Glossary

Bio bank - A special place where scientists keep samples of plants, seeds or even cells from animals. These samples are like backups for the natural world. If something happens to a plant or animal and it becomes rare or endangered, scientists can use the samples from the bio bank to help grow more of them and keep them safe.

Biodiversity - The variety of plants, animals and other living creatures in the world.

Conservation - Conservation is all about taking care of our planet and the plants and animals that live on it.

Continental shelf - The wide, shallow part of the ocean near the edges of continents. It starts at the shore and stretches out into the sea for a little while before dropping down into deeper waters.

Endemic - If an animal or plant is endemic, it is found only in that place or country.

Environment - Everything around us that we can see, touch, hear, and smell! It includes things like trees, plants, animals, rivers, oceans, mountains, and even the air we breathe.

Fiord - A long, narrow waterway with steep cliffs on both sides. Fiords are formed when glaciers carve out the land, and when the ice melts, the area fills with seawater.

Glacier - A glacier is like a huge river made of ice. As it moves, it scrapes and shapes the land underneath, creating valleys and mountains.

Habitat - A place in nature where living things, like birds, insects and trees can find everything they need to survive.

Interconnectedness - Interconnectedness is like a big web or puzzle where everything is connected to everything else. It's when different things, like plants, animals, and even people, rely on each other to live and grow.

Introduced - Something that wasn't originally from a certain place but was brought there by people.

Invasive species - A plant, animal or bug that doesn't belong in a certain area but somehow got there. Once it arrives, it spreads quickly and takes over, like a weed in a garden. Invasive species can cause big problems for native plants and animals because they might eat all the food, take up all the space, or even push native species out of their homes.

Leaf litter - All the dead leaves that cover the ground in forests and other natural places.

Mammal - Mammals include humans and all other animals that are warm-blooded vertebrates (vertebrates have backbones) with hair. They feed their young with milk and have a more well-developed brain than other types of animals.

Marine ecosystem - a special community of living organisms that exists in the ocean or other saltwater environments. Just as on land, marine ecosystems include plants, animals, and microorganisms that interact with each other and their surroundings.

Marine reserve - A special underwater park where sea creatures get to live and play without being disturbed. It's a protected area in the ocean where people aren't allowed to fish or take things from the sea.

National park - A special area of land set aside by the government to protect and preserve the plants, animals, and landscapes that make Aotearoa New Zealand so unique.

Native species - Species that have been present for millions of years or have arrived since but without human assistance and survived.

Nutrients - Nutrients help living things grow. They're tiny bits of stuff found in food, soil and water that plants and animals, including humans, need to stay healthy.

Pests - Plants or animals that cause problems for people or other plants and animals.

Predator - An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.

Restoration - Restoration is like giving nature a big helping hand. It's when people work together to fix up areas of nature that might have been damaged.

Sanctuary - A special place where animals can live without having to worry about being hunted or bothered.

Sustainable - Doing something in a way that keeps it going for a long time without using up all the resources or hurting the environment.

Translocation - When people help move animals from one place to another, where they'll be happier and safer.

Threatened - Threatened species have the greatest risk of extinction.

U-shaped valley - A valley in the shape of a U, characterised by steep sides and a wide, flat bottom. These valleys are formed when giant, icy rivers called glaciers slide across the land, carving and shaping it as they go. When glaciers melt, they leave behind these special valleys.

World heritage area - A super special place on Earth that's extra important and needs extra care. It's chosen by people from all around the world because it has something amazing or unique, like ancient ruins, breathtaking landscapes, or rare animals.