SADC Water Information Sharing Hub Water Glossary
2011-03-01
Small, usually microscopic animals or non-photosynthetic protists that are suspended in water, float, or weakly swim.
2011-03-01
The recycling of already used water, such as bathroom and toilet water. A filtering system pipes the recycled water to the households.
2011-03-01
A system of surface and ground water by virtue of their physical relationship a unitary whole normally flowing into a common terminus such as the sea, lake or aquifer.
2011-03-01
The Zambezi watercourse commission was established in 2004 by The Republic of Angola, the Republic of Botswana, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Namibia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Zambia and the Re…
2011-03-01
The adaptation and implementation of a strategy (policies and initiatives) by water management institutions to influence water demand and usage of water in order to meet any of the following objectives: economic efficiency, social development, social equi…
2011-03-01
A plant adapted to survive in an area with little available water or moisture.
2011-03-01
The process of self-provision or provision by third parties in the water industry, commonly a public utility, of water resource of various qualities to different users.
2011-03-01
An invertebrate animal with an elongated, soft, flexible, rounded or flattened body.
2011-03-01
The World Water Council is an international think tank founded in 1996, with its headquarters in Marseilles, France. It has 323 members (March 2006) from the private sector (for example the french power company EDF and the manufacturing company Mitsubishi…
2011-03-01
Controlled use of drainage basins in accordance with predetermined objectives.
2011-03-01
Celebrated each year on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
2011-03-01
Any area defined for the purposes of water management, including a water resource plan area.
2011-03-01
Imbalances between availability and demand, the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition, interregional and international conflicts, all contributes to water scarcity (FAO 2009).
2011-03-01
The loss of wetland area due to the conversion of wetland to non-wetland areas, as a result of human activity.
2011-03-01
Agencies responsible for managing point sources of water such as boreholes.
2011-03-01
Water law is the field of law dealing with the ownership, control, and use of water as a resource. It is closely related to property law and environmental law. Because water is vital to living things and to a variety of economic activities, laws attemptin…
2011-03-01
An area that is seasonally or permanently saturated with water, and is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) defines wetlands as “Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natu…
2011-03-01
A strategy in South Africa to promote water use efficiency consistent with the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) that emphasizes effective management of water resources.
2011-03-01
Has multiple constituents, including access to basic material needs, freedom and choice, health, good social relations, and security. Well-being is at the opposite end of a continuum from poverty, which has been defined as a “pronounced deprivation …
2011-03-01
A perforated tube driven into the ground to collect water from the surrounding area.
2011-03-01
Use of water or altering of its natural condition with the intention of increasing the production of goods and services.
2011-03-01
The capacity of a population to ensure that they continue to have access to potable water.
2011-03-01
Celebrated each year on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
2011-03-01
Determination of the sources, extent, dependability and quality of water resources for their utilization and control.
2011-03-01
Physical and chemical changes in soils or rock due to atmospheric processes and conditions. Physical weathering include changes in soils or rock due to temperature changes (e.g., expansion and contraction of rock) and abrasion by water, ice and wind. Chem…
2011-03-01
Any area defined for the purposes of water management, including a water resource plan area.
2011-03-01
The adaptation and implementation of a strategy (policies and initiatives) by water management institutions to influence water demand and usage of water in order to meet any of the following objectives: economic efficiency, social development, social equi…
2011-03-01
The technical structures that support the transfer and storage of water.
2011-03-01
The adaptation and implementation of a strategy (policies and initiatives) by water management institutions to influence water demand and usage of water in order to meet any of the following objectives: economic efficiency, social development, social equi…
2011-03-01
The political, economic and social processes and institutions by which governments, civil society, and the private sector make decisions about how best to use, develop, and manage water resources.
2011-03-01
Infection usually associated with an intestinal inflammation and ulceration; caused by Salmonella typhosa ingested with food or water.
2011-03-01
River, brook or stream that flows into another stream, above the location to which you are referring to.
2011-03-01
The name of a Southern African people (speak Tswana language, also called Setswana). Ethnic Batswana make up a majority of the population of Botswana.
2011-03-01
Refers to the increased temperature in urban areas relative to surrounding rural areas.
2011-03-01
Succession of stages through which water passes from the atmosphere to the earth and returns to the atmosphere: evaporation from the land or sea or inland water, condensation to form clouds, precipitation, accumulation in the soil or in bodies of water, a…
2011-03-01
General term for flowing water body. This can be a river, stream, creek, or brook, etc.
2011-03-01
A strategy in South Africa to promote water use efficiency consistent with the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) that emphasizes effective management of water resources.
2011-03-01
Artificial classification of organisms according to feeding relationships and the transfer of food-energy. The first trophic level includes primary producers (green plants); the second trophic level includes herbivores; the third includes animals which fe…
2011-03-01
Accounts that treat water as any other product, valuing it by the price of its transaction.
2011-03-01
A facility where water undergoes physical and chemical processes for making water suitable for human consumption and other purposes.
2011-03-01
Water containing waste, i.e. liquid or solid matter discharged as useless from a manufacturing process.
2011-03-01
An area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it.
2011-03-01
The upper portion of the Limpopo catchment, the portion of the river closest to the source.
2011-03-01
Is a defined vulnerability scenario. They can be classified as shocks, trends and seasonal.
2011-03-01
Categorisation of digital image data by computer processing based solely on the image statistics without availability of training samples or prior knowledge of the area. The classification creates natural groupings in the image values, called spectral clu…
2011-03-01
Vulnerability is a state in which an individual or community’s proximity to hazards, health issue and/or food insecurity threatens their existence or ability to function.
2011-03-01
Aquifer containing unconfined groundwater, that is having a water table and an unsaturated zone.
2011-03-01
Tuberculosis, sometimes referred to as TB, is a disease caused by an organism called mycobacterium tuberculosis. These bacteria most commonly attack the lungs. People with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to TB.
2011-03-01
When a pathogenic microorganism is transmitted from an infected individual to another individual through an 'agent' (ie. mosquito).
2011-03-01
A water quality measurement related to the amount of small solid particles which remain in suspension in the water.
2011-03-01
Tax on the estimated market value added to a product or material at each stage of its manufacture or distribution, ultimately passed on to the consumer.
2011-03-01
The formation and development of a city or metropolitan area, often due to population growth caused by the movement of people from rural to urban areas.
2011-03-01
A treaty is essentially a settlement or an agreement arrived at by treating or negotiation. In international law the word ‘treaty’ has been used to cover a variety of international agreements. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 19…
2011-03-01
The evaporation of water from plants through stomata, tiny pores on the surface of plant leaves.
2011-03-01
A resource that is non-subtractable, and can thus be consumed jointly without reducing the benefit of each single user, and from which users can be easily excluded. An example of a toll resource is a nature reserve where people pay an entrance fee to acce…
2011-03-01
An expectation on organisations by society to be open and willing in the acceptance of public scrutiny, thus diminishing the capacity for an organisation to practice or harbour deception or deceit . Transparency ensures that the decision-making process, a…
2011-03-01
Transhumant pastoralism is a form of mobile pastoralism that involves more predictable patterns of cyclical seasonal movements of domestic animals and to varying degrees also people along specific routes. During the rainy season when water and grazing res…
2011-03-01
Surface winds that generally dominate air flow in the tropics, blowing from about 30° north and south latitude to the equator.
2011-03-01
An area comprising two areas, which border each other across international boundaries and whose primary focus is wildlife conservation. Authorities responsible for the respective areas formally agree to manage the areas as one integrated unit according to…
2011-03-01
The amount of dissolved substances, such as salts or minerals, in water remaining after evaporating the water and weighing the residue. Used as a measure of physical water quality.
2011-03-01
Also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, or a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder.
2011-03-01
Transboundary watercourses need to be managed to resolve issues before they develop into international conflicts, e. g. promotion of water demand management, conflict management, stakeholder-based decision-making to manage competing water demands, sanitat…
2011-03-01
A substance that is harmful to health or lethal if consumed or otherwise entering into the body in sufficient quantities.
2011-03-01
A resource that is not confined within existing administrative boundaries.
2011-03-01
A water quality measurement related to the amount of small solid particles which remain in suspension in the water.
2011-03-01
Generally refer to the matured long-standing traditions and practices of certain regional, indigenous, or local communities.
2011-03-01
The shape and configuration of the land surface as described by the position of physical features, elevation, slope, and orientation.
2011-03-01
Farming methods vary from one ethnic group or location to another, according to population density, climate, water supply, and soil.
2011-03-01
The creation of step-like, level surfaces along a slope in hilly agricultural areas.
2011-03-01
A satellite system of the UN System of National Accounts.
2011-03-01
A process of leading or directing in a way that allows the needs of the present to be met without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future.
2011-03-01
Temperature is defined as the measure of the average speed of atoms and molecules. The higher the temperature the faster they move.
2011-03-01
The amount of dissolved substances, such as salts or minerals, in water remaining after evaporating the water and weighing the residue. Used as a measure of physical water quality.
