| abyssal (zone or plain) |
the deepest parts of the ocean where no light penetrates and where the water is devoid of oxygen |
| aeolian |
transported by wind |
| agropastoral |
relating to a form of agriculture based on both growing crops and raising livestock |
| AIDS |
acquired immune deficiency syndrome caused by the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) |
| alien |
refers to a species of plant or animal that has been introduced or spread outside of their native habitat |
| alluvial |
transported by water in a stream or river |
| altitude |
the vertical elevation of an object above a surface such as land or sea |
| anticyclone |
the circulation of winds around a centre of high atmospheric pressure; anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere |
| antiretroviral therapy |
a treatment regime of drugs used to inhibit the reproduction of retroviruses in diseases such as HIV/AIDS |
| aquatic |
related to water |
| aquifer |
an underground body of rock or sediment that holds water |
| archaeological |
related to the study of past human life through the recovery and analysis of material remains |
| aridity |
severe dryness due to low precipitation and high evaporation rates |
| artefact |
an object shaped by human workmanship of historical or archaeological interest |
| artesian |
relating to the rise of groundwater to the surface due to natural water pressure |
| asset |
an item of monetary or other value that provides positive current or future benefit |
| average |
the sum of a set of numbers divided by the total number of values in the set, providing an approximate middle value; the mean value |
| Bantu |
a collective term for people from a wide range of indigenous ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa |
| base level |
the lowest level towards which erosion of the earth’s surface (by water or wind) progresses |
| basement rock |
metamorphic or igneous rock that forms the earth’s crust, which may lie below layers of sedimentary rock or be exposed at the surface |
| bathymetry |
the measurement of the depth of the ocean or other waterbody to reveal the topography of the bed or floor below |
| biodiversity |
the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat |
| biomass |
the mass of living organisms contained within a defined ecosystem at a given time |
| biome |
a major ecological community, extending over a large area and characterised by a dominant vegetation type |
| borehole |
a narrow shaft drilled into the ground for the purpose of extracting water or other liquids and gases |
| broadleaved |
referring to a tree within the angiosperm group that has flat leaves and seeds inside of fruits |
| browse |
to eat shoots, twigs and leaves as opposed to grass (v.); also refers to the shoots twigs and leaves that browsers eat (n.) |
| browser |
an animal that eats leaves, shoots and twigs off bushes and trees |
| bush encroachment |
an increase in the biomass or density of woody plants to the detriment of grasses and forbs |
| bush meat |
any meat that derived from hunted wild animals |
| bush toilet |
defecation in the open bush rather than in some form of latrine |
| by-catch |
the incidental capture of non-target species, such as dolphins, turtles or seabirds, on fishing hooks or in nets |
| calcium carbonate |
a white crystalline salt (CaCO3) that often cements sediment particles together; found naturally in limestone, marble and calcite and used to produce lime and cement |
| calcrete |
sedimentary rock cemented by calcium carbonate; often forms a resistant, but porous, surface layer |
| capital (asset) |
money, real estate or other items of value that can provide resilience and/or be used to generate financial growth |
| captured (river) |
when the flow of a river or drainage system is diverted, due to erosion, uplift, fractures or other causes, to flow down a neighbouring system |
| carnivore |
an animal with a diet exclusively comprising meat |
| catchment |
an area of land, bounded by watersheds, within which water from precipitation collects and drains into a common drainage feature, such as a river, an aquifer or other body of water. |
| cattle post |
a temporary dwelling occupied by herders that is located in an area which provides both water and grazing to livestock |
| CE |
Common Era; numerically equivalent to, but used as a religiously neutral alternative to, AD (Anno Domini; in the Year of the Lord); BCE (Before the Common Era) is equivalent to the era BC (Before Christ) |
| census |
the systematic enumeration and recording of information on the members of a particular population |
| centimole |
unit of measure for small amounts of chemical elements; equal to 0.01 of a mole |
| central highlands |
the elevated plateau and hilly landscape in the centre of Namibia |
| central meridian |
the central line of longitude for a given map projection |
| climate change |
the long-term change in weather patterns over decades, centuries or millennia; recently the term is most commonly used in the context of impacts caused by human actions |
| cold-pressed |
