Glossary of terms used by ASERA
Advisory Group: The body of the representatives from local interests, user groups and conservation groups, formed to advise the management group
Annex 1 Bird species: The species listed in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive are the subject of special conservation measures concerning their habitat. These measures ensure the survival and reproduction of the birds in their area of distribution. Species listed on Annex 1 are in danger of extinction, rare or vulnerable
Annex I habitat type(s): A natural habitat(s) listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive for which Special Areas of Conservation can be selected.
Annex II species: A species listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive for which Special Areas of Conservation can be selected.
Annex V: The listing, in the Habitats Directive, of the animal and plant species whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures.
ASERA: Association of Severn Estuary Relevant Authorities..
Assemblage: A collection of plants and/or animals characteristically associated with a particular environment.
Attribute: Characteristic of an interest feature or supporting habitat which provides an indication of the condition of the feature or supporting habitat to which it applies.
Benthos: Those organisms attached to, or living on, in or near, the seabed, including that part which is exposed by tides.
Birds Directive: The abbreviated term of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 1979 on the conservation of wild birds.
Biodiversity: The total variety of life on earth. This includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems.
Biotope: The physical habitat with its biological community; a term which refers to the combination of physical environment and its distinctive assemblage of conspicuous species.
Characteristic: Special to, or especially abundant in, a particular situation or biotope. Characteristic species should be immediately conspicuous and easily identified.
Community: A group or organisms occurring in a particular environment, presumably interacting with each other and with the environment, and identifiable by means of ecological survey from other groups.
Competent authority: Any Minister, government department, public or statutory undertaker, public body or person holding a public office that exercises legislative powers.
Conservation objective: A statement of the nature conservation aspirations for a site, expressed in terms of the favourable condition that we wish to see the species and/or habitats for which the site has been selected to attain. Conservation objectives for European Marine Sites relate to the aims of the Habitats Directive.
Eulittoral: The main part of the intertidal zone characterised by limpets, barnacles, mussels, fucoid algae and with red algae often abundant on the lower part.
European Marine Site: A European site which consists of, or in so far as it consists of, areas covered intermittently or continuously by seawater.
European Site: A classified SPA, designated SAC, site of Community importance (a site selected as a candidate SAC, adopted by the European Commission but not yet designated), a candidate SAC (in England only) or a site hosting a priority species in respect of which Article 5 of the Habitats directive applies.
Favourable condition: The condition represented by the achievement of the conservation objectives, in other words the desired condition for a designated habitat or a species on an individual site.
Favourable conservation status (FCS): A range of conditions for a natural habitat or species at which the sum of the influences acting upon that habitat or species are not adversely affecting its distribution, abundance, structure or function throughout the EC in the long term. The condition in which the habitat or species is capable of sustaining itself on a long-term basis.
Habitat: The place in which a plant or animal lives.
Habitats Directive: The abbreviated term of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. This Directive has been recently revised and is now referred to as The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI No.2010/40). It is the aim of this Directive to promote the conservation of certain habitats and species within the European Union.
Habs Regs: The Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. This Directive has been recently revised and is now referred to as The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI No.2010/40).
Interest feature: A natural or semi-natural feature
for which a European site has been selected. This includes any Habitats
Directive Annex I habitat, or any Annex II species and any population
of a bird species for which an SPA has been designated under the Birds
Directive.
JNCC: Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Maintain: The action required for an interest feature when it is considered to be in favourable condition.
Management group: The body of relevant authorities formed to manage the European Marine Site.
Management scheme: The framework established by the relevant authorities at a European Marine Site under which their functions are exercised to secure, in relation to that site, compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive.
Notable species: A species that is considered to be notable due to its importance as an indicator, and may also be of nature conservation importance, and which is unlikely to be a ‘characteristic species.’
Operations which may cause deterioration or disturbance: Any activity or operation taking place within, adjacent to, or remote from a European Marine Site that has the potential to cause deterioration to the natural habitats for which the site was designated, or disturbance to the species and its habitats for which the site was designated.
Plan or project: Any operation that is within a competent authority’s (including relevant authorities) function to control, or over which a competent authority (including relevant authorities) has a statutory function to decide on applications for consents, authorisations, licences or permissions. There is no generally accepted definition of the term “plan or project”. This definition may be subject to review and may require further discussion in the context of developing a management scheme for the Severn Estuary SPA.
Ramsar: Site designated under the 1971 Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance.
Relevant authority: The specific competent authority which has powers or functions which have, or could have, an impact on the marine environment, or adjacent to, a European Marine Site.
SAC: Special Area of Conservation.
Sensitivity: The intolerance of a habitat, community or individual species to damage from an external force.
SPA: Special Protection Area for birds.
SSSI: Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Supporting Habitats: The key habitats within the European Marine Site necessary to support the interest feature.
TAN 5: Planning Guidance (Wales) Technical Advice Note (TAN)5: Nature Conservation and Planning (Welsh Assembly Government)
Vulnerability: The exposure of a habitat, community
or individual of a species to an external factor to which it is sensitive.