2011-03-01
A region in the mid-latitudes, typically subject to distinct seasonal weather patterns.
2011-03-01
Use in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of natural resources.
2011-03-01
A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks while maintaining or enhan…
2011-03-01
Defined by the Brundtland Report as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
2011-03-01
Group of plants that have the ability to survive in deserts and other dry climates by having no leaves. Instead their branches and stems that are photosynthetic. This adaptation reduces the surface area for evaporation thus reducing the loss of scarce wat…
2011-03-01
A suite of investment projects administered by the NBI that confer mutual benefits at the sub-basin level, each involving two or more countries.
2011-03-01
Refers to the ability to maintain a defined state over time. In terms of resource use and development, sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future.
2011-03-01
Consumption of a resource that limits or prevents resource use by another because it is used up or degraded.
2011-03-01
A term used to describe several associated lithostratigraphic groups or for associated groups and formations with significant lithologic properties in common.
2011-03-01
Areas of high atmospheric pressure located at about 30º north and south latitude, produced by the descending air masses of the Hadley cell circulation pattern.
2011-03-01
A procedure for identifying spectrally similar areas on an image by identifying “training” sites of known targets and then extrapolating those spectral signatures to other areas of unknown targets.
2011-03-01
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficient farming in which farmers grow only enough food to feed their family.
2011-03-01
The study of the relationship between economic activity and social life. In many cases socioeconomics focus on the social impact of some sort of economic change.
2011-03-01
Spatial planning refers to the methods used by the public sector (governmental entities) to influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scales.
2011-03-01
A process which results in the transformation of social structures in a manner which improves the capacity of the society to fulfill its aspirations.
2011-03-01
The process of re-structuring the natural course of a river for navigation or flood protection.
2011-03-01
A grassland landscape dominated by so-called sour grass, such as Themeda triandra. Usually occuring in areas of high rainfall, resulting in vigorous growth.
2011-03-01
That part of surface runoff which reaches the catchment outlet shortly after the rain starts. Its volume is equal to rainfall excess. Some procedures for its derivation include prompt subsurface runoff but all exclude base flow.
2011-03-01
Water as a commodity to which social value is attached, arising from the fact that water is an essential building block for life.
2011-03-01
(1) The different kinds of organisms found on the Earth as defined by taxonomic and/or phylogenic classification. (2) A group of interbreeding organisms that do not ordinarily breed with members of other groups.
2011-03-01
Provision of water to quench the thirst of animals. Equipment or device to deliver water to quench the thirst of animals.
2011-03-01
Part of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) – a research program that focused on ecosystem changes over the course of decades, and projecting those changes into the future. It was launched in 2001 with support from the United Nations and was co…
2011-03-01
A tank or a pipe for holding water in an elevated position to create pressure in a water supply system.
2011-03-01
Layer of unconsolidated material found at the Earth's surface that has been influenced by the soil forming factors: climate, relief, parent material, time, and organisms. Soil normally consists of weathered mineral particles, dead and living organic matte…
2011-03-01
Any individual or group affected by and with an interest in a specific resource, project, program, or policy.
2011-03-01
The study of the relationship between economic activity and social life.
2011-03-01
Refers to the variety of species that exists (or is thought to exist) within a region. Species diversity can refer to either the actual number of species (known as species richness) or to other indices of diversity that account for the relationships betwe…
2011-03-01
Generally implies fair access to livelihood, education, and resources; full participation in the political and cultural life of the Community; and self-determination in meeting Fundamental Needs.
2011-03-01
Stream animals that feed on coarse organic particles, thereby reducing particle size.
2011-03-01
A watercourse passing through or forming the border between two or more States.
2011-03-01
(Also called Tswana or Sitswana), is a Bantu language spoken in Botswana, South Africa, and neighboring areas of Zimbabwe and Namibia.
2011-03-01
A satellite system of the UN System of National Accounts.
2011-03-01
The total amount of suspended load, dissolved load, and bed load carried by a river.
2011-03-01
Material transported by water from the place of origin to the place of deposition. In watercourses, sediment is the alluvial material carried in suspension or as bed load.
2011-03-01
A tropical disease spread by parasitic worms living in fresh water, hosted by snails, that can cause rash or itchy skin, fever, chills, muscle aches, and possible damage to the liver, intestines, lungs, and bladder. Also known as bilharzia.
2011-03-01
Part of the water-bearing material in which all voids, large and small, are filled with water.
2011-03-01
A distinct subset of a market, society, industry, or economy, whose components share similar characteristics.
2011-03-01
Water use authorizations in South Africa related to relatively small quantities of water, mainly for domestic and stock watering purposes.
2011-03-01
Aquifers where the water-bearing characteristics are dependant on openings occurring within the rock itself, which have occurred subsequent to deposition.
2011-03-01
The assimilation of organic material and building of tissue by heterotrophs. This may involve animals eating plants, animals eating other animals, or microorganisms decomposing dead organisms to obtain the resources (material, energy, nutrients) needed to…
2011-03-01
Flatworms that are parasitic to the blood vessels of mammals, including humans.
2011-03-01
A tropical or sub-tropical plant community characterized by trees and shrubs scattered among a cover of grasses, herbs and forbs. The climate of a savanna is tropical with a dry season occurring in the low Sun period of the year.
2011-03-01
A suite of investment projects administered by the NBI that confer mutual benefits at the sub-basin level, each involving two or more countries.
2011-03-01
To provide a framework to ensure sustainable utilisation of water resources to meet ecological, social and economic objectives and to audit the state of South Africa’s water resources against these objectives.
2011-03-01
The disposal of sewage and the use of measures to maintain hygiene and cleanliness.
2011-03-01
A cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia. Reptiles breathe using lungs and lay eggs on land. The group includes crocodiles, lizards, snakes and turtles.
2011-03-01
Water where the salt concentration is relatively high (more than 10 000 mg per liter).
2011-03-01
Refers to the ability of a community to return to its former state after some displacement.
2011-03-01
Concentration of dissolved salts found in a sample of water. Measured as the total amount of dissolved salts in parts per thousand. Seawater has an average salinity of about 34 parts per thousand.
2011-03-01
Competition for resource use resulting from the subtractability of resource consumption.
2011-03-01
Part of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) – a research program that focused on ecosystem changes over the course of decades, and projecting those changes into the future. It was launched in 2001 with support from the United Nations and was co…
2011-03-01
The main objective of Regional Early Warning System (REWS) is to provide SADC states and members of the international community with early warning on food insecurity in the region.
2011-03-01
The set of fundamental principles and values, referred to in Article 5A of the SADC Treaty that will guide the integration agenda of the organisation.
2011-03-01
Organisms found in the aquatic environment that respond to the stressors of their environment.
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The Southern African Development Community has been in existence since 1980, when it was formed as a loose alliance of nine majority-ruled States in Southern Africa known as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), with the main a…
2011-03-01
Resolution is the ability of a sensor to distinguish two closely spaced objects or lines as two rather than one object or line. Alternately, it is the smallest object or narrowest line a sensor can detect.
2011-03-01
The role of the Regional Water Strategie (RWS) is to promote regional integration and poverty alleviation within the SADC region. To reach these gools, the overarching strategies are regional cooperation in water resources management, the use of water for…
2011-03-01
The objective of the Regional Water Policy is to provide a framework in which various actors in the Water Sector will interact and carry out their business as a contribution to the overall SADC goal of regional integration and poverty eradication.
2011-03-01
Run-off water is a term used to describe the water from rain, snowmelt or irrigation that flows over the land surface.
2011-03-01
The overall objective of this Protocol is to foster closer cooperation for judicious, sustainable and co-ordinated management, protection and utilisation of shared watercourses and advance the SADC agenda of regional integration and poverty alleviation.
2011-03-01
Every river is part of a larger system of land drained by a river and its tributaries, flowing into larger bodies of water. Many river sources, called headwaters, form a system of tributaries flows, often located in mountains, the source may be fed by an …
2011-03-01
River health is a term used to describe the ecological condition of a river. Health is more than just the plants and animals that live in a river or the quality of the water in it. It depends also on the diversity of the habitats, plant and animal species…
2011-03-01
Accounts that deal with stocks and stocks changes of natural assets, comprising biota, subsoil assets (proven reserves), water and land with their aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
2011-03-01
Refers to the ability of a community to avoid displacement after some disturbance.
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River Basin Organisations (RBOs) are designed to help bring about Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and improve water governance in Transboundary Water Basins. These organiations are becoming increasingly significant in all regions of the world…
2011-03-01
The length of time water remains in a reservoir or lake before evaporation or outflow.
2011-03-01
The period of time required to replace the entire volume of water in a lake or reservoir.
2011-03-01
The role of the Regional Water Strategie (RWS) is to promote regional integration and poverty alleviation within the SADC region. To reach these gools, the overarching strategies are regional cooperation in water resources management, the use of water for…
2011-03-01
The science, technology and art of obtaining information about objects or phenomena from a distance (i.e., without being in physical contact with them).
