543
tat, often described in terms of the degree of connectivity or fragmentation, and
edge extent.
Interferometric SAR Radar remote sensing that employs two signals from different antennas or from the same antenna in a repeated pass, where the signals
are emitted at different angles. The phase difference of the two backscattered
signals from the same location on the terrain surface is related to the relative
elevation of the surface or changes in that elevation.
Interferometry A group of methods for extracting information based on the
interference of two sets of superimposed electromagnetic waves. In remote sensing, generally used with synthetic aperture radar to characterize surface change.
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES) The intergovernmental body, established by the United
Nations member states in 2012, which assesses the state of scientific knowledge
regarding Earth’s biodiversity and the ecosystem services that nature contributes
to people.
Internal validation See model validation.
Interpolated climate surfaces Interpolation of climatic data from weather stations into climate surfaces, generally using spline smoothing surface fitting
techniques.
Interspecific Comparison of observations between different species.
Intraspecific Comparison of observations within individuals of the same species.
Invasive alien species (IAS) An exotic species prone to rapid dispersal, often
displacing native species, altering ecosystems, and reducing biological diversity. The Convention on Biodiversity defines an IAS as “a species that is established outside of its natural past or present distribution, whose introduction and/
or spread threaten biological diversity.”
Inverse model A model that uses outputs to infer or derive inputs, often by mathematical inversion. For example, in radiative transfer (RT) modeling, the ingesting
of vegetation reflectance and transmittance data to predict biophysical and biochemical characteristics (traits). The forward model would predict a spectrum,
given the traits as inputs.
Isotropy Directional equality in reflection of electromagnetic radiation. An isotropic surface reflects radiation equally in all directions. See also “Lambertian.”
Contrast to anisotropy.
Janzen-Connell type mechanisms The processes by which host-specific herbivores, pathogens, or other natural enemies make the areas near a parent inhospitable for the survival of offspring. They were proposed as an explanation for the
maintenance of high species diversity in different ecological systems, including
tropical forests.
Kappa coefficient A measure that indicates the overall accuracy of a classification
analysis compared to the expected accuracy, controlling for chance agreement.
Kernel dependent Relying on data not just from an individual point but from
surrounding points as well.
Keystone species An ecologically important species that has a disproportionate
impact on an ecological community and the ecosystem in which it is embedded,
Glossary
tat, often described in terms of the degree of connectivity or fragmentation, and
edge extent.
Interferometric SAR Radar remote sensing that employs two signals from different antennas or from the same antenna in a repeated pass, where the signals
are emitted at different angles. The phase difference of the two backscattered
signals from the same location on the terrain surface is related to the relative
elevation of the surface or changes in that elevation.
Interferometry A group of methods for extracting information based on the
interference of two sets of superimposed electromagnetic waves. In remote sensing, generally used with synthetic aperture radar to characterize surface change.
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES) The intergovernmental body, established by the United
Nations member states in 2012, which assesses the state of scientific knowledge
regarding Earth’s biodiversity and the ecosystem services that nature contributes
to people.
Internal validation See model validation.
Interpolated climate surfaces Interpolation of climatic data from weather stations into climate surfaces, generally using spline smoothing surface fitting
techniques.
Interspecific Comparison of observations between different species.
Intraspecific Comparison of observations within individuals of the same species.
Invasive alien species (IAS) An exotic species prone to rapid dispersal, often
displacing native species, altering ecosystems, and reducing biological diversity. The Convention on Biodiversity defines an IAS as “a species that is established outside of its natural past or present distribution, whose introduction and/
or spread threaten biological diversity.”
Inverse model A model that uses outputs to infer or derive inputs, often by mathematical inversion. For example, in radiative transfer (RT) modeling, the ingesting
of vegetation reflectance and transmittance data to predict biophysical and biochemical characteristics (traits). The forward model would predict a spectrum,
given the traits as inputs.
Isotropy Directional equality in reflection of electromagnetic radiation. An isotropic surface reflects radiation equally in all directions. See also “Lambertian.”
Contrast to anisotropy.
Janzen-Connell type mechanisms The processes by which host-specific herbivores, pathogens, or other natural enemies make the areas near a parent inhospitable for the survival of offspring. They were proposed as an explanation for the
maintenance of high species diversity in different ecological systems, including
tropical forests.
Kappa coefficient A measure that indicates the overall accuracy of a classification
analysis compared to the expected accuracy, controlling for chance agreement.
Kernel dependent Relying on data not just from an individual point but from
surrounding points as well.
Keystone species An ecologically important species that has a disproportionate
impact on an ecological community and the ecosystem in which it is embedded,
Glossary