the extraction of oils from seeds by crushing at room temperature |
| colluvial |
relating to deposits transported by gravity (colluvium) |
| colony (colonial; colonist) |
a country or area which is controlled and administered by another more powerful country, often far away |
| communal area/land |
a part of the country usually owned by the state (state land) where customary land rights apply and is managed in part by traditional authorities |
| communal conservancy |
a formally demarcated and registered area within communal land for the purposes of conserving and protecting the environment and wildlife, and procuring revenue from the sustainable use of the natural resources it contains |
| community forest |
a formally demarcated and registered area within communal land, often sharing the same boundary as a communal conservancy, for the purposes of managing the use of, and protecting, plant resources, and improving livelihoods |
| complex (rock) |
a unit of rock layers consisting of more than one major class of rock, that is, metamorphic rock (from high temperature and pressure), igneous rock (from volcanic activity) or sedimentary rock (from deposition of sediments) |
| continental shelf |
the margin of a continent that is submerged under relatively shallow water before the seafloor slopes away into much deeper waters |
| Coriolis force |
the deflection of air and ocean currents caused by the rotation of the earth; deflection is to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere |
| craton |
the stable, immobile interior part of a continent comprised of ancient basement rock |
| cryptic |
relating to species adapted to blend in with their environment to avoid detection by threats such as predators |
| customary land rights |
land rights allocated and usually secured according to traditional law or custom |
| cut back |
pertaining to erosion at the headwaters of a river in the opposite direction to river flow resulting in a gradual extension of the river channel |
| dam |
a constructed barrier or wall that restricts the flow of surface or subsurface water or underground streams; in southern Africa the term dam is most often taken to refer to the reservoir of water created by the wall, rather than the actual wall itself |
| deflation basin |
a hollow formed by the removal of loose particles, such as sand, by wind erosion |
| demersal |
on or near the bottom of a body of water |
| demography |
the statistical study of human populations, particularly with respect to number, density and distribution of people |
| desalination |
the removal of dissolved salts from seawater to produce water suitable for human consumption |
| doline |
a sinkhole caused by the collapse of the surface layer and most commonly found in Karst (limestone-rich) landscapes |
| drought |
a period of time when an area or region receives persistently lower than normal rainfall |
| dryland cropping |
the practice of growing crops in the absence of irrigation in arid areas |
| dune |
a mound or ridge of sand formed and shaped by the wind; there are several different types depending on the local substrate and wind regime, for example, linear, lunette, barchan, star and hummock |
| dwarf shrub |
short woody plant bearing fruits on shoots close to the ground |
| dyke |
a body of younger rock that cuts vertically through surrounding older layers of rock |
| ecosystem service |
a recognised process or output provided by nature including food, water, shelter and recreation |
| eendobe (pl.); ondobe (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for small freshwater pond(s) |
| eendungu (pl.); ondungu (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for hand-dug well(s) in stable soil up to a depth of 20 metres |
| efundja (pl.); omafundja (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for the seasonal flooding of the Cuvelai drainage system in northern Namibia by the influx of rainwater runoff from Angola |
| Ekman transport |
the increasing deflection of water movement within an ocean current, caused by the Coriolis force, to the point where the water movement is at right angles to the direction of the surface wind |
| El Niño |
the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation when a band of warm water builds up in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean affecting weather patterns across the globe; the cold phase is known as La Niña |
| ellipsoid |
in mapping, a three-dimensional shape based on a two-dimensional ellipse; a circular shape with one axis longer than the other |
| emigration |
leaving one country (usually country of origin) or area to permanently settle in another |
| endemic; endemism |
indigenous to a specified region or environment and not occurring naturally anywhere else |
| endorheic |
referring to a closed drainage basin from which water has no outflow to other bodies of water and accumulates as a lake or swamp |
| ephemeral |
referring to a natural event, such as a river flowing, which lasts for only a short time |
| episodic |
referring to an irregular repeated event |
