PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 2004

Biodiversity Patterns and Conservation in the Hackensack Meadowlands, New Jersey

Glossary

Benthic
Organisms (e.g., protozoa, nematodes, insects) living on or in the bottom of water bodies.
Bivalvia
A class of mollusks with a shell in two parts, hinged together.
Canid
A member of Canidae, the family of carnivorous mammals that includes foxes, jackals, coyotes, wolves, and domestic dogs.
Charadriiformes
A large, diverse order of mostly aquatic or semiaquatic birds, including sandpipers, plovers, skimmers, terns, and gulls.
Cnidaria
A phylum of marine animals formerly called Coelenterata: the sea anemones, jellyfish, hydroids, sea pens, and corals.
Combined sewer overflows
Discharges into waterways during rainstorms of untreated sewage and other pollutants via combined sewers carrying both sanitary sewage and storm-water runoff from streets, parking lots, and rooftops. This occurs mainly in older sewage systems that do not have completely separated sewage and storm-water pipes. The term also refers to the physical structure of the pipes.
Emergency overflows
Discharges into waterways of untreated sewage and other pollutants during maintenance of sewage systems.
Estuarine
Of or relating to an estuary, a coastal body of water in which freshwater mixes with seawater and which has a free connection with the open sea and is often subject to tidal action.
Igneous
Rock that has crystallized from magma.
Keystone species
A species that has a major influence on the structure of an biological community. Its presence affects many other members of the community, and if its population dwindles or disappears, there can be far-reaching consequences for the community.
Macrobenthos
Organisms (e.g., protozoans, nematodes, insects) living on or in sea or lake bottoms whose shortest dimension is greater than or equal to 0.5 millimeters (0.019 inches).
Microfungi
Small fungi whose spore-producing structures can be observed only through a microscope.
Nektonic
Actively swimming.
Nonpasserine
Relating to or characteristic of birds other than the songbirds and flycatchers.
Oligochaeta
A class of annelid worms, including the earthworms and their aquatic relatives.
Oligohaline
Of or relating to a body of water with a salinity content of less than 5 parts per thousand (or 5 grams of salt per liter).
PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons)
A range of persistent, toxic organic compounds produced by the incomplete combustion of petroleum fuels and also originating from creosote, a wood preservative.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
A range of persistent, toxic organic compounds formerly used as liquid insulators in electrical transformers and capacitators, as well as in many consumer products. They cause reproductive problems and other health problems in mammals, birds, and reptiles.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
A range of persistent, toxic organic compounds formerly used as liquid insulators in electrical transformers and capacitators, as well as in many consumer products. They cause reproductive problems and other health problems in mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Peridomestic
Around the home.
Qualitative
Based on individual, often subjective analysis.
Rallid
A marsh or water bird in the family Rallidae, including rails, gallinules (moorhens), and coots.
Riparian
Pertaining to a river or dwelling on the banks of a river.
Rhynchocoela
A phylum of bilaterally symmetrical, unsegmented, ribbonlike worms.
Ruderal species
Species characteristic of lands (such as road verges) that are highly disturbed but may be rich in water, nutrients, and other resources.
Taxon (pl. taxa)
The organisms composing a particular unit of classification, such as phylum, class, family, genus, or species.
Tentaculata
A class of comb jellies with two feathery tentacles, which they can retract into specialized sheaths.
Tunicata
A grand division of the animal kingdom that is intermediate, in some respects, between the invertebrates and vertebrates (and grouped with the latter by some authorities). The body of a tunicate is usually covered with a firm external tunic with two openings, one for the entrance and the other for the exit of water.
Turbidity
Level of cloudiness due to suspended particles in water.
Un-guyed
Without external supports.