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Glossary

assemblage

A collection of biologically and ecologically related taxa within a community (i.e. all individuals in an organism group), following the definition of Fauth et al. 1996.

benthic

The ecological region at the bottom of a water body (such as a lake, river, or ocean) or a wetland. Also used to refer to organisms that live on the bottom of a body of water or wetland, whether on or in the substrate.

biome

According to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology there are three biomes in freshwater: 1) rivers and streams; 2) lakes; and 3) artificial wetlands. Groundwater, brackish water, palustrine wetlands, and coastal systems are grouped within transitional realms.

DwC

Darwin Core data exchange standard

extension

extensions provide a way to capture additional information outside of the DwC core fields, including additional fields and the ability to map one to many relationships. GBIF has a number of registered extensions.

ecosystem functional group

According to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology, ecosystem functional groups describe ecological conditions within the realms e.g. permanent, seasonal or episodic/ephemeral; freeze-thaw; upland or lowland; large or small; etc.

FIP

Freshwater Information Platform

IPT

Integrated Publishing Toolkit, localized repository software developed and maintained by GBIF for managing and publishing open biodiversity data

lake zone

Lake habitat zones defined based on depth and characteristics related to light penetration, oxygen levels, substrates and temperature; includes littoral, sub-littoral, profundal, and pelagic.

microhabitat

Fine-scale habitat differences within a water body, such as areas with different substrate composition.

organism group

Collections of biologically and ecologically similar organisms that are generally grouped together and described as an assemblage, e.g. benthic invertebrates.

realm

According to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology, there are five realms: 1) terrestrial; 2) freshwater; 3) marine; 4) subterranean; and 5) atmospheric components of the biosphere, as well as transitional zones between realms.

river mesohabitat

Zones in a river differentiated based on types of flow, including riffles (fast-flowing, shallow, rocky areas), runs (deeper, fast-flowing areas), and pools (areas of slow-flowing or standing water).