inverse estuary
See negative estuary (cf estuary).
inverted pyramid
pirámide invertida
Ecology: A situation where a rapid rate of turnover allows a small biomass of prey to support a
larger biomass of predators with a slower turnover. Not uncommon in aquatic systems
where primary producers (phytoplankton) are small and divide rapidly whereas zooplanktonic herbivores are larger and longer-lived (cf ecological pyramid).
irruption
irrupción
Sudden change or oscillation in the population density of an organism, often a rapid
growth of population size followed by a crash.
island biogeography
biogeografía de islas
A quantitative approach to ecological biogeography (qv) based on an empirically determined
and mathematically modeled relationship between island area, distance of island from
mainland species source areas, and equilibrium species richness. The equilibrium is ultimately a balance between immigration and extinction. Applies to “habitat islands” as well as to geographic islands.
island effect
efecto de isla
Putative occurrence of large concentrations of meso- and bathypelagic organisms around
island chains and submerged ridges in otherwise oligotrophic oceanic areas, reflecting the relatively higher productivity around these surface and subsurface features.
isobar
isobara
Line (isopleth) of equal pressure. Contours of isobaric surfaces are commonly drawn in
weather charts to forecast winds and in oceanography to calculate geostrophic flow.
isobath
isobata
Line (isopleth) of equal depth, commonly used to represent depth contours on a chart
of subsurface features.
isoenzyme
isoenzima
See isozyme.
isolating mechanism(s) 1. Definition
mecanismo de aislamiento 1. Definición
A property (ies) of individuals that prevents successful interbreeding or reproduction
with individuals that belong to different populations (prezygotic vs postzygotic
isolating mechanisms).
isolating mechanism(s) 2. Categories.
mecanismo de aislamiento. 2. Categorías
Premating (extrinsic): ecogeographical, habitat, seasonal, ethological, mechanical
Postmating (intrinsic): gametic, developmental, hybrid inviability, hybrid sterility, selective
hybrid elimination.
isolation
aislamiento
Evolution: Separation of two populations so that they are prevented from interbreeding,
whether by extrinsic (premating) or intrinsic (postmating) mechanisms.
isolume
isoluma
Line (isopleth) of equal light intensity.
isometry
isometría
Growth in which the relative proportions of body parts remain constant with change in
total body size. (cf allometry).
isonome
A line on a chart or map connecting points of equal abundance of a species.
isoosmotic (isosmotic)
isoosmótico
Isotonic; having the same osmotic pressure (cf hypoosmotic, hyperosmotic).
isophene
isofena
(1) A line on a chart or map connecting points having the same frequency of occurrence
of a given phenotype; phenocontour.
(2) A line on a chart or map connecting points at which seasonal events occur on the same date; isochronal line.
isopleth
isopleta
A line connecting equivalent values of physical, chemical or biological parameters,
commonly used to contruct contour charts.
isopycnal
isopicna
Line (isopleth) of equal density.
isostasy
isostasis
Concept that large masses of the earth's crust tend toward a "floating" equilibrium and that changes in the mass/position of one block will be compensated for by the uplifting
or sinking of other blocks.
isotherm
isoterma
Line (isopleth) of equal temperature.
isozyme
isozima
Form of enzyme that exists in two or more structural forms easily separable and
identifiable by electrophoretic methods. Widely used in studies of allelic frequency
variation in populations (cf allozyme).
ITCZ
See Intertropical Convergence Zone.
iteroparity
iteroparidad
Situation in which a given individual normally reproduces more than once in its
reproductive lifetime (cf semelparity).
J, K
jet
Oceanography, meteorology: Directed, concentrated, high-speed flow of water or air, such as the jet streams in the atmosphere or currents such as the Somali Current during peak Southwest Monsoon.
jetsam
Floating debris at sea surface or washed ashore, deliberately cast off from a vessel at sea (cf flotsam).
Jordan's laws
ley de Jordan, regla de Jordan
(1) Observation that the closest relatives of a species are found immediately adjacent to it but
isolated from it by a geographical barrier.
(2) Observation that individuals of a given fish species develop more vertebrae in a cold climate than in a warm one (temperature during a critical phase of developmental determination appears to be controlling; true in general of serial meristic (qv) character values).
K-selection
K-seleccción
Selection for maximizing competitive ability, the "strategy" of equilibrium species,
typically a response to stable and/or predictable environmental resources. Associated
features: low fecundity, high juvenile survivorship, high parental investment per individual offspring, late maturity.
keystone predator
predador clave
A predator (qv) whose activities tend to maintain higher community diversity than
would be true if the predator were absent. Predation is viewed as reducing competition
between two or more target species below the point where competitive exclusion (qv) takes place.
kin selection
ortoselección
Form of natural selection in which the "altruism" of an individual benefits its own
close relatives and thereby helps to ensure the survival of at least some of its own
genes.
knot
nudo
Unit of velocity equal to one nautical mile per hour (0.515 m/sec).
kollaplankton
Plankton (qv) rendered buoyant by encasement in gelatinous envelopes;
also spelled collaplankton.
krill
Euphausiid crustaceans occurring in dense swarms, especially Euphausia superba of the
Southern Ocean, a principal food source for many Southern Ocean fishes, sea birds,
and marine mammals.
kurtosis
curtosis
Statistics: One measure of departure of a frequency distribution from a normal distribution, quantified in terms of relative peakedness (leptokurtic) or flatness (platykurtic) (cf skewness).
