Terminology - Definitions Flashcards
Agglomeration
A group of similar, but not necessarily the same, land uses that locate in the same area in order to benefit from common infrastructure and each other’s operations. Examples include most major shopping centres and industrial areas.
Aggregation
A group of similar and related land uses that locate in the same area in order to achieve an economic benefit.
Anthropogenic Biome
Biomes that are the result of sustained direct human interactions with ecosystems.
Biodiversity
The type, number and variety of living organisms within a given environment.
Biodiversity Loss
The extinction of species (plant or animal) worldwide, and also the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented.
Biome
A community of lifeforms adapted to a large natural area.
Climate
The long term average weather conditions for a location, calculated over long periods of time. It is measured from long-term precipitation and temperature patterns, and is often expressed as monthly or seasonal averages
Climate Change
The long term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in the average weather condition or a change in the distribution of weather events with respect to an average; for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events.
Ecosystem
A community of plants and animals in a non-living environment.
Globalisation
The increased interconnectedness and interdependence of people and countries resulting from the expanding integration of trade, finance, people, and ideas in one global marketplace. Advancements in technology, communication, science, transport and industry have accelerated the pace of this integration over the past few decades.
Heat Budget
The eventual balance between heat energy reaching Earth as short-wave radiation (insolation) with the amount of heat energy emitted by Earth into space as long-wave terrestrial radiation.
Inertia
Resistance to movement; for example, factories that would benefit from changing location but instead decisions are made to keep them where they are located.
Invasion and Succession
Refers to the gradual invasion of one land use type into an area dominated by a different land use. Succession has occurred when the invading land use has almost completely transformed the land use in that particular area.
Liveability
The quality of space and the built environment. The concept of liveability has been linked to a range of factors; for example, quality of life, health, sense of safety, access to services, cost of living, comfortable living standards, mobility and transport, air quality and social participation.
Natural Biomes
Biomes which have not had sustained, direct human interactions.
Sustainability
Meeting the needs of current and future generations through simultaneous environmental, social and economic adaptation and improvement.
Urban Blight
The process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude due to neglect and/or age.
Urban Renewal
The rehabilitation of urban areas by regeneration, replacement, repair or renovation, in accordance with comprehensive plans, typically larger-scale redevelopment projects, usually initiated by government.
Urban Sprawl
Refers to the outward spread of typically low-density residential and urban development on the periphery of urban areas.
Urbanisation/The Process of
The proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas. The process or urbanisation refers to the increasing percentage or proportion of a population living in urban areas of a country. This typically involves the movement or shift of people from rural to urban areas or a large influx of migrants into urban areas at a greater rate than into rural areas.
Vertical Zonation
This occurs where different functions are located at different levels within a high-rise building, according to factors such as the need for pedestrian access and views across the city landscape.
