Note: All definitions are from the Ontario's Biodiversity Strategy
unless otherwise indicated.
- alien species — plants, animals and micro-organisms that have been accidentally or deliberately introduced into areas beyond their normal range. Synonyms may include introduced, non-native and exotic.
- biodiversity or biological diversity — the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
- ecological footprint — the Ecological Footprint is a measure of the "load" imposed by a given population on nature. It represents the land area necessary to sustain current levels of resource consumption and waste discharged by that population
- ecosystem — a dynamic complex of plants, animals and micro organisms and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. The term ecosystem can describe small scale units, such as a drop of water, as well as large scale units, such as the biosphere.
- ecosystem services — services that humans derive from ecological functions such as photosynthesis, oxygen production, water purification and so on.
- endangered species — species that are threatened with immediate extinction or extirpation if the factors threatening them continue to operate. Included are species whose numbers have been reduced to a critical level or whose habitats have been so drastically reduced that they are deemed to be in immediate danger of extinction.
- keystone species — a species that has a big effect on its environment relative to its abundance
- natural capital — natural resources, environmental and ecosystem resources, and land that yield goods and services over time that are essential to the sustained health of our environment and the economy
- precautionary approach — in order to protect the environment, where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation
- Species at Risk — any wild plant or animal threatened by, or vulnerable
to extirpation in Ontario or extinction. Species at Risk are assigned a designation (i.e. Special Concern, Threatened, Endangered or Extirpated) to represent the degree of imperilment.
- sustainable development — development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- sustainable use — the use of components of biodiversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to their long-term decline thereby maintaining the potential for future generations to meet their needs and aspirations. Sustainable use in this strategy refers to consumptive uses of biological resources.