L
labile
lábil
Plastic; readily modified.
lacustrine
lacustre
Pertaining to or living in lakes or ponds (cf lentic).
lagoon
albufera, laguna costera
Coastal body of shallow water characterized by a restricted connection with the sea or lake.
Lagrangian measurement
medición lagrangeana
Measurement of currents in which the path followed by each fluid particle is traced as
a function of time (cf Eulerian measurement). Classic methods of Lagrangian measurement
include passive drifters such as buoys, drogues or dye release (not to mention messages in bottles).
land bridge
conexión terrestre
Connection between two land masses, especially continents, forming a migrational
corridor (qv). Before the widespread acceptance of continental drift, putative existence
of former land bridges was invoked to explain faunal and floral similarities of now disjunct land areas.
Langmuir circulation
circulación de Langmuir, células de Langmuir
A surface system of vortices and antivortices resulting in lines or zones of upwelling
and downwelling, divergences and convergences, often expressed at the surface in
so-called drift lines. Set up by light but steady winds, a major source of near surface plankton patchiness.
latiphenic
latifénico
See monomorphic.
latitudinal diversity gradient
gradiente latitudinal de diversidad
The trend, widespread but not universal among groups of plants and animals, of exhibiting a monotonic increase in diversity when passing from polar regions toward the equator.
Laurasia
The northern supercontinent formed by the breakup of Pangaea in the Mesozoic (ca 150
million years B. P.), and comprising North America, Greenland, Europe, and Asia excluding
India (cf Gondwanaland).
law of the minimum
ley del mínimo
Principle that productivity of an autotroph is determined by the availability of the scarcest required nutrient, such that different nutrients may be limiting depending upon the specific needs of the autotroph and the availability of all other requisite nutrients. More correctly, Liebig's law of the minimum.
league
An archaic unit of distance, equal to about 3 nautical miles.
lecithotrophic
lecitotrófico
Pertaining to developmental stages that depend upon eggs rich in yolk.
lectotype
lectotipo
Taxonomy: One of a series of syntypes (qv) which, subsequent to the publication of the original
description (of a species), is selected and designated to serve as the "type"
("name-bearing") specimen.
leeward
barlovento
Pertaining to the side facing away from a wind or water current.
lentic
léntico, lenítico
Applied to a freshwater habitat characterized by calm or standing water, eg
ponds, lakes, swamps and bogs (cf lotic, lacustrine).
leptopel
Large organic molecules or aggregates of colloidal proportions suspended in water.
leptophenic
leptofénico
See monophormic.
Liebig's law of the minimum
ley del mínimo de Liebig
See law of the minimum.
life cycle
ciclo de vida
Ecology: Series of developmental changes undergone by individuals comprising a population
including fertilization, reproduction, death, and replacement. The life "cycle"
is linear with respect to individuals but cyclical with respect to populations.
life history strategy
estrategia del ciclo vital
The complex interreactions between life (qv) cycles and environments that allow the
individual (and therefore the species) to survive and reproduce.
limicolous
limícola
Inhabiting mud.
limiting factor
factor limitante
Ecology: In the sense of the law of the minimum (qv), that factor which limits a population, especially used in application to that factor limiting phytoplankton growth under stated conditions.
limivorous
iliófago
Feeding on mud; limophagous.
limnetic zone
zona limnética
The area in deeper and/or more extensive freshwater ecosystems that lies above the
compensation depth but beyond the littoral zone. The limnetic and littoral zones
together comprise the euphotic zone.
limnium
limnobios
A lake community.
limnodic
Pertaining to salt marshes.
limnodium
limnodio
A salt marsh community.
limnology
limnología
The study of freshwater ecosystems, especially lakes.
limophagous
iliófago
Feeding on mud; limivorous.
linkage
ligamiento
(1) The dependency of one function or event upon the occurrence of another event or function.
(2) Genetics: Association of genes on the same chromosome.
lithophagic
Pertaining to organisms that erode or bore into rock (cf endolithic).
littoral
litoral
Ecology: In marine systems the shoreline or intertidal zone. In lakes and shallow freshwater
ecosystems the zone where light penetration to the bottom allows the growth of rooted
plants.
littoral fringe
The landward edge of the littoral (qv) zone.
locus
Genetics: Specific place on a chromosome where a gene is located. At each locus is one gene, which, if it can occur in several different forms (alleles), is represented at a given locus
by only one of those alleles (qv).
logistic growth
crecimiento logístico
A model of population growth explicitly stated as dN/dt = rN ((K-N)/K) where N is the
number of individuals at time t, r is the intrinsic rate of population increase (here
a constant, independent of N, as in the exponential model (qv)), and K is a special and limiting value of N, the so-called carrying capacity of the environment at which dN/dt=0.
longevity
longevidad
(1) Biology: The life span (duration, persistence) of an individual.