| escarpment |
an area of steep elevation change separating two relatively level areas of land |
| estuary |
a coastal body of water fed by a river but with tidal connection to the sea |
| evaporation |
the process of water being heated by the sun and returning to the atmosphere as water vapour |
| evapotranspiration |
the evaporation of water from the soil, open water bodies and other surfaces and through transpiration by plants |
| exclusive economic zone |
the marine area outside the territorial sea of Namibia but extending 200 nautical miles from the shore in which Namibia has rights to exploration, exploitation, conservation or management of the natural resources |
| fault |
a discontinuity caused by fractures in surface rocks due to tectonic forces |
| fertility rate |
the average number of children born to a population of women during their reproductive years |
| floodplain |
a flat area of land next to a river which is periodically inundated during periods of high flow |
| floristic group |
groups of plants that share similar origins and evolutionary histories |
| fog |
low-lying cloud comprising tiny water droplets held in suspension at or close to the ground |
| fossil |
a remnant, impression or trace of a plant or animal from a past geological era |
| freehold land |
land which is privately owned without time limits and is transferrable to heirs |
| genus (sing.); genera (pl.) |
in taxonomy, the second order of classification above species |
| geodetic system |
an ellipsoidal framework applied to Earth to reference latitude and longitude coordinates; WGS84 is used for Global Positioning Systems and is believed to have an error of less than two centimetres |
| geology |
the study of the physical history of the earth in terms of the rocks of which it is composed and the chemical and physical processes that it has undergone |
| geophysics |
an area of science concerned with the study of the physical processes and properties of the earth |
| geothermal (energy) |
heat generated below the earth’s surface from the radioactive decay of materials; available as a reusable energy source |
| Gini coefficient |
a measure representing the income or wealth inequality within a population; zero represents perfect equality, one represents maximum inequality |
| graben |
a valley caused by the downward displacement of a block of rock that is bordered on its sides by faults |
| gradient |
the rate of increase or decrease in elevation of a section of land surface, or of temperature between two points |
| graze |
grasses, herbs and non-woody vegetation (n.); feed or eat on grassland (v.) |
| grazer |
an animal feeding close to the ground on grasses, herbs and other non-woody vegetation |
| grid (electricity) |
an interconnected transmission network for the supply of electricity from producers to consumers |
| gross domestic product |
a measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country within a certain time period |
| groundwater |
water held underground in the pores between soil particles and crevices in rock |
| group (rocks) |
a geological rock unit comprising a collection of individual rock formations |
| gypsum |
a mineral consisting of hydrated calcium sulphate (CaSO4·2H20); formed through evaporation, it often covers extensive areas |
| gyre |
a large system of circulating ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and the influence of the Coriolis force |
| habitat |
the natural environment of a plant or animal |
| herb |
a non-woody, seed-bearing annual, biennial or perennial plant that dies down to the ground after flowering |
| herbivore |
an animal adapted to feed on plant material |
| heritage site |
a building, historical site or unspoilt area considered important to a country’s heritage; see also World Heritage Site |
| HIV |
human immunodeficiency virus, a retrovirus which causes AIDS |
| Holocene |
the current geological time period which extends back to the last ice age about 11,700 years ago |
| home range |
the area in which an animal moves and which contains all the resources it requires to survive and reproduce |
| hominoid |
belonging to the biological grouping that includes humans, their fossil ancestors and the great apes |
| household |
a unit comprising a dwelling and its occupants |
| human–wildlife conflict |
the negative interactions between people and wildlife as a result of competition for resources, such as food, water and space |
| humidity |
the concentration of water vapour in the air; because air temperature affects humidity, a frequently used measure is relative humidity which quantifies the amount of water vapour in the air as a percentage of how much water vapour the air can hold at that temperature before it reaches saturation point |
| hunter-gatherer |
a nomadic human from a society that obtains all of its food from collecting wild plants and hunting wild animals |
| igneous (rock) |
rock formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or larva following volcanic activity |
