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Burn unit - an area of predetermined size and shape that remains fixed for monitoring purposes throughout a course of fire management.
Corridor - a route that permits the direct travel or spread of animals or plants from one area or region to another, either by the gradual spread of a population of a species along the route or by actual movement of animals, seeds, pollen, spores, or microbes. Density - the number of individual plants or animals per unit of habitable area. Diversity - the number of species that live together in an ecosystem; a measure of the variety of species in an ecosystem that takes into account the relative abundance of each species. Dominant - the characteristic species in a particular plant community, contributing most to the general appearance and influencing which other plants and animals live there; typically the largest plant species or the one with the greatest areal coverage. Ecosystem - an assemblage of living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms, etc.) and nonliving components (soil, water, air, etc.) that functions as a dynamic whole through organized energy flows. Ecosystem management - an integrated, flexible approach to management of Florida's biological and physical environments -- conducted through the use of tools such as planning, land acquisition, environmental education, regulation, and pollution prevention -- designed to maintain, protect and improve the state's natural, managed, and human communities. Ecotone - a zone of transition between two ecosystems that has characteristics of both. Endemic - a species or other biological grouping whose distribution is restricted to a particular region or locality. Enhancement - an action taken to introduce, reintroduce or restore vegetation and associated animals into an area where the native ecosystem has been disturbed. Feral - an animal that has reverted to a wild or untamed state from a domesticated state. Firebreak - a strip of land where the vegetation has been cut or removed to stop the spread of a fire; it typically does not exceed 15 feet in width and may be used as a management road and/or a hiking trail. Fire regime - a prevailing condition in which ecosystems have evolved under periodic exposure to natural fires such that the vegetative communities have adapted to, are dependent upon, and are reproductively enhanced by this exposure. Footpath - a narrow trail with a natural soil base that is intended for foot traffic only and does not have interpretive signage. Forb - a broad-leaved herbaceous plant that is not a grass. Habitat - the area or type of environment in which a specific kind of organism normally lives. Hiking trail - an unpaved footpath with a natural soil base and directional signage only; may be combined with a management road. Hydroperiod - the average length of time that soil is saturated during a given year. Hydric - an environment that contains an abundance of moisture. Inbreeding depression - A state in which a geographically isolated population becomes vulnerable to extirpation and weakened genetically due to the accumulation of deleterious recessive genes. Kiosk - a small structure used to shelter informational displays. Listed species - a species that is considered to be endangered or threatened with extinction, or a species of special concern, or a species that has been designated in some way by a jurisdictional governmental agency as meriting special protection or consideration. Macro-management unit - a large management unit that contains two or more ecosystems. Management road - an unimproved, single-lane dirt or sand road that is designated for vehicular management activities; it does not exceed 15 feet in width and may be used as a firebreak and/or hiking trail. Mesic - a moist environment that is drier than a hydric environment, and seldom contains standing water. Micro-management unit - a small management unit that contains only one ecosystem. Mitigation - an action taken to lessen the severity or intensity of a human impact on a native ecosystem or offset the impact, either on the site where the impact occurs or at another location. Mosaic - a pattern of vegetation in which two or more different plant communities are interspersed in patches. Natural area - an area containing one or more aquatic, terrestrial, or transitional ecosystems or a combination of ecosystems that has essentially retained its primitive conditions; an area that is a least-disturbed known example of a type of natural ecosystem. Nature trail - a hard-surfaced, handicapped-accessible walking trail with interpretive signage. Off-road vehicle - a vehicle capable of traveling in roadless areas. Outstanding Florida Water - a water body designated by the State of Florida Environmental Regulation Commission as worthy of special protection because of its natural attributes. Passive recreation - any recreational activity which has minimal or no impact on natural resources or ecosystems, such as trail-walking, photography, and plant and wildlife observation. Physiographic region - a region delineated by a specific topography. Pyric community - a community resulting from, induced by, or associated with burning. Relict population - a remnant population of a species that once was widespread. Restoration - the process of repairing damage caused by human activity or a natural disaster to the diversity and dynamics of a native system. Ruderal - a species which generally is considered to be native, but often grows in disturbed areas. Saltwater intrusion - the introduction of saltwater into a previously fresh water aquifer as a consequence of disturbance of the water pressure in the aquifer; saltwater intrusion often is associated with excessive pumping of wells. Saprophyte - a fungus or plant living on dead or decaying organic matter. Seed rain - a sudden dispersal of seeds, which can be triggered by fire or another extreme environmental event. Seral stage - one of the stages in a series of more or less predictable changes in vegetation and animal life as one kind of ecosystem is replaced by another. Soil phase - a subdivision of a soil type that deviates from the typical character of the soil type. Sovereign lands or sovereignty lands - those lands including, but not limited to, tidal lands, islands, sandbars, shallow banks, and lands waterward of the ordinary or mean high water line, to which the State of Florida acquired title on March 3, 1845, by virtue of statehood, and of which it has not since divested its title interest. Subcanopy - the layer of shrubs or trees that is below the canopy, or uppermost layer of vegetation in a forest or woodland. Systemic herbicide - a chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit plant growth that is absorbed into and is effective throughout the entire organism. Taxon (plural - taxa) - a general term for any taxonomic category (for example, a species, genus, family, or order). Transect - a long, narrow area used for sampling vegetation or counting animals; transects are used for the collection and analysis of data such as frequency of occurrence, size, or number of organisms or kinds of organisms. Transitory taxon (plural - taxa) - a species that is present on a site only for a brief period, often as a response to changing environmental conditions. Vegetative community - the plant component of an ecosystem. Viability - the capability of a seed or organism to grow and develop, or the capability of a population of a species or a biological community to reproduce and maintain itself indefinitely. Water table - the level below which soil is saturated with water; the surface of the zone of saturation. Xeric - an environment or habitat that is low or deficient in moisture. 10. ACRONYMS ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act ATV - All-terrain vehicle BRPD - Boca Raton Police Department CCRT - Countywide Community Revitalization Team CLASC - Conservation Land Acquisition Selection Committee DHR - Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources DRI - Development of Regional Impact DOF - Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry FAU - Florida Atlantic University FDEP - Florida Department of Environmental Protection ERM - Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management ESLAAC - Environmentally Sensitive Lands Acquisition Advisory Committee FCT - Florida Communities Trust FDACS - Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services FIND - Florida Inland Navigation District FLEPPC - Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council FNAI - Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission GPS - Global Positioning System ICW - Intracoastal Waterway IRC - Institute for Regional Conservation ITID - Indian Trail Improvement District JDSP - Jonathan Dickinson State Park LCCDC - Limestone Creek Community Development Corporation LWDD - Lake Water Drainage District NAMAC - Palm Beach County Natural Areas Management Advisory Committee NCGAA - North County General Aviation Airport ORV - Off-road Vehicle PBSO - Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office SCS - U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service SFWMD - South Florida Water Management District SOR - Save Our Rivers TNC - The Nature Conservancy TPL - The Trust for Public Land ULDC - Unified Land Development Code USFWS - United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service USGS - United States Geological Survey WCI - Waterwork Communities, Inc. WMA - Wildlife Management Area |
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 Coastal Resources |
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Lakes,
Estuaries and Lagoons |
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Mosquito Control |
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Natural Areas |
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Permitting and Regulation |
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