(2) Paleontology: Applied to the persistence of a taxon, species, genus, family, over time.
longshore
a lo largo de la costa
Referring to currents or movement parallel to the coastline.
lotic
lótico
Referring to a freshwater habitat characterized by running water, eg springs, streams, and
rivers (cf fluvial, rhithron, lentic).
Lotka-Volterra equations
ecuaciones de Lotka-Volterra
Based on the logistic model (qv), simple equations predicting results of predator-prey interaction
in two-species competition.
luciferous
bioluminiscente
Light-producing, bioluminescent.
luminescence
luminiscencia
Production of light. Biological luminescence (bioluminescence) involves chemical
reactions (luciferin, luciferase) to produce light by living organisms. Bioluminescence
has evolved independently in a variety of organisms.
luticolous
lutícola
Inhabiting mud.
M
macroevolution
macroevolución
Evolution (qv) above the species level, the development of new higher taxa, genera, families,
orders, etc.
macronutrient
macronutriente
An inorganic or organic nutrient compound or element needed in relatively large
amounts for autotrophic productivity. Nitrate and phosphate are the most commonly
limiting macronutrients in oceanic systems.
macroorganisms
macroorganismos
General term for large organisms, typically visible to the naked eye, as contrasted with microorganisms (qv).
macrophyte
macrófita
A large macroscopic plant or alga, used especially in reference to aquatic forms, especially
algae, such as kelps.
macroplankton
macroplancton
Plankton (qv) with maximum dimension on the order of 2 - 20 cm.
macroscale feature
macroescala
Periodic variation in order of years to millennia and/or many hundreds to thousands of kilometers (cf mesoscale feature).
macrosmatic
Pertaining to an organism possessing a highly developed sense of smell.
macrozooplankton
macrozooplancton
Large zooplankton (qv), 2 to 20 cm in maximum dimension.
malacology
malacología
Study of the biology of mollusks, most commonly used in reference to studies of
bivalves and gastropods.
map
mapa, carta
A graphic representation of part or all of the earth's surface including depiction of
features of interest to the cartographer and the intended audience.
marine biology
biología marina
Study of the biology of marine organisms (ie physiology, biochemistry, etc) apart from their roles in marine ecosystems as contrasted with biological oceanography (qv).
marine ecology
ecología marina
Ecology (qv) of marine organisms.
marine mammal
mamífero marino
A mammal that carries out all or virtually all life history functions in the marine
environment. All except cetaceans and sirenians come ashore for courtship, breeding,
birthing and early care of the young. Includes mammals in the orders Cetacea, Sirenia, Pinnipedia, and Carnivora (Enhydra, and, considered by some, Ursus maritimus).
marine snow
nieve marina
Organic aggregates formed by micro-organisms in association with detritus.
maximum sustained yield
cosecha máxima sostenible
The maximum yield or crop which may be harvested year after year without damage to the
system; applied to agriculture, husbandry, and exploitation of natural populations by
humans; commonly employed abbreviation: MSY.
megaplankton
megaplacton
Plankton (qv) with maximum dimension on the order of 20 - 200 cm.
meiobenthos
meiobentos
Benthic organisms such as foraminifera, small nematodes and juvenile macroinvertebrates,
100 - 1000 mm in maximum dimension.
meridional
Term used to describe objects or events mainly in a latitudinal (north-south) direction, eg the meridional flow of eastern and western boundary currents (cf zonal).
meristic character
caracter merístico
A character that can be counted, such as number of vertebrae, number of fin rays,
number of setae, etc.
meromictic
meromíctico
Pertaining to a permanently stratified lake, usually resulting from a significant temperature or salinity difference (and hence density difference) between the epilimnion (qv) and
hypolimnion (qv).
meropelagic
meropelágico
Aquatic organisms that are only temporary members of the pelagic (qv) community
(cf holopelagic).
meroplankton
meroplancton
Invertebrate larvae inhabiting the plankton (qv) only prior to metamorphosis, adults being
benthic; also termed hemiplanktonic (cf holoplankton).
mesic
See xeric.
mesopelagic
mesopelágico
(1) The stratum between 200 and about 1000 m.