2011-03-01
The main objective of Regional Early Warning System (REWS) is to provide SADC states and members of the international community with early warning on food insecurity in the region.
2011-03-01
The objective of the Regional Water Policy is to provide a framework in which various actors in the Water Sector will interact and carry out their business as a contribution to the overall SADC goal of regional integration and poverty eradication.
2011-03-01
The protocol on Shared Watercourses in the Southern African Development Community (SADS) Region, was concluded as a legally binding document, in order to ensure equitable sharing of water and efficient conservation of the scarce resource. It established t…
2011-03-01
The currency of Botswana. Pula literally means rain in Setswana language, because rain is very scarce in Botswana and therefore valuable. Pula also means blessing as rain is considered a blessing.
2011-03-01
Produces the first form of organic carbon from inorganic compounds. See also autotroph.
2011-03-01
Prepared by governments in developing countries to present the macroeconomic, structural and social policies and programs that a country will pursue to promote broad-based growth and reduce poverty. PRSPs contain objectives and criteria to monitor progres…
2011-03-01
A hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to grey.
2011-03-01
A collective term for eukaryotes that are not considered true animals, plants, or fungi; or, members of the kingdom Protista.
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The process of restoring and replacing tree cover from areas where deforestation of forested areas has occurred.
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Resources for which consumption is subtractive and to which access can be controlled (access is exclusive).
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The time required to replenish groundwater that it extracted from aquifers.
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Aquifers with intergranular porosities and permeabilities occur which produce the water-bearing characteristics.
2011-03-01
Process by which water is added from outside to the zone of saturation of an aquifer, either directly into a formation, or indirectly by way of another formation.
2011-03-01
Prepared by governments in developing countries to present the macroeconomic, structural and social policies and programs that a country will pursue to promote broad-based growth and reduce poverty. PRSPs contain objectives and criteria to monitor progres…
2011-03-01
A length of stream or river defined by characteristics – such as flow, chemical or biological factors, tributary confluence, human influence, or other factors – that differ from characteristics of adjacent sections of the stream or river.
2011-03-01
A facility that treats raw water and removes its impurities, making the water safe.
2011-03-01
River Basin Organisations (RBOs) are designed to help bring about Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and improve water governance in Transboundary Water Basins. These organiations are becoming increasingly significant in all regions of the world…
2011-03-01
A resource with non-subtractive consumption and unlimited access. Protection from UV radiation by the ozone layer is an example of a public good.
2011-03-01
The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. The convention was developed and adopted by participat…
2011-03-01
Ramsar is a town in Iran where the Convention on Wetlands was signed 1971 - an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
2011-03-01
An instrument of implementation of the SADC Treaty, having the same legal force as the Treaty.
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An area in which resource use and access is managed to protect valued environmental and natural resources.
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An area of reduced precipitation commonly found on the leeward side of a mountain.
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Agricultural practices that rely solely on rainfall to provide the moisture necessary to grow crops.
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The production of organic matter, such as new cells, mainly by photosynthetic plants.
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The AIDS / HIV prevalence rate in selected populations refers to the percentage of people tested in each group who were found to be infected with HIV.
2011-03-01
Basin catchments developed of the second period of the Cenozoic Era, from the end of the Tertiary Period through the present, characterized by the appearance and development of humans and including the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs.
2011-03-01
(1) Liquid or solid products of the condensation of water vapour falling from clouds or deposited from air on the ground.(2) Amount of precipitation (as defined under (1) ) on a unit of horizontal surface per unit time.
2011-03-01
A measure of the money income required to attain a basic minimal standard of living – enough to purchase a nutritionally adequate food supply and to provide for other essential requirements.
2011-03-01
A process that enables a wide range of stakeholders from the public and private spheres to participate in and influence decision-making processes, especially at the local level.
2011-03-01
The layer of algae, microorganisms and organic material coating the surface of stones, plants, and hard objects on the beds of streams, rivers, and reservoirs. See also biofilm.
2011-03-01
The situation facing those in society whose material needs are least satisfied. Inability to afford an adequate standard of consumption because of low income is referred to as income poverty. If, apart from low income, a country is characterised by malnut…
2011-03-01
The amount of evaporation that would occur if there was sufficient water available.
2011-03-01
Usually used in the field of statistics to indicate the average per person for any given concern, such as income, crime rate, etc.
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The Paris Declaration of March 2005 on the effectiveness of development cooperation establishes ownership as one of the fundamental principles of cooperation. Ownership as a core principle means that the countries receiving development aid are primarily r…
2011-03-01
Ratio of the volume of the interstices in a given sample of a porous medium, e.g. soil, to the gross volume of the porous medium, inclusive of voids.
2011-03-01
Chemical agent used to kill insects, usually associated with agriculture, but also associated with insect pest control in tourist areas, such as game parks.
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In biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings.
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A plant in which the vegetative structures live year after year (some definitions say at least 3 years).
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Organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes.
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A livelihood in which people living in the semi-arid areas support themselves by tending domesticated animals that feed on grass and other available plant foods and water sources, usually in areas characterized as semi-arid to semi-desert.
2011-03-01
Generally, any substance introduced into the environment that adversely affects the usefulness of a resource or the health of humans, animals, or ecosystems.
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Imagery taken of all wavelengths within the visible spectrum (though not uniformly).
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The insecurity of a country when a water-scarce country depends on a water-abundant country for critical water supply and when the water-abundant country depends on the water-scarce country for its export revenue.
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Exploitation to the point of diminishing returns. Overexploitation of natural resources — through unsustainable hunting, fishing, or extracting raw material — has serious implications for biodiversity. The social costs of overexploitation are …
2011-03-01
An agreement on the manner in which each Member State will exercise or use a particular instrument over which it retains control.
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Scale used to measure the alkalinity or acidity of a substance through the determination of the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. Values below 7.0, to a minimum of 0.0, indicate increasing acidity. Values above 7.0, to a …
2011-03-01
A voluntary and largely unenforceable alignments of national policies and measures in particular fields.
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Organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes.
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A plan or course of action intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters.
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Picture element is the ground area corresponding to a single element of a digital image data set. A two-dimensional ensemble of pixels forms the geometric grid on which an image is built.
2011-03-01
Flow of a liquid through an unsaturated porous medium, e.g. of water in soil, under the action of gravity.
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Plant species that dominate a community in the early stages of ecological succession.
2011-03-01
Microscopic parasite organism that causes disease in a host. Disease causes the host to be less fit and may eventually cause premature death.
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A planning approach in which all stakeholders, and in particular the envisaged beneficiaries are part of the decision process.
2011-03-01
Adjective from physiography (or, Physical geography) – one of the three major subfields of geography. Physical geography focuses on understanding the processes and patterns in the natural environment, as opposed to the cultural or built environment,…
2011-03-01
A single-celled, microscopic aquatic organism with hairlike appendages (cilia) around its body used to move around and capture bacteria.
2011-03-01
A term used to denote something influenced by physical and chemical characteristics.
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One of the eight ecozones into which the world is divided. This ecozone includes the terrestrial ecoregions of Europe, Asia north of the Himalaya foothills, northern Africa, and the northern and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
2011-03-01
Occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods.
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The process by which plants use energy from the sun to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into carbohydrates and other compounds.
2011-03-01
Occurs when warm, moist air is forced to rise over elevated land. The air is cooled as it rises, leading to condensation, cloud formation, and rainfall.
2011-03-01
Legally constituted non-profit organisation created by natural or legal persons with no participation of any government representative. A NGO generally mobilizes public opinion and popular support in order to change certain aspects of society.
2011-03-01
Any food, chemical element or compound an organism requires to live, grow, or reproduce.
2011-03-01
The path of a body or particle under the influence of a gravitational or other force. For instance, to go around the Earth or other body in an orbit.
2011-03-01
Any matter or energy obtained from the environment that is used and valued by humans. Forests, water, soils, and air are examples of natural resources.
2011-03-01
The Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) is the institution responsible managing the resources of the Orange-Senqu River basin, a transboundary rivercourse shared by Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa.
2011-03-01
A plan for the integrated, sustainable development of the Nile River Basin, working in collaboration with representatives from the 10 riparian states. Prepared with guidance by TECCONILE, the Technical Cooperation for the Promotion of the Development and …
2011-03-01
The expected value of future information from or about natural resources. Conserving resources today maintains the option of resource value in the future.
2011-03-01
Worms with an unsegmented body; abundant in marine and freshwater habitats, soil, and as parasites of plants and animals.
2011-03-01
When economists refer to the “opportunity cost” of a resource, they mean the value of the next-highest-valued alternative use of that resource.
2011-03-01
The pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through both the biotic and abiotic compartments of the earth.
2011-03-01
A resource to which no control on access is applied; therefore, the resource can be accessed by any individual at any time.
2011-03-01
Form of nitrogen commonly found in the soil and used by plants for building amino acids, DNA and proteins. It is commonly produced by the chemical modification of nitrite by specialized bacteria. Chemical formula for nitrate is NO3-.