| iishana (pl.); oshana (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for shallow depressions or channels that characterise the Cuvelai drainage system |
| immigration |
the movement of people to permanently settle in a foreign country |
| important bird area |
an area that is considered globally important for the conservation of bird populations based on an internationally recognised set of criteria |
| independent power |
an entity, which is not the national utility, that producer produces electricity and sells it or makes it available to the national utility (NamPower) or end users |
| indigenous |
originating or occurring naturally in a particular place |
| informal settlement |
an unplanned settlement on land that has not been surveyed or proclaimed for development, usually comprising informal dwellings such as shacks |
| inlier |
an outcrop of older rocks surrounded by younger rocks |
| inselberg |
an isolated hill or small mountain that rises significantly above a surrounding plain |
| Intertropical Convergence Zone |
the belt of converging air near the equator where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres meet; the geographical position of the zone shifts seasonally |
| intrusion |
molten rock from below the surface (magma) that has been forced upwards through cracks and spaces in neighbouring rock bodies |
| invasive |
relating to a species (alien or indigenous) that outcompetes and eventually excludes other species in an area, threatening local biodiversity |
| inventory |
a collection of scientific information on the status and trends of certain natural resources, for example, lands, soils, water, plants, animals |
| inversion layer |
a layer of the atmosphere where the usual air temperature gradient is reversed, such that air temperature increases with altitude |
| irradiance |
the power or instantaneous rate of energy received by a surface, originating from the sun, measured in watts per square metre, which is usually measured by the average rate of accumulation of energy over one hour, day or year; compare radiation |
| irrigation |
practice of supplying water to land or crops via pipes, sprinklers, ditches or streams to promote plant growth |
| Khoekhoe |
a Khoisan language (characterised by clicks) spoken in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana |
| kimberlite |
an intrusive igneous rock that sometimes contains diamonds; so named after Kimberley in South Africa |
| kleptocracy |
a form of government where corrupt political leaders use their positions of power to enrich themselves at the cost of the people they govern |
| land cover |
the vegetation, water or constructed features that cover the earth’s surface |
| latitude |
a geographic coordinate that indicates the north– south position of a place or an object |
| leapfrog development |
a developed settlement located just outside the jurisdiction of an urban area which benefits from the services provided by the neighbouring town, yet avoids the requirement to contribute to it |
| leasehold (tenure) |
where a land or property owner grants to another party the right of exclusive possession of the land or property for a stated period of time |
| leeward |
referring to the sheltered side of a hill or mountain that faces the direction towards which the wind is blowing |
| life expectancy |
a measure of the average period a person may expect to live based on several factors including gender and geographic location |
| livelihood |
the methods and means of making a living |
| localised |
occurring within a particular area |
| longitude |
a geographic coordinate that indicates the east–west position of a place or an object |
| mahangu |
local name for pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum |
| malnourishment |
deficient in proper nutrition due to a lack of food or a nutritionally unbalanced diet |
| mantle |
the zone within the earth between the core and the crust |
| marine |
referring to the ocean and includes all living and inorganic matter within or upon it |
| median |
a value in a series of numbers, arranged from smallest to largest, which has an equal number of values above and below it or is the average of the two middle values if there is no one middle value |
| metamorphic (rock) |
any rock derived from the recrystallisation of pre- exisiting rocks in response to increases in temperature or pressure |
| migration |
the movement of people or wildlife from one location to another |
| nature-based tourism |
includes wildlife viewing and hunting, and outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, birdwatching and adventure tourism |
| nocturnal |
active at night and inactive during the day |
| non-invasive |
not spreading, infiltrating or harming other species in a habitat |
| non-renewable |
an energy source that will not replenish within our energy resource lifetimes, or even within thousands of years, such as fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas |
| offshore |
located seawards from the shoreline |
| ohambo |
local (Oshiwambo) name for cattle post |
| omashisha (pl.); ashisha (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for baskets for storing harvested grain at the homestead |