(2) Corresponds to the disphotic (qv) zone where light cues result in diel behavioral
responses such as diel vertical migration but in which light is insufficient to support net positive productivity.
mesophenic
See monomorphic.
mesoplankton
mesoplancton
Plankton (qv) with maximum dimension on the order of 0.2 - 20.0 mm
mesoscale eddy
torbellino de mesoescala
An eddy (qv) with a diameter on the order of a few tens to a few hundreds of kilometers, eg warm and cold core rings, persisting over a period of weeks to months (sometimes longer).
mesoscale feature
mesoescala
Periodic variation on the order of weeks to months and/or tens to a few hundreds of kilometers (cf macroscale feature).
metapopulation
metapoblación
A set of partially isolated populations belonging to the same species. The populations
are able to exchange individuals and recolonize sites where the species has recently been extirpated (qv).
microclimate
microclima
The atmospheric characteristics prevailing within a small space, usually in the layer
near the ground, affected by diel surface temperature changes and by vegetation or
lack thereof.
microevolution
microevolución
Evolutionary change within species (as opposed to macroevolution, the origin of
higher taxa), may involve anagenesis (qv) or cladogenesis (qv).
microhabitat
microhábitat
The topographic analogue of microclimate (qv) - a spatially definable subunit of a much
larger habitat presenting organisms with a particular subset of resource and
physiological opportunities and limitations.
micronekton
micronecton
Animals at the interface between plankton and nekton, able to sustain considerable
mobility but incapable of maintaining horizontal position against continuous advection.
Includes most mesopelagic migratory and nonmigratory fishes, eg Myctophidae, as well as such large zooplankton as euphausiid and sergestid crustaceans.
micronutrient
micronutriente
Organic or inorganic element or compound needed only in relatively small amounts by
living organisms for autotrophy (cf macronutrient).
microorganism
microorganismo
An organism of microscopic or submicroscopic size, especially a bacterium or protozoan (cf macroorganism).
microplankton
microplancton
Plankton (qv) with maximum dimensions on the order of 20 - 200 microns.
mictic
míctico
Pertaining to the pattern of water circulation in a lake, eg holomictic (qv), meromictic (qv), etc.
mid-depth species
especie de profundidades medias
See midwater species.
mid-ocean ridge
cresta centro-oceánica
A topographical feature of the deep ocean floor comprising mountain ridges, rift
valleys, and so forth, presumed to be sites of formation and spreading of new ocean
floor, eg the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Carlsberg Ridge, East Pacific Rise, etc.
midwater species
especie de profundidades medias
For oceanic species, a catchall term applied to meso- and bathypelagic species.
migration
migración
(1) Nonrecurrent directional movement or recurrent seasonal movement (as by tuna).
(2) Recurrent daily movement for feeding and for shelter-seeking or other purposes,
eg diel vertical migration or (coastal) daily on/off reef migration by fishes such as squirrelfishes, grunts and some snappers.
milky seas
mar lechoso
Seas in which surface waters are brilliantly lit (visible at night) by bioluminescent
organisms (presumably bacteria or protists). Milky seas may extend (in shipboard
perspective) from horizon to horizon. They have been most commonly reported in the equatorial and north Indian Ocean.
mixed layer
capa de mezcla
Surface layer of the sea in which essentially isothermal conditions (above the main or seasonal thermocline) result in virtually isopycnal (qv) conditions throughout the layer, allowing complete mixing and overturn within the layer by the wind.
molecular clock
reloj molecular
The hypothesis that point mutations occur at a sufficiently regular interval to permit the
dating of phylogenetic dichotomies (cladogenesis, qv). It assumes a direct relationship
between the extent of molecular divergence and the time of ancestral separation of the two branches.
monomictic
monomíctico
Applied to lakes in which only one seasonal period of free circulation (turnover) occurs
each year. Typical of high latitude lakes.
monomorphic
monomórfico
Pertaining to a population or taxon showing no genetically fixed discontinuous variation,
therefore comprising a single discrete morph. Continuous (unimodal) variation may occur
within the population with an extremely broad (latiphenic), moderately broad (mesophenic),
or narrow (leptophenic) range of expressed variation.
monophyletic
monofilético
Phylogeny: A group based on propinquity of descent, includes only branches meeting the
cladistic definition of relationship (qv) and includes all such branches for the level of the
cladogram in reference (holophyletic).
monothetic
monotético
Applied to a taxon defined uniquely by autapomorphy, ie by one or more uniquely
diagnostic derived feature(s) shared by all members of that taxon but not with members
of any other taxon (except via homoplasy (qv)).
monotopic
monotópico
Occurring in a single locality or geographic area (cf polytopic).
monotypic
monotípico
A taxon containing only one immediately subordinate taxon, as a genus containing
only one species.
monotypic species
especie monotípica
A species not divided into recognizably different subspecies or genetically
different populations (cf polytypic species).
monsoon
monsón
A seasonal change of wind field direction and associated climatic properties (especially
rainfall) resulting from widespread temperature changes over land and water in the subtropics.
monsoon gyre
giro monsónico
Refers to complete reversals of current flow in the equatorial Indian Ocean associated
with the alternation of the Southwest and Northeast Monsoons.
morphocline
morfoclina
Morphological transformation series - a graded series of character states of a homologous
character.
morphotype
morfotipo
(1) Taxonomy - A specimen selected to represent a given intrapopulation variant
(morph); has no official ICZN status.
(2) Evolution - A list of the morphological character states presumed present in an ancestral species.
mosaic evolution
evolución en mosaico
Differential rates of evolution of various adaptive attributes within the same evolutionary lineage.
motile
móvil
Moving or having the power to move spontaneously.
