Glossary of Terms

Canalised – of a river, having had its course ‘improved’ to allow a smoother flow of water, often by straightening, dredging or removal of obstacles

Climax Community – the community that exists when an ecosystem is in equilibrium; when succession has reached its natural conclusion. It is best applied at a landscape scale to dynamic systems in flux

Epigeal – living or occurring on or near the surface of the ground

Eutrophication - the enrichment of water by nutrients especially compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus, causing an accelerated growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms and the quality of the water concerned

Frugivores – animals that eat fruit (not necessarily exclusively)

Indicator Species – plants or animals whose presence (or absence) indicates certain environmental conditions

Phytophagous – feeding on plants, including trees. Usually used in reference to insects

Plagioclimax – when external factors such as burning or grazing deflect a community from its natural climax, the result is a plagioclimax

Productivity – in simple terms is the capability of a system to produce food; the amount photo- (or chemo-) synthesis that can take place. Measured in energy per unit area per year

Successional – relating to the predictable and relatively orderly changes in the structure and composition of an ecological community

Wildlife Corridors – linear tracts of land joining fragmented habitats

Wildwood – the woodland that covered Britain after the last ice age before human influence began to shape its composition. No wildwood exists in Britain today