Glossary

This glossary defines the technical terms used on the site that new users might not be familiar with. .

A : B : C : D : E : F : G : H : I : J : K : L : M : N : O : P : Q : R : S : T : U : V : W : X : Y : Z

A

Abdomen: the end part of an insect, after the head and thorax. 

Active surveillance: a planned process targeted to find and identify a particular new pest. 

Antennal club: enlarged segments that form a club-like structure at the end of the antenna. They can be composed of two, three or four segments. 

Axil: the upper angle between a leaf stalk or branch and the stem or trunk from which it is growing.

B

Bioaccumulation: when pesticides or other chemicals buildup in the tissues of a living organism (i.e. crabs or fish or plants). This process can make the affected organism unsafe to eat. 

Biological control: a means of controlling pests using other living organisms that relies on predation (animals killing other animals for food), herbivory (animals eating plants) or parasitism (using other animals or plants for food, but not killing them outright). There are currently no effective biological controls for invasive ants. 

Biosecurity: the protection of a country’s economy, environment and peoples’ health from biological threats such as pests and diseases. 

Buffer zone: an area surrounding or directly beside a pest population, that is not infested with that pest. It is often treated with toxic baits, or has other special control measures applied to it (such as keeping it clear of objects or debris that could provide nesting sites) in order to reduce the likelihood of the target pest spreading. 

C

Clonal reproduction: a form of asexual reproduction in which eggs are not fertilised by males.

Containment: keeping an invasive species within a defined area. 

Control: reducing the population of an invasive species. 

CRB: Coconut rhinoceros beetle. 

CRB-G: CRB has two different 'biotypes' in the Pacific. CRB-G is not affected by the viral biocontrol isolates that have been used to control CRB-S. This means CRB-G can reach very high numbers that cause severe damage in palm plantations, and is very difficult to control. The G in the name stands for Guam, which is the first place the biotype was found. It is not known where the CRB-G biotype came from.

CRB-S: is the biotype susceptible to known virus isolates. The S in the name stands for Susceptible.

CRB-P: an older name for CRB-S. The P in the name stands for Pacific.

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D

Delimiting: determine the boundary of something. With respect to an insect invasion, delimiting the invasion means finding out how far the insects have spread. 

Destruction: a control method that neutralises a potential threat, such as heat treatment, fumigation or cold treatment. This action may result in the carrier item being destroyed: e.g. if a potted plant that is found to have insects nesting among its roots is heat treated, the plant may also be killed. 

DNA: RNA and DNA are molecules (chemical building blocks) known as nucleic acids, and both are used for transmitting genetic information within (and between) living things. Structurally, DNA and RNA molecules are almost identical. However, there are fundamental differences between the two that leads to the molecules having very different functions. A simplified perspective is that plants, animals, fungi and bacteria use only DNA as the template for their genetic make-up. These organisms use different types of RNA to transmit information, usually to make up amino acids, and then proteins. The genetic material of viruses can be DNA or RNA. RNA viruses (and viroids) use RNA as the template for their genetic make-up and for transmitting information.

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E

Ecological community: a group of native plants, animals and other organisms that interact with each other in a specific geographical area. 

Effective management: achieving operational success (e.g. reducing the pest to defined levels) and desired outcomes (reduced impact and recovery of impacted values) of invasive species management.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA): an EIA is an analysis of the potential non-target effects of a management plan or activity on the environment. An ESIA also includes social and economic impacts. Both analyses also include suggestions on how these potential non-target effects can be made less serious. 

Environmental threat: invasive insects pose an environmental threat when they are present in sufficient numbers to have measurable and quantifiable ecological effects. 

Eradication: the removal of every individual of a species from the infested country, such that the only way the species could re-establish is to re-enter the country from another country. Eradication should be demonstrated by surveillance. 

Extra-floral nectary: these are sources of nectar outside the flowers of plants.

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F

Forage / Foraging / Forager: foraging means hunting for food. Foragers are worker insects looking for food.

Freedom: the provable absence of a pest organism from a country or region such that the only way the pest could establish is if it were introduced from an external country or region.

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G

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H

Half-life: the half-life is the time required for half of the compound to break down in the environment. Thus, 1 half-life = 50% remaining, 2 half-lives = 25% remaining, 3 half-lives = 12% remaining, 4 half-lives = 6% remaining, 5 half-lives = 3% remaining. Some chemicals metabolise or degrade into other chemicals of toxicological significance, and half-lives can vary widely depending on environmental factors. 

Honeydew: is a sugar rich substance excreted by sap-sucking insects and often deposited on leaves and stems. Some ants 'farm' insects (like mealybugs) that produce honeydew.  