MSY
See maximum sustained yield .
multivariate
miltivariado
Statistical techniques or approaches using more than one variable simultaneously to
describe similarities and differences between the groups or factors of reference.
mutation
mutación
Genetics: Process by which a gene or chromosome undergoes structural change.
mutualism
mutualismo
A form of symbiosis (qv) in which both parties (species, individuals) benefit from the
association. Facultative mutualism is sometimes considered a coordinate alternative
category: protocooperation (qv) (cf amensalism, commensalism).
N
n. sp.
Abbreviation of the Latin species nova, new species.
nanoplankton
nanoplancton
Plankton (qv) with maximum dimension on the order of 2.0 - 20.0 microns
nascence
The origin or commencement of a community in a previously barren area.
natatorial
natatorio
Adapted for swimming.
native species
especie nativa
A species considered to occur naturally in a given geographic area, as contrasted with an introduced (qv) species.
natural classification
clasificación natural
A hierarchical classification based on hypothetical phylogenetic relationships such
that the members of each category in the classification share a single common ancestor
(cf artificial classification).
natural selection
selección natural
Differential survival and reproduction in which the total environment determines which
individuals (on average) survive to reproduce and pass their genes to the next
generation.
nautical mile
milla náutica
(1) International: a secondary SI unit equal to 1,852 m, the average distance on Earth's
surface subtended by one minute of latitude.
(2). A secondary fps unit, 6080 feet (UK) or 6080.27 feet (U. S.), the average distance (approx.) on Earth's surface subtended by one minute of latitude.
NE monsoon
monsón NE
A seasonal wind field associated with cold temperatures and high pressure over the Asiatic
mainland, in the northwestern Indian Ocean; the Northeast Monsoon blows from northeast to
southwest during the period November to March.
neap tides
mareas de cuandratura
Lower than average tides (qv) associated with quadrature (qv) of sun and moon.
nearshore
costero, nerítico
Areas of inner neritic (qv) zone.
negative binomial distribution
distribución binomial negativa
A mathematical distribution used to model aggregated or contagiously dispersed
populations (qv).
negative estuary
estuario negativo
An estuary whose waters have salinities greater than the adjacent sea, as contrasted with a normal estuary of lower salinity (cf estuary, neutral estuary).
nekton
necton
Animals capable of maintaining position and even moving against local water currents,
eg migratory fishes such as tunas.
neontology
neontología
Science dealing with the life of Recent organisms (cf paleontology).
neoteny
neotenia
Attainment of sexual maturity in an immature or larval stage.
neotype
neotipo
Taxonomy: A specimen selected as type subsequent to the original description in cases where the original type(s) (holotype, syntype(s)) are known to have been destroyed.
nepheloid layer
capa nefeloide
A turbid layer of ocean water, usually at or near the bottom of the deep ocean, carrying very fine suspended particulate matter.
neritic
nerítico
The coastal zone of the ocean, extending from the shoreline, over the continental
shelf, to the shelf break (covers 8% of the total ocean floor). Both benthic and
pelagic organisms compromise the neritic flora and fauna.
neritopelagic
nerítico-pelágico
Inhabiting the shallow coastal water column over the continental shelf.
net plankton
plancton de red
General term for planktonic organisms large enough and strong enough to be retained by a net of given mesh size.
net primary production
producción primaria neta
See primary productivity.
neuston
Pelagic organisms in the uppermost surface or near-surface layer of the sea; "euneuston" - organisms with maximum abundance at the surface day and night; "facultative neuston" - concentrate at the surface only during feeding; "pseudoneuston" - reach the surface layers at least during certain hours, but do not exhibit maximum abundance at the surface.
neutral estuary
estuario neutral
A semienclosed body of water with salinity neither substantially higher or lower than the adjacent sea, with which it is connected by a restricted opening (cf estuary, negative estuary).
neutralism
neutralismo
Situation in which two species populations coexist with neither population measurably
affected by association with the other.
New World Land Barrier
barrera terrestre del Nuevo Mundo
The present barrier to east-west travel/transport/dispersal of tropical and temperate
marine organisms imposed by interposition of the North, Central and South American
land masses between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
niche
nicho
Ecology: The functional position of an organism in a community including its interaction with
all physical, chemical and biological parameters of the environment that impact that
position.
niche breadth
amplitud del nicho
Range of resources used by a species in its local situation.
niche diversification
diversificación del nicho
The hypothesis that diversity grows with time in a community as finer and finer
division of resources (niches) allows more "packing" of species into a community.
Concomitants are increased species richness (qv), increased equitability (qv) (lower dominance), and a closer approach to an "equilibrium" (qv) view of species composition (cf biological accommodation).
niche overlap
superposición de nichos
Joint use of resources or environmental variables by two species - not necessarily
related to competition.
niche shift
cambio del nicho
Change in resource use patterns by one species when another species (usually a
competitor) is added to or removed from a system.
noctilucent
bioluminiscente
Bioluminescent.
nocturnal
nocturno
Active at night (cf diurnal, crepuscular).
node
nodo
(1) Systematics: A branching point in a dendrogram (qv).