2011-03-01
Formally launched in 1999, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) provides an agreed basin-wide framework to fight poverty and promote socio-economic development in the region.
2011-03-01
The Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission (OKACOM), a regional river basin organization, provides advice to the governments of Angola, Botswana and Namibia about issues related to conservation and wise management of the natural resources of the Okavan…
2011-03-01
The rate of gross accumulation of organic matter minus the losses of organic matter to respiration and other processes.
2011-03-01
Formally launched in 1999, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) provides an agreed basin-wide framework to fight poverty and promote socio-economic development in the region.
2011-03-01
The stock of all natural resources, including water, soil, air, minerals, flora, and fauna.
2011-03-01
The Middle Stone Age (or MSA) was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It began around 300,000 years ago and ended around 50,000 years ago.
2011-03-01
Occurs when precipitation is below normal or average for a prolonged period of time.
2011-03-01
Scientific instrument used to magnify objects too small to be seen with the naked eye.
2011-03-01
Many less developed countries have established strategic plans to coordinate public and private efforts to combat poverty. These plans normally aim to develop income-generating activities that broaden and strengthen self-employment, small enterprises, and…
2011-03-01
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. From 2001 to 2005, the MA involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings provide a state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the…
2011-03-01
Mid-latitude cyclones originate in areas of low pressure located between 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude. These cyclones can be responsible for storms that exist for about 3 to 10 days moving in a generally west to east direction.
2011-03-01
Relating to the association of three or more homologous chromosomes during the first division of meiosis.
2011-03-01
A financial grant aimed at funding the piloting of new and promising transboundary initiatives, on the development and dissemination of best practices, and on exchanges of lessons learned in environmental and natural resource management.
2011-03-01
A term used to describe the shape of the land or a landscape. Also see Geomorphology.
2011-03-01
Actions undertaken to reduce or eliminate potential negative effects or consequences.
2011-03-01
A wind from the southwest or south that brings heavy rainfall to southern Asia in the summer and the rain that accompanies this wind.
2011-03-01
The eight goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 –form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and al…
2011-03-01
Sampling various media at set intervals over time in order to determine the state of the environment and any temporal or spatial trends.
2011-03-01
Invertebrate animals with a soft body and, usually, a hard shell. Examples include snails, clams, mussels and related animals.
2011-03-01
The collective term for organisms that cannot be seen by the unaided human eye. Examples of microorganisms include bacteria, yeasts, protozoa, blue-green algae, and some fungi.
2011-03-01
A country´s legislation which regulates all the different aspects revolving around water resources.
2011-03-01
A programme that extends small loans to very poor people for self-employment projects that generates income, allowing them to support themselves and their families.
2011-03-01
The average amount of evaporation (measured in mm or cm) for a given area in a given year.
2011-03-01
The eight goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 –form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and al…
2011-03-01
An atom, molecule or compound that carries either a positive (cation) or negative (anion) electrical charge.
2011-03-01
One curved portion of a sinuous or winding stream channel, consisting of two consecutive loops, one turning clockwise and the other anticlockwise.
2011-03-01
The average amount of precipitation (measured in mm or cm) for a given area in a given year.
2011-03-01
A closed drainage basin that does not allow outflow to other waterbodies such as rivers or oceans.
2011-03-01
The result of the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means 'change of form'.
2011-03-01
The average amount of precipitation (measured in mm or cm) for a given area in a given year.
2011-03-01
(i) Planning the sustainable development of a shared watercourse and providing for the implementation of any plans adopted; and (ii) Otherwise promoting the rational, equitable and optimal utilisation, protection and control of the watercourse.
2011-03-01
A warm-blooded vertebrate animal characterized by hair on the skin and milk-producing mammary glands in females.
2011-03-01
The average amount of evaporation (measured in mm or cm) for a given area in a given year.
2011-03-01
A disease causing parasitic infection of red blood cells and resulting in severe chills, fever, sweating, and sometimes coma or death. Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium, and is transmitted to humans by an infected female An…
2011-03-01
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. From 2001 to 2005, the MA involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings provide a state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the…
2011-03-01
The lower course of a river corresponds to the region close to its mouth.
2011-03-01
Countries situated downstream or in the region of the mouth of a river.
2011-03-01
Domesticated animals, that may be kept or raised in pens, houses, pastures, or on farms as part of an agricultural or farming operation, whether for commerce or private use.
2011-03-01
Combination of the resources used and the activities undertaken in order to live. Resources consist of individual skills and abilities (human capital), land, savings and equipment (natural, financial and physical capital, respectively) and formal support …
2011-03-01
Related to the geological discipline associated with the study of rock strata and formation.
2011-03-01
A shallow soil showing minimal profile development and dominated by the presence of weathering rock and rock fragments. Lacking horizons other than an A1 (one layer only) (GSG Classification).
2011-03-01
The Limpopo Watercourse Commission was negotiated by the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. The Commission between South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is to manage the Limpopo River and must facilitate the building of capacity within…
2011-03-01
In 1986, Limpopo Basin States signed in Harare, Zimbabwe, a multilateral agreement establishing a Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC), which was set up to advise the parties on issues regarding the river. The LBPTC did not however function…
2011-03-01
The Limpopo Watercourse Commission was negotiated by the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. The Commission between South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is to manage the Limpopo River and must facilitate the building of capacity within…
2011-03-01
A raised bank, natural or man-made, that contains the water within a river channel. Natural levees are formed by the deposition of sediments during floods.
2011-03-01
A porous area on the surface of bark and certain fruits that allow for the exchange of gasses between inside and outside the plant.
2011-03-01
In 1986, Limpopo Basin States signed in Harare, Zimbabwe, a multilateral agreement establishing a Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC), which was set up to advise the parties on issues regarding the river. The LBPTC did not however function…
2011-03-01
Oldest and most well known satellite of its kind, the first satellite in the Landsat series was launched in 1972. Subsequent satellites, with new and improved sensor technology (e.g., Thamatic Mapper) and an almost continuous data collection stream, have …
2011-03-01
The legal regime in which land is owned by an individual. The individual is said to 'hold' the land.
2011-03-01
Condition opposite of an El Nino. In a La Nina, the tropical Pacific trade winds become very strong and an abnormal accumulation of cold water occurs in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
2011-03-01
System that uses monthly precipitation and temperature data and total annual precipitation data to classify a location's climate into one of five main categories: Tropical Moist Climates; Dry Climates; Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters; Moist …
2011-03-01
The Khoikhoi (people people or real people) or Khoi, (in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe), are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen.
2011-03-01
The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana were combined to form this impressively large park of over 3,6 million hectares.
2011-03-01
The same as Kalahari Desert - a large, arid desert area in southwestern Sub-Saharan Africa extending 900,000 km², covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in south…
2011-03-01
Of the Karoo - a word from Khoisan used to describe a semi-desert region of South Africa.
2011-03-01
Kalanga (or Bakalanga) is an ethnic group living in the entire Northeast District and the eastern third of Central District in Botswana. They also live in Southwest of Bulawayo and along the Botswana border. They speak Kalanga - one of the Bantu languages…
2011-03-01
In 1996, after South Africa's political change, the two countries signed in Mozambique, an agreement establishing a Joint Water Commission, with advisory functions of techical matters relating their common rivers, including the Limpopo.
2011-03-01
The JPTC was established in 1987 as a bilateral agreement between South Africa and Botswana to make recommendations on matters concerning common interest in the Limpopo.
2011-03-01
In 1996, after South Africa's political change, the two countries signed in Mozambique, an agreement establishing a Joint Water Commission, with advisory functions of technical matters relating their common rivers, including the Limpopo.
2011-03-01
The JPTC was established in 1987 as a bilateral agreement between South Africa and Botswana to make recommendations on matters concerning common interest in the Limpopo.
2011-03-01
Consumption that is non-subtractable; that is, use of a natural resource or service that does not affect the amount or quality of the resource available for other users.
2011-03-01
A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.
2011-03-01
The International Council for Science (ICSU), formerly called the International Council of Scientific Unions, was founded in 1931 as an international non-governmental organization devoted to international co-operation in the advancement of science.
2011-03-01
Zone of rising air masses and low atmospheric pressure located at or near the equator. Rising air currents result from global wind convergence (trade winds) and convection from thermal heating.
2011-03-01
Legal property rights over creations of the mind such as music, literature, ideas and symbols.
2011-03-01
Zone of rising air masses and low atmospheric pressure located at or near the equator. Rising air currents result from global wind convergence (trade winds) and convection from thermal heating.
2011-03-01
An Institute in Rhodes University (South Africa) which does research on water resources.
2011-03-01
The management of river basins as part of the broader natural environment and in relation to their socio-economic environment.
2011-03-01
Agriculture that depends on irrigation to provide sufficient water for successful and often economic production of a crop.
2011-03-01
The artificial application of water to the soil usually used to assist in growing crops in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall.