| omifima (pl.); omufima (sing.) |
local (Oshiwambo) name for shallow hand-dug wells; typically cone shaped |
| omiramba (pl.); omuramba (sing.) |
local (Otjiherero) name for ancient, gently sloping riverbeds in the Kalahari and Namib sands in northeastern Namibia |
| onshore |
located landwards from the shoreline |
| orogen |
a mountain belt formed by the folding or faulting of the earth’s crust, such as when subcontinents collide |
| pan |
a shallow depression in a sandy substrate that may be seasonally filled with water |
| pastoral nomad |
someone with a livestock-dependent livelihood that moves cyclically or periodically within an established territory to graze their animals |
| peninsula |
a portion of land surrounded by water with the exception of the narrow land bridge (isthmus) that connects it to a larger land body |
| perennial |
relating to a river or waterbody that is present during all seasons of the year, or a plant that lives for several years |
| petroglyph |
a form of rock art where the image is incised into the rock through picking, carving or abrading |
| phylogeny |
the evolutionary history of a species or group in terms of lines of descent and relationships |
| pioneer |
someone who ventures into unknown or unclaimed territory initiating its occupation by new settlers; a plant or animal that is among the first to become established in an area, especially after disturbance |
| plant productivity |
the amount of biomass generated by growing plants in an ecosystem |
| porous |
the capacity of a rock which allows gas or liquid to pass through |
| precipitation |
any form of water, formed from condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere, that falls to the ground or collects on a surface; most commonly, rain, dew or fog in Namibia |
| primate |
a taxonomic order of mammals that includes monkeys, apes and humans |
| private land |
land held by outright ownership with security of title; also referred to as freehold land |
| pro-Namib |
the area along the eastern edge of the Namib Desert |
| projection(s) |
the transformation of the curved surface of the earth onto a flattened plane for the purpose of producing maps |
| protected area (state) |
an area of government land proclaimed in an official gazette that is demarcated for the purposes of protecting all the living and non-living elements contained within it |
| radiation |
a generic term covering all forms of radiant energy falling on the surface of the earth and originating from the sun; compare irradiance |
| rainy season |
the period of consecutive months when most of an area’s rain falls |
| Ramsar site |
a wetland area that is recognised by the Ramsar Convention as being of particular conservation importance from a global perspective |
| refugia (pl.); refugium (sing.) |
particular places in which populations of organisms can survive a period of unfavourable conditions |
| remittance |
money that is sent to a distant recipient; the amount of money sent to family back home by a migrant worker, for example |
| renewable energy |
a source of energy, such as biofuel, geothermal resource energy, solar and wind, that is naturally replenished or not depleted with use |
| riparian |
relating to, or situated on, the land (bank) alongside a watercourse or waterbody |
| rock art |
human-made markings on natural surfaces dating back to prehistoric periods |
| runoff |
the excess rainfall or other water that flows off or drains away, rather than being absorbed by the land |
| satellite tracking |
using a satellite transmitter attached to an animal in order to capture location data to track its movements |
| savanna |
an area of grassland and trees with an open canopy in a country with a hot, seasonally dry climate |
| scavenger |
an animal that searches for and eats dead or decaying matter, rather than hunting live prey |
| sediment |
solid fragments of either organic or inorganic matter that are carried by wind, water or ice and deposited elsewhere |
| sedimentary (rock) |
rocks formed near the earth’s surface from sediment, which is deposited in layers over time and compacted |
| semi-arid |
an area of dry land with a ratio of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration of between 0.2 and 0.5 |
| sill |
a flat sheet of intruded rock lying parallel to the older existing rock layers |
| soil solution |
the water between the soil particles with dissolved gases, minerals and organic matter |
| solar photovoltaic technology |
technology which uses panels made from semi- conductor material to generate electricity from sunlight |
| solar power plant |
a power plant that generates electricity from solar energy using photovoltaic panels or solar-concentrating mirrors |
| species (pl. and sing.) |
a group of living organisms that share common characteristics and are capable of interbreeding; the basic unit of taxonomy |
| spring |
a water source that flows naturally from the ground due to it being at or below the level of the groundwater from which it originates |