(2) Biogeography: In vicariance biogeography, the location where two "tracks" (qv) (which represent the probable paths of ancestral geographic translocation) intersect (cf panbiogeography).
nomen nudum
Taxonomy: Name that as originally published fails to meet all of the mandatory requirements of
ICZN and is thus lacking status in zoological nomenclature.
nomen oblitum
Taxonomy: Forgotten name. A name that has not been used in the zoological literature for at least 50 years. Such names, even if available senior synonyms, should not be used without
prior ICZN permission.
nomenclature
nomeclatura
Taxonomy: The system of scientific names applied to taxa or the process of application of these
names.
nomenifer
Taxonomy: A specimen acting as a name-bearer (cf onomatophore).
nominate
nominado
Taxonomy: Used of a subordinate taxon (subspecies or subgenus) containing the type of
the higher taxon and bearing the same name.
nomograph
A graph on which temperature and density contours are plotted against salinity for
given field data. Used in the depiction of T-S curves (qv) and T-S envelopes (qv), and for water mass identification and description.
nonconservative property
propiedad no conservativa
Properties of sea water changed in situ, not just at major hydrosphere interfaces, by some
nearshore and sedimentary processes but mainly by the activities of living organisms.
Such properties include alkalinity, nutrient content, organic content, dissolved oxygen content, pH, and the extinction coefficient, among others (cf conservative property).
nonparametric statistic
estadística no paramétrica
A so-called "distribution-free" statistic (qv), one that does not involve assumptions of an
underlying normal distribution, homoscedascity (qv) of variances among groups, etc.,
that are prerequisite to use of parametric statistics such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).
normalizing selection
selección normalizante
Stabilizing selection (qv).
Northeast Monsoon
See NE Monsoon.
NTSYS (NTSYS-PC)
NTSYS (mainframes), NTSYS-PC (IBM compatible microcomputers).
A widely used package of programs for phenetic analyses, developed by
J. Rohlf, Exeter Publishing Ltd.
null hypothesis
hipótesis nula
Statistics: The hypothesis that no real difference or association exists between two
populations or between observed values and an underlying expected distribution, and that
therefore any deviation observed is due to chance alone. Denoted by Ho.
numerical response
respuesta numérica
Ecology: A change in the number of predators in a predator population as a result of a change in
prey density (cf functional response).
numerical taxonomy
taxonomía numérica
Phylogeny: Also called phenetics. Grouping is based on relationship defined as unweighted overall similarity. As many characters as practicable are utilized as well as a variety of
measures of similarity/distance and grouping algorithms.
nutricline
nutriclina
Zone of rapid change of nutrient concentration with distance (typically with depth).
nutrient
nutriente
Any chemical compound or element in sufficiently short supply that it limits or
potentially limits autotrophic productivity and whose addition to a system (under
defined circumstances) will enhance that productivity (cf biogeochemical cycle, micronutrients, macronutrients).
nyctipelagic
nictipelágico
Pertaining to organisms that migrate into surface waters at night.
O
obex
Any barrier separating populations (obices).
obligate
obligado
Essential; necessary; unable to exist in any other state, mode or relationship (cf facultative); eg obligate cleaning symbiont.
occidental
Western; westerly (cf oriental).
ocean color
color del océano
Division of reflection of visible light from the sea surface into a number of frequency
(wave length) bands corresponding to what we perceive as different colors. A number of
processes, including biological productivity are closely indexed by color at the sea surface. Detection outside the visible portion of the spectrum, especially in the infrared, may be used in similar fashion.
oceanic
oceánico
The environment of the open sea beyond the neritic zone, ie seaward of the shelf break. Both
pelagic and benthic components comprise the oceanic environment, although most commonly used with reference to the pelagic system.
oceanic common water
The largest water mass in the world, forming deepwater in the Indian and Pacific Oceans,
with mean temperature about 1.5° C and mean salinity about 34.7 ppt.
oceanic island
isla oceánica
A volcanic island formed independently of and never connected to any continental
land mass.
oceanodromous
talasódromo
Pertaining to organisms that migrate only within the marine environment (cf diadromous,
potamodromous).
oceanography
oceanografía
Study of the physics, chemistry, geology and biology of the oceans.
œcesis
See ecesis.
offshore
mar adentro
General term for ocean regions not in close proximity to land (cf inshore)
-oidea
Suffix; ending of a name of a superfamily in the zoological literature.
-oideae
Suffix; ending of a name of a subfamily in the botanical literature.
oike
Habitat (qv).
Old World Land Barrier
barrera terrestre del Viejo Mundo
The barrier to free interchange of tropical and subtropical marine organisms between the
Atlantic and Indian Oceans caused by the interposition of Africa and southwest Asia.
oligomictic
oligomíctico
Applied to lakes that are seasonally stable, only rarely (if at all) exhibiting overturn.
