Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
Fringing reefs—reefs made of corals that grow on hard surfaces of rocky shores below the lowest tide
mark. These reefs follow shorelines at a close distance
Gametes—mature egg or sperm, capable of reproduction after fertilization with sperm or egg from same
species
Gape—the mouth in cetaceans, usually referring to the junction of upper and lower lips
Gastropods⎯class of symmetrical, univalve mollusks that have a true head, an unsegmented body, and
a broad, flat foot
Gemmules⎯group of overwintering amoebocytes covered by a hard outer covering; asexual
reproductive method in sponges
Genera⎯one of taxonomic or scientific classifications of plants and animals
Geographic coordinate system—reference system of latitude and longitude that defines the locations of
points on the surface of a sphere or spheroid
Geographic coordinates—location on the earth's surface expressed in degrees of latitude and longitude
Georges Bank⎯an immense oval-shaped bank (28,000 km 2 in size) that lies 120 km off the coast of
southern New England
Gestation—period of development in the uterus from conception until birth (pregnancy)
Gillnet—a type of fishing gear made of rectangular mesh panels that are set more or less vertically in the
water so that fish swimming into it are entangled by their gills; they can be set to fish at the surface,
midwater, or on the bottom of the water column
Gorgonians—any of the various corals, such as sea fans, in the order Gorgonacea
Green algae—division of algae (Chlorophyta) consisting of plankton and benthic forms occurring
widespread in both marine and freshwater habitats; marine species are primarily macroscopic forms
frequently attached to rocks, wood, pilings, or larger algae or grow on sandy bottoms on shells in quiet
estuaries; consist of motile and nonmotile types; may be unicellular, colonial, filamentous, membranous
(e.g., sea lettuce), and tubular
Gregarious—used to describe animals that form social groups
Groundfish—group of fishes that spend most of their lives on or near the ocean floor (e.g., cod, haddock,
hakes, and flounders); also known as demersal species
Gulf of Maine⎯large semi-enclosed basin (90,700 km 2 in size) that is situated between northern New
England (Maine, New Hampshire, and northern Massachusetts) and western Nova Scotia
Gyre—circular movement of waters, larger than an eddy; usually applied to oceanic systems
Habitat—the living place of an organism or community of organisms that is characterized by its physical
or living properties
Habitat area of particular concern (HAPC)—discrete areas within essential fish habitat (EFH) that
either play especially important ecological roles in the life cycles of federally managed fish species or are
especially vulnerable to degradation from fishing or other human activities
Habitat preference—the choice by an organism of a particular habitat in preference to others
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