| state capture |
a form of corruption; when politicians and businesses conspire to influence the state’s decision-making processes and the legal and economic environment for their own personal interests |
| state land |
land controlled by the state; often referred to as government land, however, governments are short- |
| lived and transient |
| statistics |
the collection, organisation, analysis and interpretation of data |
| stocking rate |
the number of animals on a given amount of land over a certain period of time |
| Stone Age |
a prehistoric period characterised by the use of stone tools |
| stromatolite |
a fossilised sedimentary rock layer formed from the accumulation of cyanobacteria |
| substrate |
the ground surface (for example, rock, soil, sand) upon which an organism lives, grows or feeds |
| subterranean |
located, existing or done below the ground |
| succulent |
a plant, especially in arid areas, with thick, fleshy parts for storing water |
| supercontinent |
a single continental landmass made up of multiple continents |
| supergroup |
a set of two or more geological groups |
| sustainable |
able to continue without long-term effects to the environment or resource base |
| swamp |
an area of land that is permanently saturated with water; waterlogged ground |
| systematics |
taxonomy; the scientific study of living organisms concerned with classifying and naming them |
| tectonic |
referring to the forces within the earth that cause movement in the earth’s crust |
| telemetry |
remote automatic collection of measurements and other data using radio waves or other means |
| temperate |
relating to the climate of areas located between the tropics and polar regions, which usually experience distinct seasonal changes |
| tenure |
referring to the type and conditions of ownership of land or property |
| terrestrial |
referring to land (as opposed to ocean) |
| topography |
the forms and features of the earth’s surface, such as mountains, valleys, rivers and plains |
| tourism concession |
an area of state land managed by a non-state entity primarily for the purposes of tourism |
| tradability |
referring to the extent that goods or services can be sold in a location distant from where they were produced |
| traditional rights |
rights to land which is not surveyed or registered; sometimes called ancestral rights |
| tragedy of the commons |
referring to the lack of collective responsibility for land that is accessible to many individual users who act according to their own self-interest |
| transfrontier |
referring to conservation areas that are contiguous across international borders |
| trophic cascade |
an ecological event that involves changes to the structure of an ecosystem triggered when one or more levels of the food chain is suppressed or encouraged |
| tropical |
referring to a climate that is warm to hot and humid all year round |
| turbidite |
a deposit from a waning turbulent flow |
| upwelling |
the movement of water and nutrients from the ocean depths to displace water closer to the surface |
| vegetation |
a general term for the total collection of plant species growing in a particular area |
| veterinary cordon fence / veterinary red line |
an exclusion fence separating the north of Namibia from the south to protect the beef industry in the south from foot-and-mouth disease and lung disease, for example, to allow it to engage in the international exportation of produce |
| veterinary district |
areas into which Namibia is divided for the purpose of providing government veterinary services |
| virgin oil |
oil extracted from the first pressing of the fruit and/or nuts |
| volcanic |
related to molten rock, ash and other material produced by a volcano |
| wastewater |
water that is contaminated by human use and requires purification before it can be reused or returned to the environment |
| watershed |
a ridge of land that separates rivers and streams flowing in one direction from those flowing in the opposite direction |
| weekend farm |
stemming from the colonial era, many affluent Namibians reside in urban centres during the working week and return to the family farm at weekends |
| weir |
a low barrier or dam across a river to raise the upstream water level and control water flow, often to measure streamflow |
| wetland |
an area of land that is seasonally or permanently covered with water; if the latter, then it is characterised by the presence of aquatic plants |
| wind farm |
a collection of wind turbines in an area that produce electricity and are connected to an electricity network as a single power station |
| windward |
referring to the side of a hill or mountain that faces into the prevailing wind |
| woodland |
an area where the dominant form of vegetation is trees which don’t form a closed canopy |
| woody plant |
a plant with a hard stem, such as trees and shrubs |
| World Heritage Site |
a legally protected site considered to have outstanding universal value by an international commission administered by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) |
