Assessment
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The identification of the status of, and threats to, wetlands as a basis for the collection of more specific information through monitoring activities.
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Avulsion
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A point in a stream channel, at which the stream breaks through the bank, often creating a new path for the stream and leaving behind disused (relict) channels.
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Baseline
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Condition at a starting point. For Ramsar wetlands it will usually be the time of listing of a Ramsar site.
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Benchmark
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A standard or point of reference.
A pre-determined state (based on the components which are sought to be protected) to be achieved or maintained.
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Benefits
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Benefits and services are defined in accordance with the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment definition of ecosystem services as "the benefits that people receive from ecosystems.
See also “Ecosystem Services”.
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Biogeographic region
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A scientifically rigorous determination of regions as established using biological and physical parameters such as climate, soil type, vegetation cover, etc.
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Biological diversity
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The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (species diversity), of ecosystems (ecosystem diversity), and of ecological processes. This definition is largely based on the one contained in Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
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Catchment
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The total area draining into a river, reservoir, or other body of water.
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Change in ecological character
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Defined as the human-induced adverse alteration of any ecosystem component, process, and/or ecosystem benefit/service.
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Community
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An assemblage of organisms characterised by a distinctive combination of species occupying a common environment and interacting with one another.
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Conceptual model
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Wetland conceptual models express ideas about components and processes deemed important for wetland ecosystems.
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Contracting Parties
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Countries that are Member States to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; 154 as at March 2007. Membership in the Convention is open to all states that are members of the United Nations, one of the UN specialized agencies, or the International Atomic Energy Agency, or is a Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice [http://www.ramsar.org/key_cp_e.htm].
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Deflation basin
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Basins formed by wind blowing sediments from the site.
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Ecological character
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The combination of the ecosystem components, processes and benefits and services that characterise the wetland at a given point in time. Within this context, ecosystem benefits are defined in accordance with the variety of benefits to people (Ecosystem Services). (Millennium definition of ecosystem services as "the benefits that people receive from ecosystems".
The phrase "at a given point in time" refers to Resolution VI.1 paragraph 2.1, which states that "It is essential that the ecological character of a site be described by the Contracting Party concerned at the time of designation for the Ramsar List, by completion of the Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (as adopted by Recommendation IV. 7).
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Ecological communities
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Any naturally occurring group of species inhabiting a common environment, interacting with each other especially through food relationships and relatively independent of other groups. Ecological communities may be of varying sizes, and larger ones may contain smaller ones.
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Ecosystems
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The complex of living communities (including human communities) and non-living environment (Ecosystem Components) interacting (through Ecological Processes) as a functional unit which provides inter alia a variety of benefits to people (Ecosystem Services). (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005).
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Ecosystem components
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The physical, chemical and biological parts of a wetland (from large scale to very small scale, e.g. habitat, species and genes) (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005).
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Ecosystem processes
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The dynamic forces within an ecosystem. They include all those processes that occur between organisms and within and between populations and communities, including interactions with the non-living environment that result in existing ecosystems and bring about changes in ecosystems over time (Australian Heritage Commission 2002). They may be physical, chemical or biological.
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Ecosystem services
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The benefits that people receive or obtain from an ecosystem. The components of ecosystem services are provisioning (for example food and water), regulating (for example flood control), cultural (for example spiritual, recreational), and supporting (for example nutrient cycling, ecological value). (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005).
See also “Benefits”.
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Fluvial geomorphology
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The study of water-shaped landforms.
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Geodiversity
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The natural range (diversity) of geological (bedrock), geomorphological (landform) and soil features, assemblages, systems and processes. Geodiversity includes evidence of the past life, ecosystems and environments in the history of the earth as well as a range of atmospheric, hydrological and biological processes currently acting on rocks, landforms and soils (Australian Heritage Commission 2002).
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Granodiorite
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An igneous rock, similar to granite but usually darker in appearance.
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Indicator
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Feature whose status provides information on the overall condition of the ecosystem, and which can therefore be used to assess environmental quality.
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Indigenous species
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A species that originates and occurs naturally in a particular country.
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Introduced (non-native) species
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A species that does not originate or occur naturally in a particular country.
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Limits of Acceptable Change
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The variation that is considered acceptable in a particular component or process of the ecological character of the wetland without indicating change in ecological character which may lead to a reduction or loss of the criteria for which the site was Ramsar listed’.
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List of Wetlands of International Importance ("the Ramsar List")
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The list of wetlands which have been designated by the Ramsar Contracting Party in which they reside as internationally important, according to one or more of the criteria that have been adopted by the Conference of the Parties [http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm].
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Lunette
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An arc-shaped mound formed on the lee side of a deflation basin, made up of sediment blown from the deflation basin.
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Mesotidal
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Coastal ocean or waterway with a moderate mean tidal range, for example between two and four metres (http://www.ozcoasts.org.au/glossary/def_m-p.jsp).
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Monitoring
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The collection of specific information for management purposes in response to hypotheses derived from assessment activities, and the use of these monitoring results for implementing management.
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Ramsar
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City in Iran, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, where the Convention on Wetlands was signed on 2 February 1971; thus the Convention's short title, "Ramsar Convention on Wetlands" [http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm].
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Ramsar Criteria
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Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International Importance, used by Contracting Parties and advisory bodies to identify wetlands as qualifying for the Ramsar List on the basis of representativeness or uniqueness or of biodiversity values. http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm
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Ramsar Convention
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Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Ramsar (Iran), 2 February 1971. UN Treaty Series No. 14583. As amended by the Paris Protocol, 3 December 1982, and Regina Amendments, 28 May 1987. The abbreviated names "Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)" or "Ramsar Convention" are more commonly used [http://www.ramsar.org/index_very_key_docs.htm].
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Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
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The form upon which Contracting Parties record relevant data on proposed Wetlands of International Importance for inclusion in the Ramsar Database; covers identifying details like geographical coordinates and surface area, criteria for inclusion in the Ramsar List and wetland types present, hydrological, ecological, and socioeconomic issues among others, ownership and jurisdictions, and conservation measures taken and needed (http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm).
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Ramsar List
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The List of Wetlands of International Importance [http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm].
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Ramsar Sites
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Wetlands designated by the Contracting Parties for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance because they meet one or more of the Ramsar Criteria [http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm].
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Ramsar Sites Database
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Repository of ecological, biological, socio-economic, and political data and maps with boundaries on all Ramsar sites, maintained by Wetlands International in Wageningen, the Netherlands, under contract to the Convention [http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_glossary.htm].
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Sand Splay
Threatened species
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A deposit of water-borne sand at a point in the landscape where the water loses its capacity to carry the sediment and consequently deposits the sediment in a sheet or delta-like formation. This often happens at the site of avulsions.
A term used sometimes to cover species listed as threatened or listed as endangered, vulnerable or rare.
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Wetlands
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Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.
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Wetland types
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As defined by the Ramsar Convention’s wetland classification system [http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris.htm#type].
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Wise use of wetlands
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The maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches[1], within the context of sustainable development[2]".
1. Including inter alia the Convention on Biological Diversity's "Ecosystem Approach" (CBD COP5 Decision V/6) and that applied by HELCOM and OSPAR (Declaration of the First Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Helsinki and OSPAR Commissions, Bremen, 25-26 June 2003).
2. The phrase "in the context of sustainable development" is intended to recognize that whilst some wetland development is inevitable and that many developments have important benefits to society, developments can be facilitated in sustainable ways by approaches elaborated under the Convention, and it is not appropriate to imply that 'development' is an objective for every wetland.
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