538
to the DNA, which changes its three-dimensional structure, influencing which
regions of the genome are expressed (active).
Epiphyte An organism (typically a plant, fungus, or bacterium) that grows on the
surface of a plant, or sometimes multiple plants, often obtaining its moisture and
nutrients from the air or from debris that accumulates in structural features of
the supporting plant(s). Epiphytes are physically supported by their host and can
affect its function. The term is frequently used specifically to refer to plants that
grow on other plants, such as Spanish moss or many orchids.
Erectophilic A vegetation canopy structural orientation that is primarily vertical.
Essential biodiversity variable (EBV) A minimum set of measurements, complementary to one another, required for the study, reporting, and management of
changes in biodiversity (e.g., allelic diversity, population abundance and distribution, etc.) based on the framework established by Pereira et al. (2013).
ETOPO1 Global relief model used to calculate the proportion of Earth’s surface
at different elevations—or hypsographic curve; used for Volumes of the World’s
Oceans and to derive the Hypsographic Curve of Earth’s Surface.
Evapotranspiration The combined movement of water from the Earth’s surface
(e.g., soil) to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration. Plant
transpiration involves the movement of liquid water from locations of higher
water potential—typically the rhizosphere—to areas of lower (more negative)
water potential, such as the leaves, through the vascular system. Evaporation
refers to the phase change (liquid to gas) which can occur from any surface (living or nonliving) and includes the transition of transpired liquid water to water
vapor through intercellular spaces and stomatal pores on leaf surfaces.
Evolutionary legacy effects Functional trait and ecosystem consequences of evolutionary history due to shared ancestry and adaptation to past environments and/
or biogeographic and historical processes that influenced the course of evolution
and thus current ecological processes. The concept does not indicate that future
evolution is constrained by past evolution, but rather that current organismal or
ecosystem structure and function reflect past evolutionary processes.
Evolutionary tree see phylogeny.
Evenness The similarity in abundance among species in an area; how equal
species within a community are numerically, i.e., a measure of heterogeneity.
Mathematically defined as a diversity index.
Extent Attribute of scale that defines the area covered in time or space.
Extinction coefficient (attenuation coefficient; molar absorption coefficient) an index or measure of how much energy a chemical element or compound absorbs at a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Extracellular enzymes Enzymes operating outside of the cell; microorganisms
often produce and secrete extracellular enzymes, which function outside of their
own cells, to degrade substances such as proteins, lipids, starches, and other
organic molecules.
Faith’s phylogenetic diversity index An index of phylogenetic diversity that
sums the distances of all the branches of a phylogeny that includes the species
present in the observed community.
Glossary
to the DNA, which changes its three-dimensional structure, influencing which
regions of the genome are expressed (active).
Epiphyte An organism (typically a plant, fungus, or bacterium) that grows on the
surface of a plant, or sometimes multiple plants, often obtaining its moisture and
nutrients from the air or from debris that accumulates in structural features of
the supporting plant(s). Epiphytes are physically supported by their host and can
affect its function. The term is frequently used specifically to refer to plants that
grow on other plants, such as Spanish moss or many orchids.
Erectophilic A vegetation canopy structural orientation that is primarily vertical.
Essential biodiversity variable (EBV) A minimum set of measurements, complementary to one another, required for the study, reporting, and management of
changes in biodiversity (e.g., allelic diversity, population abundance and distribution, etc.) based on the framework established by Pereira et al. (2013).
ETOPO1 Global relief model used to calculate the proportion of Earth’s surface
at different elevations—or hypsographic curve; used for Volumes of the World’s
Oceans and to derive the Hypsographic Curve of Earth’s Surface.
Evapotranspiration The combined movement of water from the Earth’s surface
(e.g., soil) to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration. Plant
transpiration involves the movement of liquid water from locations of higher
water potential—typically the rhizosphere—to areas of lower (more negative)
water potential, such as the leaves, through the vascular system. Evaporation
refers to the phase change (liquid to gas) which can occur from any surface (living or nonliving) and includes the transition of transpired liquid water to water
vapor through intercellular spaces and stomatal pores on leaf surfaces.
Evolutionary legacy effects Functional trait and ecosystem consequences of evolutionary history due to shared ancestry and adaptation to past environments and/
or biogeographic and historical processes that influenced the course of evolution
and thus current ecological processes. The concept does not indicate that future
evolution is constrained by past evolution, but rather that current organismal or
ecosystem structure and function reflect past evolutionary processes.
Evolutionary tree see phylogeny.
Evenness The similarity in abundance among species in an area; how equal
species within a community are numerically, i.e., a measure of heterogeneity.
Mathematically defined as a diversity index.
Extent Attribute of scale that defines the area covered in time or space.
Extinction coefficient (attenuation coefficient; molar absorption coefficient) an index or measure of how much energy a chemical element or compound absorbs at a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Extracellular enzymes Enzymes operating outside of the cell; microorganisms
often produce and secrete extracellular enzymes, which function outside of their
own cells, to degrade substances such as proteins, lipids, starches, and other
organic molecules.
Faith’s phylogenetic diversity index An index of phylogenetic diversity that
sums the distances of all the branches of a phylogeny that includes the species
present in the observed community.
Glossary