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I

Impact(s): a routinely used term in invasion ecology and management that refers to the negative effects of an invasive species on resident native organisms (biodiversity), agriculture, economy, health or lifestyle.

Incursion: a single arrival event of an invasive species in a new environment. Typically an incursion is identified at the time of arrival (or first detection), and an incursion response plan developed. The arrival of an organism within a country after it has crossed the border. 

Incursion response plan: effectively an emergency response plan to deal with a newly detected incursion of an invasive species. Incursion response plans include a number of steps including: 1) initial detection and response; 2) delimiting survey and; 3) draft management plan, including a surveillance plan, a plan for treatment and eradication (if possible), a communications strategy, specifications for movement controls, monitoring progress, a budget, and an organisational plan. 

Inert gas: a gas that does not react with other substances. 

Infestation: a single discrete area where the invasive species is localised. An incursion consists of one or more infestations.

Introduced species: plants, animals and other organisms taken beyond their natural range by people, deliberately or unintentionally.

Invaded area: a location in which an invasive species is present. As opposed to an uninvaded area, where an invasive species is not present. 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): the goal of IPM is to keep pest populations to a level below which that are doing harm. IPM involves using multiple control options together for the economic control of pests. In an agricultural context the Food and Agriculture Organization defines IPM as "the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms". 

Invasive species: introduced species that become destructive to the environment or human interests.

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J

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K

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L

LC50: lethal concentration in a single exposure that causes death in 50% of animals tested.

LD50: lethal dose in a single exposure that causes death in 50% of animals tested.

LOEL: lowest observed effect level. Relating to a pesticide, the lowest level  or concentration at which effects are observed.

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M

Management: reducing or eliminating the impacts of established invasive species, by eradication, containment, exclusion, or population reduction by physical, chemical or biological control. Note that although the title of the SPC and SPREP Guidelines for Invasive Species Management in the Pacific refers to management, in this latter context biosecurity is included as part of management.

Monitoring: programmes to detect change, e.g. in the distribution of invasive species, the success of management projects etc.

Movement Control: preventing an invasive insect from spreading by Controlled Area Notices and Restricted Place Notices and their conditions. Also includes the processing of movement permits, management of perimeter controls, hygiene barriers and signage, and the provision of conveyance decontamination sites.

Mutualism: a relationship between two organisms that both benefit from.

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N

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O

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P

Passive surveillance:  the detection of exotic species through haphazard, unplanned and unsolicited observations by the general public, farmers, orchardists, gardeners, veterinarians, plant pathologists and others. 

Pathway: a unique means by which a living organism may enter a country. 

Pest: a prion, virus, microbe, bacterium, fungus, plant or animal capable of causing adverse effects to a country’s natural and introduced biodiversity.

 Photosynthesis: the process by which a plant makes sugars.

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Q

Quarantine: legal restrictions imposed on an area, animal, place, vehicle or other item that limit movement for a prescribed period. 

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R

Risk: the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives. It is measured in terms of likelihood and consequences.

Risk organism / species: an organism or species that could pose a threat to values we wish to protect.

Risk pathway: the way in which a risk organism can be transported into the country.

RNA: RNA and DNA are molecules (chemical building blocks) known as nucleic acids, and both are used for transmitting genetic information within (and between) living things. Structurally, DNA and RNA molecules are almost identical. However, there are fundamental differences between the two that leads to the molecules having very different functions. A simplified perspective is that plants, animals, fungi and bacteria use only DNA as the template for their genetic make-up. These organisms use different types of RNA to transmit information, usually to make up amino acids, and then proteins. The genetic material of viruses can be DNA or RNA. RNA viruses (and viroids) use RNA as the template for their genetic make-up and for transmitting information.

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S

Sexual Reproduction: a form of reproduction in which males and females mate to produce offspring. As opposed to asexual reproductive where offspring arise from a single individual.

Stakeholder: an individual or organization that may be affected by the impacts of a risk organism or control measures taken against it. 

Surveillance: a systematic programme of inspection and examination to determine the presence of a risk organism.

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T

Transect: a fixed path along which one counts and records occurrences of the species of interest. 

Treatment: application of pesticide or other means of control at a single point in time.

Tree crotches: an area on a tree where a trunk, or large branches, split into two forming a 'Y' shape. 

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U

Understory: the shrubs and plants growing underneath the main canopy in a forest. 

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V

Vector: a vector is the object that moves an invasive species from one place to another. This may be a vehicle (car, truck, or boat); a commodity (bananas, taro, breadfruit); or other method of movement.

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W

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X

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Y

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