2011-03-01
ISO 14001 is a standard for environmental management systems to be implemented in any business, regardless of size, location or income. The aim of the standard is to reduce the environmental footprint of a business and to decrease the pollution and waste …
2011-03-01
A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.
2011-03-01
The management of river basins as part of the broader natural environment and in relation to their socio-economic environment.
2011-03-01
The water that is deliberately left in the river or released from a reservoir for maintaining the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems downstream.
2011-03-01
An invertebrate animal of the Class Insecta. Insects comprise the most diverse group of animals on earth.
2011-03-01
Infrastructure assets are installations and services such as roads, water supply, sewage systems, power supply, flood management, leisure facilities, etc. Investment in these assets is made with the intention that dividends will accrue through increased p…
2011-03-01
Infrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. The term typically refers to the technical structur…
2011-03-01
A system consisting of the network of all communication channels used within an organization or group of people.
2011-03-01
A system to enable the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences.
2011-03-01
Use of water for commercial, electrical power generation, industrial, manufacturing and mining purposes.
2011-03-01
Value arising from ecosystem functions that support and maintain human activity. The value obtained from the flood regulation services of a wetland is an example of indirect use value.
2011-03-01
The long-standing traditions, practices, wisdom, teachings and knowledge of local or indigenous communities (See traditional knowledge).
2011-03-01
The one of the several international river basins shared by southern African countries.
2011-03-01
A system to enable the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences.
2011-03-01
A type of drinking water facility or water delivery point that by the nature of its design protects the drinking water source from external contamination, particularly of faecal origin.
2011-03-01
The process of restraining flow of a river to create a body of water using a dam or other physical barrier.
2011-03-01
Having a texture that does not permit water to move through it perceptibly under static pressure ordinarily found in subsurface water.
2011-03-01
The representation of an object produced by the reflection or refraction of light when focused by a lens or mirror. An image is the recorded representation (commonly as a photo-image) of an object produced by optical, electro-optical, optical mechanical, …
2011-03-01
The water that is deliberately left in the river or released from a reservoir for maintaining the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems downstream.
2011-03-01
The International Council for Science (ICSU), formerly called the International Council of Scientific Unions, was founded in 1931 as an international non-governmental organization devoted to international co-operation in the advancement of science.
2011-03-01
International organisation consisting of 13 European states and the European Union which deals with the whole Danube River Basin including its tributaries and the ground water resources. The ultimate goal of the ICPDR is to implement the Danube River Prot…
2011-03-01
(1) Science that deals with the waters above and below the land surfaces of the Earth, their occurrence, circulation and distribution, both in time and space, their biological, chemical and physical properties, their reaction with their environment, inclu…
2011-03-01
Occurs when the surface and ground water resources are in a below average depleted state for a prolonged period, usually in response to below average rainfall.
2011-03-01
Refers to the cycling of water from the ocean to the land and back again, including all the pathways and processes connected with the storage and movement of water in solid, liquid, and gaseous states.
2011-03-01
Graph showing the variation in time of some hydrological data such as stage, discharge, velocity, sediment load, etc. (hydrograph is mostly used for stage or discharge) .
2011-03-01
A general term used to describe the amount of water vapor found in the atmosphere.
2011-03-01
A composite index developed to measure progress in Human Development (above) through three basic components of human development: longevity, knowledge and standard of living.
2011-03-01
A complex concept of development, based on the priority of human well-being, and aimed at ensuring and enlarging human choices which lead to equality of opportunities for all people in society and empowerment of people so that they participate in - and be…
2011-03-01
A layer of soil with physical and chemical properties distinct from layers above and below.
2011-03-01
Water in which relatively high amounts of minerals, mainly of calcium and magnesium salts, are dissolved.
2011-03-01
The modern species of humans, the species to which all living humans belong. The Latin meaning, ‘wise man’ reflects the greater endowment of the brain power compared to his predecessors. The species is defined in terms of anatomy, and the firs…
2011-03-01
Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) is the retrovirus that attacks the human immune system resulting in AIDS. It is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane with a bodily fluid containing HIV. This transmission can come in the form sexual c…
2011-03-01
A period of biological rest that some animal species use to conserve energy during winter months.
2011-03-01
An organism that requires organic molecules as a source of energy and nutrients because it is unable to manufacture their own food using the sun’s energy.
2011-03-01
The Human Development Index (HDI) measures human development by combining three dimensions of development: longevity (life expectancy at birth), knowledge (adult literacy and mean years of schooling), and income (UNDP HDR 2008).
2011-03-01
Includes cadmium, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, arsenic, mercury, lead; are persistent in the environment and can bio-accumulated in aquatic organisms.
2011-03-01
Water in which relatively high amounts of minerals, mainly of calcium and magnesium salts, are dissolved.
2011-03-01
The system of governing (democratic, socialist, etc.) and the structure and arrangement of the government office. The government of a nation usually consists of three sets of power, namely the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.
2011-03-01
The generalized circuit of air mass movement occurring between the equator and 30° latitude (north and south of the equator). The Hadley cell circulation is characterized by rising air masses at the equator and descending air masses at approximately 3…
2011-03-01
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have launched the Global Land Cover Network (GLCN) with the objective to improve the availability of global information on land cover and its…
2011-03-01
Systems that include underground water reservoirs in order to provide groundwater for supply.
2011-03-01
Ecosystem whose dominant species are various types of grass. Found in regions where average precipitation is not great enough to support the growth of shrublands or forest.
2011-03-01
The way that decisions are made in towns, cities, provinces, and countries. For those in government, it is the exercise of authority to manage the affairs of a constituency. While the government normally has the final say when it comes to public policies,…
2011-03-01
The water that fills the pore spaces in soil, sand, gravel and in fractures and openings in the rocks (referred together as ‘formation’) below the surface. The portion of the formation that is filled with groundwater is known as the ‘Aqu…
2011-03-01
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have launched the Global Land Cover Network (GLCN) with the objective to improve the availability of global information on land cover and its…
2011-03-01
Animals that graze the organic layer of algae, microorganisms and associated organic matter on stone and other substrates in streams; includes species which pierce plant cells and suck out the fluids.
2011-03-01
A particular area amounts to the total income or payment received by the production factors – (land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship) – for their participation in the production within that area.
2011-03-01
The total market value of all goods and services produced in a country in a given year. GDP is measured by: total consumer, investment and government spending, plus the value of exports minus the value of imports .
2011-03-01
A set of indicators used to measure the performance of a country or organization with respect to its adherence to the principles of good governance – Voice and Accountability; Political Stability and the Absence of Violence; Government Effectiveness…
2011-03-01
Any household wastewater with the exception of wastewater from toilets, which is known as blackwater.
2011-03-01
Gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The main greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are w…
2011-03-01
Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
2011-03-01
The water supply for all non-irrigated vegetation, including forests and woodlands, grasslands and rain-fed crops. A somewhat wider interpretation of green water may also be used, referring also to the water that is available in the root zone.
2011-03-01
The Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) was established in 1975. The System has been assigned the mandate of constantly monitoring the global food supply and demand situation a…
2011-03-01
Computer-based system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, analysing and displaying geographic data.
2011-03-01
The field of knowledge that studies the origin, structure, chemical composition, and history of the Earth and other planets.
2011-03-01
A measure of inequality of income distribution measured in a ration with values between 0 and 1. A low Gini coefficient corresponds to a more equal distribution of wealth. The Gini Index is the Gini coefficient expressed as a percentage.
2011-03-01
Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
2011-03-01
The Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) was established in 1975. The System has been assigned the mandate of constantly monitoring the global food supply and demand situation a…
2011-03-01
The study of natural and human constructed phenomena relative to the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, etc.
2011-03-01
A genus of flagellated protozoan parasites of the phylum Metamonada that colonise and reproduce in the small intestines of vertebrates.
2011-03-01
The field of knowledge that investigates the origin of landforms on the Earth and other planets.
2011-03-01
Gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The main greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are w…
2011-03-01
That branch of hydrology which deals with groundwater, taking into account the geological conditions.
2011-03-01
A particular area amounts to the total income or payment received by the production factors – (land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship) – for their participation in the production within that area.
2011-03-01
Computer-based system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, analysing and displaying geographic data.
2011-03-01
The debated issue of the ownership of any plant, animal, or microbial material that contains functioning genes that could be of actual or potential value.
2011-03-01
Defined by the United Nations as the: process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies and programmes, in any area and at different levels. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's …
2011-03-01
The total market value of all goods and services produced in a country in a given year. GDP is measured by: total consumer, investment and government spending, plus the value of exports minus the value of imports .
2011-03-01
Models that simulate complex processes in the atmosphere, including the impacts of climate change from future increases in green house gas emissions. GCMs provide a global overview and need to be downscalled for use at regional or local levels.
2011-03-01
The socially and culturally constructed roles, privileges, responsibilities, power and influence, social relations, expectations and value of men and women, girls and boys. There are significant differences in what women and men can or cannot do in one so…
2011-03-01
Models that simulate complex processes in the atmosphere, including the impacts of climate change from future increases in green house gas emissions. GCMs provide a global overview and need to be downscalled for use at regional or local levels.