True of most tropical lakes with very warm surface waters.
oligotrophic
oligotrófico
Poor in inorganic nutrients, primary production will be nutrient limited even where
other conditions for sustained high levels of productivity are favorable. Often applied to the so-called "blue-water areas" of exceedingly low productivity most strongly characterized by the central portions of the subtropical anticyclones. Also applied to poorly productive lakes which are often (in various combinations) temperate, alpine, cold, deep (cf eutrophic, dystrophic).
omnivorous
omnívoro
Heterotrophic consumption of live plant and animal material (cf carnivorous, herbivore, detritovore).
onomatophore
onomatóforo, portador de nombre
Taxonomy: A nomenclatural type (holotype, syntype, lectotype, neotype, qv); a specimen acting as the name bearer (cf nomenifer),
ontogeny
ontogenia
The developmental history of an individual organism from egg (zygote, spore, etc.)
to adult.
ooze
fango
Fine-grained deepsea sediments (siliceous or calcareous) of biological origin (containing greater than 30% of the naming constituent; cf diatom ooze, foraminiferan ooze, Globigerina ooze, pteropod ooze, radiolarian ooze).
open net haul
lance con red sin apertura-cierre
A net fished open (lacking or not employing discrete depth sampling capabilities)
typically from depth to surface (cf discrete depth sampling).
opportunistic species
especie oportunista
Fugitive species (qv).
-opsida
Suffix. The ending of the name of a class in the botanical literature.
optimal
óptimo
Most favorable; pertaining to the levels of environmental factors best suited for
growth and reproduction (cf pessimal, optimal foraging, optimal yield, etc).
optimal foraging theory
teoría de aprovisionamiento óptimo, teoría de forrajeo óptimo
Idea that selection favors prey utilization that maximizes net energy gain per unit of
predator feeding time and/or effort.
optimal yield
cosecha óptima
Fisheries: The MSY (cf maximum sustained yield) under a given set of environmental conditions.
ordination
ordenamiento
Numerical methods for arranging individuals or attributes along one or more lines.
Commonly used in ecology to represent distance in multidimensional space in
coordinates of 2 or 3 dimensions (2-space or 3-space).
oriental
Eastern, easterly (cf occidental).
orogeny
orogenia
The process of mountain formation.
orthogenesis
ortogénesis
(1) Evolution of phyletic lines following a predetermined rectilinear pathway,
the direction not being determined by natural selection (cf directional selection, anagenesis).
(2) The result of directional selection or "orthoselection" where directionality of selective forces is maintained over evolutionary time.
osmoregulation
osmoregulación
Physiologically, the process whereby marine or freshwater organisms maintain their osmotic balance at an osmotic pressure different than that of the ambient waters (cf hyperosmotic, hypoosmotic, isosmotic).
OTU
Operational taxonomic unit. Jargon first put forward by the pheneticists in their search
for objectivity, but now used almost universally. Each of the taxa of whatever
rank (typically species or genera) that form the elements of an attempt at classification.
N. B. it takes at least three OTU's to meaningfully discuss taxonomic relationship, however one chooses to define and estimate relationship.
outgroup
Phylogeny: The taxon (taxa) selected for comparison with the study taxon (ingroup) for purposes of developing transformation series hypotheses (basically primitive ===> derived). Use is
expressed by the so-called Outgroup Rule: Given two characters (states) that are homologous and found within a single phylogenetic group, the character (state) that is also found in the sister-group (outgroup) is the plesiomorphic state.
outwelling
Enrichment of coastal waters by flushing of nutrient materials from coastal estuaries
and embayments (cf upwelling).
overdispersion
sobredispersión
A situation where individuals in a population do not occur randomly with respect to one
another but exhibit clumping, such that the presence of one is associated with enhanced
probability of another nearby (cf even, random). In overdispersion samples tend to have either a large number of individuals per sample or none at all (cf. Aggregated, dispersion).
overturn
mezcla
Thorough (vertical as well as horizontal) water circulation in the sea or in fresh water,
often occurring seasonally, and often caused by density differentials induced by
seasonally changing temperatures.
oxygen debt
deficiencia de oxígeno
Physiologically, the result of oxygen being utilized more rapidly (usually through extensive or rapid muscular exertion) than can be replaced by the normal oxygen delivery system. Organisms typically employ various anoxic metabolic mechanisms until the oxygen debt can be repaid.
oxygen deficit layer
See oxygen minimum layer.
oxygen isotope ratio
relación entre los isótopos del oxígeno
The ratio of 18O2 to 16O2, used to estimate temperatures that existed at particular
periods in earth history, eg from the ratio of these isotopes in fossil marine shells
(from the oxygen in the CaCO3). Enhancement of 18O2 indicates warmer temperatures.
oxygen-minimum layer
capa de mínimo oxígeno
A markedly hypoxic, in some areas thick (hundreds of meters vertically), layer of oxygen poor water, typically between 100 and 1000 m below the surface. Oxygen minimum layers are especially pronounced in the eastern tropical Pacific, the northern Indian Ocean, and the eastern tropical Atlantic.
