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Mechanistic model A model that describes—often mathematically—a process in
terms of its component physical, chemical, and biological processes, akin to a
process model (c.f. empirical, statistical, phenomenological model).
Melastomes Members of the plant family Melastomataceae, also known as the
princess flower family.
Mesophyll The tissue within a leaf, comprised of photosynthetic parenchyma cells.
Metabarcoding A taxonomic method that uses a designated portion of a specific
gene or genes (proposed to be analogous to a barcode) to identify an organism to
species. These “barcodes” are sometimes used in an effort to identify unknown
species, parts of an organism, or simply to catalog as many extant taxa as possible. Also known as DNA barcoding.
Microendemic Species whose geographical distribution is restricted to a very
small location (e.g., a single locality or a single mountain top).
Microhabitat The local environmental space in which an organism or species
lives—and is restricted to—as a consequence of its evolved tolerances to the
biotic and abiotic environment and ability to persist long-term.
Mineral nitrogen Soil nitrogen that is directly available to plants as nitrate or
ammonium.
Mineralization The process by which organic compounds, such as nitrogen, are
converted to plant-available inorganic forms. For nitrogen, these include nitrate
and ammonium. Mineralization is the inverse process to immobilization, but the
two work in conjunction within the soil-plant system.
Minimum noise fraction A linear transformation consisting of two principal
component rotations used to decrease noise in spectral data by redistributing it across all channels (whitening the bands) and transforming the original
bands into orthogonal bands that combine information from different channels.
Transformed bands are ordered from the band containing most of the information
to those with least information. Also used to determine the data dimensionality.
Mission in the context of remote sensing, the full process of instrument deployment including planned design, implementation, and launch of a spaceborne
instrument on the part of a space agency. Alternatively, it can refer to the deployment of an airborne instrument.
Model A simplified description, usually a visual, conceptual, or mathematical
depiction, of some aspect of the world and often how it works; a set of rules or
mathematical function(s).
Model of trait evolution A mathematical description of how a trait—such as leaf
size or chlorophyll content—changes over time due to evolutionary processes.
Model calibration The process of adjusting model parameter values to match the
model output to observed data.
Model selection Choosing the best model using some criterion, e.g., the Akaike
Information Criterion.
Model validation The process of comparing model outputs with observed data.
Internal validation refers to testing a model’s ability to explain the data used
to populate the model. Independent validation refers to testing the accuracy of
model outputs with new or withheld observed data.
Glossary
Mechanistic model A model that describes—often mathematically—a process in
terms of its component physical, chemical, and biological processes, akin to a
process model (c.f. empirical, statistical, phenomenological model).
Melastomes Members of the plant family Melastomataceae, also known as the
princess flower family.
Mesophyll The tissue within a leaf, comprised of photosynthetic parenchyma cells.
Metabarcoding A taxonomic method that uses a designated portion of a specific
gene or genes (proposed to be analogous to a barcode) to identify an organism to
species. These “barcodes” are sometimes used in an effort to identify unknown
species, parts of an organism, or simply to catalog as many extant taxa as possible. Also known as DNA barcoding.
Microendemic Species whose geographical distribution is restricted to a very
small location (e.g., a single locality or a single mountain top).
Microhabitat The local environmental space in which an organism or species
lives—and is restricted to—as a consequence of its evolved tolerances to the
biotic and abiotic environment and ability to persist long-term.
Mineral nitrogen Soil nitrogen that is directly available to plants as nitrate or
ammonium.
Mineralization The process by which organic compounds, such as nitrogen, are
converted to plant-available inorganic forms. For nitrogen, these include nitrate
and ammonium. Mineralization is the inverse process to immobilization, but the
two work in conjunction within the soil-plant system.
Minimum noise fraction A linear transformation consisting of two principal
component rotations used to decrease noise in spectral data by redistributing it across all channels (whitening the bands) and transforming the original
bands into orthogonal bands that combine information from different channels.
Transformed bands are ordered from the band containing most of the information
to those with least information. Also used to determine the data dimensionality.
Mission in the context of remote sensing, the full process of instrument deployment including planned design, implementation, and launch of a spaceborne
instrument on the part of a space agency. Alternatively, it can refer to the deployment of an airborne instrument.
Model A simplified description, usually a visual, conceptual, or mathematical
depiction, of some aspect of the world and often how it works; a set of rules or
mathematical function(s).
Model of trait evolution A mathematical description of how a trait—such as leaf
size or chlorophyll content—changes over time due to evolutionary processes.
Model calibration The process of adjusting model parameter values to match the
model output to observed data.
Model selection Choosing the best model using some criterion, e.g., the Akaike
Information Criterion.
Model validation The process of comparing model outputs with observed data.
Internal validation refers to testing a model’s ability to explain the data used
to populate the model. Independent validation refers to testing the accuracy of
model outputs with new or withheld observed data.
Glossary