2011-03-01
An infection or irrigation of the gastro-intestinal tract (stomach and small intestines). Usually caused by a virus, bacteria, toxins, parasites or allergy.
2011-03-01
Univalve or class of mollusks typically having a one-piece coiled shell and flattened muscular foot with a head bearing stalked eyes.
2011-03-01
A eukaryotic, multicellular organism that functions as a primary decomposer of dead plants and animals.
2011-03-01
Precipitation resulting from the convergence of two air masses. Also known as convergence rainfall.
2011-03-01
Naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Freshwater is characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. …
2011-03-01
A geological formation is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy, used to describe rock strata that have a comparable lithology, facies or other similar properties.
2011-03-01
An inorganic or organic substance that adds nutrients to soil for the purpose of increasing the growth of crops, trees, or other vegetation.
2011-03-01
A set of goals outlining how the country will interact with other countries economically, politically, socially and militarily, and to a lesser extent, how the country will interact with non-state actors.
2011-03-01
Animal life. The fauna of an ecosystem is all of the animal life found in that ecosystem.
2011-03-01
Footprint is an abstract term used to present an area of influence or impact from a specific activity or phenomena.
2011-03-01
The use of government spending and taxing powers to affect the behaviour of the economy.
2011-03-01
A conceptual diagram that represents the feeding relationships of organisms within an ecosystem. It consists of a series of interconnected food chains.
2011-03-01
Fecundity generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population. In biology the definition is more equivalent to fertility, or the actual reproductive rate of an organi…
2011-03-01
When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
2011-03-01
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
2011-03-01
A model describing the idea that organisms are dependent upon others for food and are linked to each other by this dependence.
2011-03-01
An enzyme secreted by a cell that functions outside of the cell it originated from.
2011-03-01
A plot that shows the percentage of time that flow in a stream is likely to equal or exceed some specified value of interest.
2011-03-01
The Florisbad archaeological and paleontological site is a provincial heritage site in Brandfort in the Free State province of South Africa.
2011-03-01
A plot that shows the percentage of time that flow in a stream is likely to equal or exceed some specified value of interest.
2011-03-01
Plant life. The flora of an ecosystem is all of the plant life found in that ecosystem.
2011-03-01
Nearly level land along a stream flooded only when the streamflow exceeds the water carrying capacity of the channel.
2011-03-01
Fanagalo (or Fanakalo) is a pidgin (simplified language) based on the Zulu, English, and Afrikaans languages. It is used mainly in the gold, diamond, coal and copper mining industries in South Africa.
2011-03-01
Refers to the possibility of controlling access to a natural resource or service.
2011-03-01
An aquatic environment that has an excessive supply of nutrients, mostly in the form of nitrates and phosphates.
2011-03-01
The loss of water to the atmosphere via the combined effects of evaporation and transpiration.
2011-03-01
Somewhat enclosed coastal area at the mouth of some rivers, where nutrient rich fresh water meets with salty ocean water.
2011-03-01
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.
2011-03-01
The accumulation of nutrients in a waterbody that results in excessive growth of organisms and depletion of oxygen.
2011-03-01
Somewhat enclosed coastal area at the mouth of a river where nutrient rich fresh water meets with salty ocean water.
2011-03-01
Somewhat enclosed coastal areas at the mouths of a river where nutrient rich fresh water meets with salty ocean water.
2011-03-01
EO is the study of earth and its changing environment by observing the atmosphere, oceans, and land through remote sensing technologies.
2011-03-01
The water that is deliberately left in the river or released from a reservoir for maintaining the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems downstream.
2011-03-01
The management of human interaction with and impact on the natural environment. Environmental management is concerned with the links between the natural world and human social, cultural, and economic systems.
2011-03-01
The Environmental Education and awareness (EE&A) is a special component within the Nile Transboundary Environmental Action Project (NTEAP). It is aimed atcreating awareness on the River Nile environmental threats and their impacts on communityliveliho…
2011-03-01
Monitoring conducted to determine whether specified environmental mitigation measures are being implemented properly and are having the intended effect.
2011-03-01
A closed drainage basin that does not allow outflow to other waterbodies such as rivers or oceans.
2011-03-01
Stream which flows only in direct response to precipitation or to the flow of an intermittent spring.
2011-03-01
Term used to describe rainfall that occurs in single or multiple events, with no distinct pattern.
2011-03-01
The collection of systematic, geo-referenced observations of the environment to detect changes over time and space.
2011-03-01
A plan outlining the means of achieving environmental objectives and goals.
2011-03-01
The wearing away, detachment, and movement of surface materials by forces of wind, water, or ice.
2011-03-01
A procedure that examines the possible environmental consequences of implementing a project, program, or policy.
2011-03-01
The equity dimension of governance seeks to ensure that development is inclusive, that all people benefit from well-functioning political and economic institutions and political, economic and social processes .
2011-03-01
The repetitive and systematic measurement of environmental components to test specific hypotheses regarding the effects of human activity on the environment.
2011-03-01
Name given to the occasional development of warm ocean surface waters along the coast of Ecuador and Peru. When this warming occurs the tropical Pacific trade winds weaken and the usual upwelling of cold, nutrient rich deep ocean water off the coast of Ec…
2011-03-01
Substances that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt the physiologic function of hormones.
2011-03-01
Benefits derived from ecosystems. Goods provided by ecosystems are usually more tangible benefits such as food products, fuel wood, drinking water or timber. Ecosystem services are usually enabling benefits that people obtain from ecosystems and include p…
2011-03-01
Two or more countries working together to promote their common economic interests through joint projects and programmes, physical or otherwise.
2011-03-01
The merging to varying degrees of the economies and economic policies of two or more countries in a given region.
2011-03-01
A physical characteristic of water used to indicate the level of Total Dissolved Solids in water; the level of electrical conductivity is proportional to the amount of dissolved solids found in the water.
2011-03-01
The goods (tangible resources) and services (functions) provided by an ecosystem.
2011-03-01
A physical characteristic of water used to indicate the level of Total Dissolved Solids in water; the level of electrical conductivity is proportional to the amount of dissolved solids found in the water.
2011-03-01
A region characterized by distinctive regional ecological factors, including climate, physiography, vegetation, soil, water and fauna.
2011-03-01
Name given to the occasional development of warm ocean surface waters along the coast of Ecuador and Peru. When this warming occurs the tropical Pacific trade winds weaken and the usual upwelling of cold, nutrient rich deep ocean water off the coast of Ec…
2011-03-01
A scarce resource that is limited in quantities in comparison to the demand for the resource. Treating water as an economic good recognises that water has an opportunity cost.
2011-03-01
Name given to the occasional development of warm ocean surface waters along the coast of Ecuador and Peru. When this warming occurs the tropical Pacific trade winds weaken and the usual upwelling of cold, nutrient rich deep ocean water off the coast of Ec…
2011-03-01
Relates to the water reserved to protect and sustain the aquatic ecosystems in order to secure ecologically sustainable development and water use.
2011-03-01
The water flow requirements needed to maintain the riverine ecology, recharge riverine aquifers and maintain the river channel.
2011-03-01
A concept that uses a systematic approach to the preventative, diagnostic, and prognostic aspects of ecosystem management, and to the understanding of relationships between ecosystem health and human health. It seeks to understand and optimize the intrins…
2011-03-01
An outflow of liquid waste released from a facility such as a sewage treatment plant or industrial operation.
2011-03-01
Groups and communities of organisms (animals, plants, insects and micro-organisms) that form one functioning unit. It also includes all of the non-living physical and chemical factors of the environment that maintain its existence, linked together through…
2011-03-01
The Environmental Education and awareness (EE&A) is a special component within the Nile Transboundary Environmental Action Project (NTEAP). It is aimed atcreating awareness on the River Nile environmental threats and their impacts on communityliveliho…
2011-03-01
A term used to describe lack of access to water, not from physical shortages, but the economic means to sustainably provide water in sufficient quantity and/or quality.
2011-03-01
Largest scale of biogeographical division. WWF use 8 primary ecozones: 1. Nearctic; 2. Palearctic; 3. Afrotropic; 4. Indo-Malaya; 5. Australasia; 6. Neotropic; 7. Oceania; 8. Antarctic.
2011-03-01
The steady process by which the productive capacity of the economy is increased over time to bring about rising levels of national output and income.
2011-03-01
Defined as tourism that is sustainable and environmentally and culturally sensitive, is a subset of nature-based tourism.
2011-03-01
Using of resources in such a way as to maximize the production of goods and services.
2011-03-01
The scientific study of: 1) the interactions or relationships between organisms and their environment, 2) the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms.
2011-03-01
A condition that is determined to be characteristic of its natural region and likely to persist, including abiotic components and the composition and abundance of native species and biological communities, rates of change and supporting processes (Canada …
2011-03-01
The name given to the Department of Water Affairs of South Africa until 2009. See DWA.