P, Q
P/B ratio
relación producción/biomasa
Production / biomass ratio. In mass terms the ratio between net primary production and
standing stock (living and dead) of autotroph biomass. Typically P/B values are very
high for oceanic communities and very low for terrestrial communities such as forests.
Pacific Ocean
Océano Pacifico
Largest of the world's oceans (179.7 X 106 km2). It is also (on average) the coldest
(3.36° C), deepest (4,028 m) and least saline (34.62 ppt).
paedogenesis
paidogénesis
Heterochrony (qv) that results in reproduction by forms that have larval or other immature characteristics.
paedomorphosis
paidomorfosis
Evolutionary change that results in retention of juvenile characters in adults.
paleocirculation
paleocirculación
Pre-existent patterns of oceanic circulation detected by sedimentary, isotopic and
fossil analyses, amongst other clues.
paleontology
paleontología
Science dealing with the life of past geological periods, in time preceding Recent (cf neontology).
palingenetic
palingenético
Ancestral; of remote or ancient origin.
paludal
palustre
Pertaining to marshes (cf helic, palustrine).
palustrine
palustre
Pertaining to wet or marshy habitats. Lentic habitats substantially filled with
aquatic vegetation.
panbiogeography
panbiogeografía
Term coined by L. Croizat to describe a new synthesis of plant and animal biogeography.
Central features include the recognition of "tracks" ( = generalized tracks (qv)) and
"nodes" (where different tracks intersect). These and other of Croizat's ideas formed the basis for vicariance biogeography (qv).
panchestron
An explanation of such ambiguity that it can be taken to explain almost anything.
pandemic
pandémico
Very widely distributed; ubiquitous; cosmopolitan.
Pangea
A single supercontinent which came into being in late Permian times and persisted about
40 million years, until it began to break up at the end of the Triassic Period. Its
division resulted in the northern Laurasia (ultimately much of North America, Europe, and Asia) and the southern Gondwanaland (ultimately South America, Africa, south Asia, Australia and Antarctica).
panmixis
Random mating of individuals in a population (as opposed to assortative mating where
mate preference based on morphological, behavioral or other features is expressed).
Panthalassa
Pantalasia
The universal ocean surrounding Pangea (qv).
pantropical
Circumtropical (qv).
paradigm
paradigma
Essentially a large-scale and generalized model providing the current viewpoint from
which the real world is perceived and studied. Scientific progress is measured by
a succession of reigning paradigms.
paradox of the plankton
paradoja del plancton
Phrase coined by the limnologist G. E. Hutchison: the observation that recognizable
niche axes available to planktonic organisms (especially phytoplankton) appear to be too
few to account for existing diversity in light of the competitive exclusion (qv) principle.
parallelism
paralelismo
The independent acquisition of similar character states in related evolutionary
lines [(cf convergence); parallelism and convergence are continuous on a gradient of
degree of "relatedness", a concept almost never rigorously defined] (cf homoplasy).
parameter
parámetro
Statistics: A characteristic of the distribution of a variable or population, such as
the mean or variance, usually denoted by Greek letters (cf statistic).
parametric statistic
estadística paramétrica
A body of statistical techniques based on similar assumptions about underlying
distributions and properties - normality, homoscedasticity (qv) of group variances, etc.
parapatric speciation
especiación parapátrica
(1) Speciation in which geographical isolation between presumptive daughter species (qv)
is incomplete. In the sea viewed as a consequence of very large species-range sizes
with differing selective pressures, due to ecological differences, resulting in discontinuous variation and disruptive changes in characters.
(2) Speciation that occurs despite minor gene flow between demes (qv). Selective pressures are
sufficiently strong to prevent homogenization of the immigrant genes by interbreeding.
parapatry
parapatria
The condition where populations or species in nonoverlapping distributions make contact
without interbreeding.
paraphyletic
parafilético
Phylogeny: (1) An artificial grouping based on symplesiomorphy, ie sharing of primitive
character states. (2) Pertaining to a taxon including some but not all descendents of the common ancestor.
parasite
parásito
An organism, usually markedly smaller in size, that gains benefit from another organism, the host, to the detriment of the host.
parasitism
parasitismo
Interaction of species populations where one derives benefits to the detriment (even to the death) of the other. Similar to predation except: (1) it is usually slow (by degree); (2) the species
benefiting (the parasite) is often much smaller than the host, living on it or in it; and
(3) in many cases the parasite may weaken but not kill the host.
paratype
paratipo
Taxonomy: A specimen or specimens other than the holotype before the author at the time of
preparation of the original description of a species and so designated or indicated
by the original author. Paratypes have no "name-bearing" status (are not onomatophores (qv)) in the ICZN.
parsimony
parsimonia
The search for the simplest explanation not contradicted by the facts. Parsimony is the holy grail of cladistic methodology, one sometimes feels that cladists think they invented it.
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