GIS Geographic information system. A system, usually
computer-based, which allows the linking of geographic and other data to
spatial coordinates
Minimum Viable Population Minimum size of population
with a 99% chance of remaining extant for a set period (usually from 100
to 5000 years)
Monoculture Practice of continuous cultivation of a
single crop
MOSS Metropolitan Open Space System - A system which
aims to integrate open space areas in a cohesive linking of continuous
green belts along natural features such as water courses and which incorporates
parks, sports fields and other public facilities with the ultimate aim
of providing biodiversity conservation, recreation, environmental education
and other related benefits
MVP See Minimum Viable Population
OTU See Operational taxonomic unit
Operational taxonomic unit informal group, based on
a discrete phenon, used in preliminary taxonomic analysis
Outgroup Related taxon used in cladistic analysis
Parapatry A situation where two taxa occupy adjoining
ranges which abut but do not overlap
Phenon A single, morphologically similar or identical,
group of individuals, treated as a unit in taxonomic analysis
Red Data Book A book containing details of threatened,
or otherwise endangered, taxa. These books may cover one or more taxonomic
groups and can refer to a country or even the whole world.
Sympatry A situation where the ranges of two taxa overlap
Taxon A named unit at any level of biological classification,
e.g. the species, B. pumilum, is a taxon on one level while the
genus, Bradypodion, is a taxon on another level. The plural form
is taxa.
Vulnerable A taxon is vulnerable when it faces a high
risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future
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