2011-03-01
The water flow requirements needed to maintain the riverine ecology, recharge riverine aquifers and maintain the river channel.
2011-03-01
The period during which a dynamic process remains halted in order that another process may occur.
2011-03-01
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.
2011-03-01
EO is the study of Earth and its changing environment by observing the atmosphere, oceans, and land through remote sensing technologies.
2011-03-01
Now known as the Department of Water Affairs. See DWA.
2011-03-01
The Department of Water Affairs is the custodian of South Africa's water resources. It is primarily responsible for the formulation and implementation of policy governing this sector. It also has override responsibility for water services provided by loca…
2011-03-01
The highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482 metres in height.
2011-03-01
Means use of water for drinking, washing, cooking, bathing, sanitation and stock watering purposes.
2011-03-01
Representation of elevation as a raster grid of regularly spaced elevation values. These grids can be directly computed (derived) from other elevation information such as contours, topographic maps, and irregularly spaced spot heights or from satellite im…
2011-03-01
A relative measure of the amount of oxygen dissolved in a given medium (often water).
2011-03-01
A relative measure of the amount of oxygen dissolved in a given medium (often water).
2011-03-01
The removal of sediment and other material from the bottom of waterbodies by a machine equipped with a scoop or suction device. Dredging is often undertaken to maintain sufficient water depth for navigation.
2011-03-01
Volume of water flowing through a river (or channel) cross-section in unit time.
2011-03-01
Developed at the International Conference on Water and the Environment, held in Dublin Ireland in January 1992. The four guiding principles for managing freshwater resources contained within the Duplin Principles are (IRC 2006): (1) Freshwater is a finite…
2011-03-01
In South African English, a Donga is a ditch/gully formed by the erosion of soil in the veldt.
2011-03-01
Agricultural techniques used to cultivate land that receives little rainfall.
2011-03-01
Rations (food and water) distributed to those affected by drought.
2011-03-01
Standards used to define the maximum acceptable quantity of pollutants that may be discharged into the area from emissions and effluents.
2011-03-01
The physical, chemical and biological variables that influence response indicators and the overall health of the aquatic ecosystem.
2011-03-01
The value obtained from raw materials and physical products yielded by ecosystems and their component species.
2011-03-01
Or difaqane. A time of immense upheaval relating to the military expansion of the Zulu kingdom in the early 19th century. Sotho-speakers know this period as the difaqane (forced migration); while Zulu-speakers call it the mfecane (crushing).
2011-03-01
Large deposit of alluvial sediment located at the mouth of a stream where it enters a body of standing water.
2011-03-01
A form of government where the population of a society or country controls the government through a process where ministers and leaders are elected through free and fair elections.
2011-03-01
The process of improving the quality of all human lives. Important aspects of development are raising people's living levels, creating conditions conducive to the growth of people's self-esteem and increasing people's freedom of choice.
2011-03-01
The conversion of forested area to non-forested area through the removal of trees.
2011-03-01
A barrier or structure across a stream, river, or waterway for the purpose of confining and controlling the flow of water.
2011-03-01
Representation of elevation as a raster grid of regularly spaced elevation values. These grids can be directly computed (derived) from other elevation information such as contours, topographic maps, and irregularly spaced spot heights or from satellite im…
2011-03-01
The increase of desert-like conditions caused by degradation on arid, semi-arid and subhumid lands.
2011-03-01
A process through which the natural environment is compromised in some way, reducing biological diversity and the general health of the environment.
2011-03-01
Aquatic animals that consume fine particles of organic matter found on and within the bottom sediments.
2011-03-01
The process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people or citizen. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy, sociology and e…
2011-03-01
The reduction of nitrates to nitrites, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and eventually dinitrogen by microorganisms.
2011-03-01
A large and diverse group of bacteria capable of photosynthesis. Also known as blue-green algae.
2011-03-01
A system of planting row crops perpendicular to the natural slope to reduce soil erosion, protect soil fertility and use water more efficiently.
2011-03-01
Water evaporation and seepage from surface water sources and man-made water transportation facilities, such as irrigation channels.
2011-03-01
Renewable natural resources with the characteristics of a common pool resource (i.e., subtractive consumption, difficult to exclude users) but to which access is controlled in some manner, typically by the group or unit that manages the resource.
2011-03-01
Compulsory licensing is a mechanism created in the South Africa National Water Act to allow DWAF to review all the water use in an area to ensure that there is equal opportunity to apply to use water, water is shared fairly and used efficiently and water …
2011-03-01
The price of goods which are supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market (such as petroleum, milk or copper). The price of, e.g., petroleum is universal, no matter who supplies it.
2011-03-01
The formation of precipitation due to surface heating of the air at the ground surface. With sufficient heating, the mass of air becomes warmer and lighter than the air in the surrounding environment, and begins to rise, expand and cool. Saturation occurs…
2011-03-01
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured (also known as Bruinmense, Kleurlinge or Bruin Afrikaners in Afrikaans) refers or referred to an ethnic group of mixed-race people who possess some sub-Saharan Afr…
2011-03-01
The protection, maintenance, rehabilitation, restoration and enhancement of natural resources and includes the management of the use of natural resources to ensure the sustainability of such use.
2011-03-01
Statistical parameter describing the change of a stochastic variable in time or space, expressed as the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean.
2011-03-01
An agreement, treaty, or contract. The term compact is most often applied to agreements among states or between nations on matters in which they have a common concern.
2011-03-01
Describes a state of balance that is reached through ecological succession (development and change in composition of vegetation communities in an area over time).
2011-03-01
An agreement signed by 150 world leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The goals of the CBD include the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from genetic reso…
2011-03-01
Changes in climate around the globe over time. The term climate variability is often used to denote deviations of climate statistics over a given period of time (such as a specific month, season or year) from the long-term climate statistics relating to t…
2011-03-01
When a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas merge to form one continuous urban area through population growth and physical expansion.
2011-03-01
Climate change as referred to in the observational record of climate occurs because of internal changes within the climate system or in the interaction between its components, or because of changes in external forcing either for natural reasons or because…
2011-03-01
An organism that feeds on other organisms or dead organic matter; see also heterotroph.
2011-03-01
Aquifer overlain and underlain by an impervious or almost impervious formation.
2011-03-01
The extent to which users are charged for goods and/or services to generate revenue to cover the costs of provision.
2011-03-01
A country has a comparative advantage over another if in producing a commodity it can do so at a relatively lower opportunity cost in terms of the forgone alternative commodities that could be produced.
2011-03-01
Both a conservation and rural development strategy, involving community mobilisation and organisation, institutional development, comprehensive training, enterprise development, and monitoring of the natural resource base by local communities.
2011-03-01
Traditional common rule or practice that has become an intrinsic part of the accepted and expected conduct in a community, profession, or trade and is treated as a legal requirement.
2011-03-01
A resource from which it is not feasible to exclude users, and for which consumption is subtractive. Incentives to improve individual welfare by overusing common pool resources can lead to depletion of the resource for all. An example of a common pool res…
2011-03-01
A dense, white, fluffy, flat-based cloud with a multiple rounded top and a well-defined outline, usually formed by the ascent of thermally unstable air masses.
2011-03-01
An extremely dense, vertically developed cumulus with a relatively hazy outline and a glaciated top extending to great heights, usually producing heavy rains, thunderstorms, or hailstorms.
2011-03-01
Consume fine to very fine organic particles suspended in the water (filtering collectors or filter-feeders) or deposited on the stream bed (collector-gatherers).
2011-03-01
A result of cultural adaptations and livelihoods that are created through linkages between languages, social systems, customs knowledge systems, local histories and interaction with the environment.
2011-03-01
Preparation and use of land for growing specifically agricultural crops in an organised system. Often requires irrigation, land management practices and the introduction of fertilisers.
2011-03-01
A vertisol is a soil with a high content of expansive clay that forms deep cracks in drier seasons; chromic refers to a chroma (colour intensity) of 1.5 or above as opposed to pellic, which is 1.5 or below.
2011-03-01
Agencies responsible for implementing the best principles for integrated water management such as the integration of surface and groundwater management, public participation and community involvement and self-financing of water management groups by user g…
2011-03-01
The extent to which an ecosystem or resource can withstand pressure from external forces such as degradation, climate variability, population increase and internal use.
2011-03-01
Chronic poverty is poverty that is experienced over an extended period of time.
2011-03-01
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for money. The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family.
2011-03-01
An infectious gastroenteritis ailment caused by the ingestion of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
2011-03-01
An agreement signed by 150 world leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The goals of the CBD include the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from genetic reso…
2011-03-01
Also known as under-5 mortality it refers to the probability that a child will die before the age of 5.
2011-03-01
The area drained by a river or body of water. Also called catchment basin. (Catchment normally is a synonym for river basin. However, in this river awareness kit this term is often used in the sense of sub-bacia.)
2011-03-01
Both a conservation and rural development strategy, involving community mobilisation and organisation, institutional development, comprehensive training, enterprise development, and monitoring of the natural resource base by local communities.
2011-03-01
Occurs when one group of organisms indirectly affects another group by feeding on the animals that would have eaten them.
2011-03-01
Something that aids or promotes well-being. Direct & indirect benefits are gained from ecosystem goods and services.
2011-03-01
Largest recognizable assemblage of animals and plants on the Earth. The distribution of the biomes is controlled mainly by climate.
2011-03-01
Or, Basotholand. Lesotho's pre-independence name. Independence from Britain, and the name of Lesotho, came officially on 4 October 1966.
2011-03-01
A process in which concentrations of certain compounds found in tissues of organisms increase in successive levels of the food chain.
2011-03-01
The water in rivers, lakes and shallow aquifers. In the past this has received most of the attention from planners, engineers and policymakers because of its association with established forms of irrigation.
2011-03-01
Refers to the variety of life on earth. The most widely accepted definition of biodiversity is found in Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity: “Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources includin…
2011-03-01
Rock at or near (beneath soil and regolith) the Earth's surface that is solid and relatively unweathered.
2011-03-01
Increase in concentration of toxic fat-soluble chemicals in organisms at successively higher trophic levels of a grazing food chain or food web because of the consumption of organisms at lower trophic levels.
2011-03-01
Or, Basutoland. Lesotho's pre-independence name. Independence from Britain, and the name of Lesotho, came officially on 4 October 1966.
2011-03-01
Bethulie is a small sheep and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. The town was also home to one of the largest concentration camps run by the British during the Boer War.
2011-03-01
Chemical formula: CO2. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state. Carbon dioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis. It is produced during respiration by plants, and by all animals.
2011-03-01
A rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of South Africa. There is a very common misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa and the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, but in fact the southernmost point is Cape…
2011-03-01
The mass of all living and dead organic matter in an ecosystem. In certain contexts, the term ‘biomass’ may also refer only to the mass of living organisms in an environment.
2011-03-01
The process whereby people, organisations and society as a whole unleash, strengthen, create, adapt and maintain capacity over time OECD (2006).
2011-03-01
A thin layer of biota—including algae, fungi, bacteria, and other invertebrates—that forms on river and lake substrate.
2011-03-01
A tropical disease spread by parasitic worms living in fresh water, hosted by snails, that can cause rash or itchy skin, fever, chills, muscle aches, and possible damage to the liver, intestines, lungs, and bladder. Also known as schistosomiasis.
2011-03-01
The removal and transfer of water out of its basin of origin by man-made diversions, tanker ships or trucks.
2011-03-01
An exchange between those who grant access to a particular resource and those who provide compensation or rewards for its use.
2011-03-01
The name of a Southern African people (speak Tswana language, also called Setswana). Ethnic Batswana make up a majority of the population of Botswana. However, the term Batswana is sometimes used simply to mean citizens of Botswana
2011-03-01
Groundwater well drilled or dug into the ground for exploration for water or abstraction of water.
2011-03-01
From Afrikaans baster, “bastard,” or “half-breed”. Member of an ethnically mixed group in Namibia and northwestern South Africa, most of whom are descendants of 17th- and 18th-century Dutch and French men and indigenous Nama (Khoek…
2011-03-01
Boer is the Dutch word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century t…
2011-03-01
The Basotho people have lived in southern Africa since around the fifteenth century. The Basotho nation (modern Lesotho) emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe I who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho-Tswana origin that had disperse…
2011-03-01
A river basin includes the river channel and surrounding drainage area – that is, the land and tributaries that drain precipitation falling within this area to the river.
2011-03-01
Part of the discharge which enters a stream channel mainly from groundwater, but also from lakes and glaciers during long periods when no precipitation or snowmelt occurs.
2011-03-01
A cold-blooded vertebrate animal in the class Amphibia. Some characteristics of amphibians include: 1) adults are land-dwelling but return to water to breed; 2) the skin and mouth lining can be used for oxygen exchange underwater; 3) skin is glandular and…
2011-03-01
An Indo-European language, derived from Dutch, mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Zambia.
2011-03-01
Acidic run-off water from mine waste dumps and mill tailings ponds containing sulphide minerals, Also refers to ground water pumped to surface from mines.
2011-03-01
A rapidly increasing community or presence of algae in an aquatic environment or ecosystem.
2011-03-01
A principle through which individuals, organisations and the community are responsible for their actions and may be required to explain them to others.
2011-03-01
Phylum of invertebrates that are typically elongated and segmented, including earthworms and leeches.
2011-03-01
The process of taking water from any source, either temporarily or permanently. Most water is used for irrigation or treatment to produce drinking water. Depending on the environmental legislation in the relevant country, controls…
2011-03-01
Material introduced into rivers from terrestrial environments. Examples include leaves or branches from trees that fall into a river.
2011-03-01
Non-living thing. Usually refers to the physical and chemical components of an organism's environment. Also called inorganic.
2011-03-01
Combines agriculture and forestry technologies to create more integrated, diverse, productive, profitable, healthy and sustainable land use systems.
2011-03-01
Water allocation establishes the criterions for the definition of diferent types of water uses, e.g. for human and animal use, irrigation, industries etc.
2011-03-01
Wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters.
2011-03-01
A stream channel, consisting of sediments resistant to erosion, containing numerous smaller channels separated by stable islands.
2011-03-01
Backscatter is the portion of the outgoing radar signal that the target redirects directly back towards the radar antenna.
2011-03-01
Standards used to set limits to which levels of environmental resources may be permitted to fall.
2011-03-01
(1) Having a pH greater than 7. (2) Substance that releases hydroxyl ions (OH-).
2011-03-01
An organism that synthesizes organic matter from inorganic material, typically by the process of photosynthesis.
2011-03-01
Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease characterized by the destruction of the human immune system. Although there are treatments to hinder the progress of AIDS, there is no known cure or vaccine. UNAIDS and the World Health Organization …
2011-03-01
A 2004 South African Government initiative to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014.
2011-03-01
The average· annual flow of rivers and groundwater generated from endogenous precipitation. Annual averages disguise large seasonal, inter-annual and long-term variations.
2011-03-01
Small-scale fisheries carried out by people who rely on fishing to support their families and other local people. This type of fishing is not fully commercial in nature. The fishing technology may be very sophisticated, but it is not highly dependent on o…
2011-03-01
Augmentation of the natural replenishment of groundwater in aquifers or groundwater reservoirs by artificial supply of water through, e.g., wells.
2011-03-01
A form of data display in which values are shown in graphic form, such as curves. Also a form of computing in which values are represented by directly measurable quantities, such as voltages or resistances. Analog computing methods contrast with digital m…
2011-03-01
Well tapping a confined or artesian aquifer in which the static water level stands above the surface of the ground.
2011-03-01
Freshwater, marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.
2011-03-01
Aquifer whose piezometric surface lies above the ground surface (sometimes used loosely as syn. for confined aquifer).
2011-03-01
An arid environment has a high precipitation deficit, receiving much less precipitation annually than would satisfy the climatological demand for evaporation and transpiration. This is mainly due to the high temperatures and few storms bringing rainfall. …
2011-03-01
(1) Having a pH greater than 7. (2) Substance that releases hydroxyl ions (OH-).
2011-03-01
An underground area consisting of water-bearing unconsolidated material and permeable rock from which economically viable amounts of water can be extracted.
2011-03-01
All activities aimed at producing in restricted areas, processing and marketing aquatic plants and animals from fresh, brackish or salt waters.
2011-03-01
A livelihood that is based on land use that incorporates both settled crop agriculture and the tending of animals that are moved from place to place.
2011-03-01
Separateness in Africaans. A system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government in South Africa between 1948 and 1994.
2011-03-01
The study of the relationship between conditions in the surface layers of the atmosphere and those in the surface of the Earth, as this affects agriculture.
2011-03-01
Of or relating to the study of the origins and development of human beings.
2011-03-01
Occurs when there is insufficient water in the soil to grow a particular crop at a particular time.
2011-03-01
The process of planting trees and/or seeds in areas not previously forested.
2011-03-01
This term can be used to describe a division (town, municipality etc) with administrative powers.
2011-03-01
(1) Substance having a pH less than 7. (2) Substance that releases hydrogen ions (H+).
2011-03-01
1. Substance having a pH less than 7. (2) Substance that releases hydrogen ions (H+).
2011-03-01
A 2004 South African Government initiative to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014.
2011-03-01
The level of flow occurring when water overflows the channel banks and begins to spread onto the floodplain.
2011-03-01
There are open channel flow and closed conduit flow: flow under conditions of a free surface that is open to the atmosphere; or flow in pipelines. In open channels, the only force that can cause flow is the force of gravity. In hydraulics, a pipe is any f…
2011-03-01
Infrastructure assets are installations and services such as roads, water supply, sewage systems, power supply, flood management, leisure facilities, etc. Investment in these assets is made with the intention that dividends will accrue through increased p…