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

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
Surge—long wave, which is longer than wind wave, but shorted than tidal wave
Symbiont—the smaller participant in a symbiotic relationship; living in or on the host
Sympatric—species or subspecies occurring together; having overlapping areas of distribution
Target species—species of fish or invertebrate specifically sought by a fishery
Taxa (taxon)—a defined unit (e.g., species, genus, or family) in the classification of living organisms
Taxonomy—the study of the rules, principles, and practice of classification, especially of living organisms
Tectonic plate—an area of the earth's crust which moves during geological time resulting in continental
drift and other major changes in the topography of the surface of the globe
Temperate—the region of the Earth at the mid-latitudes that is characterized by a mild, seasonally
changing climate
Temporary threshold shift (TTS)⎯a temporary impairment in hearing ability caused by exposure to
strong sounds
Terrace—zone of the fore reef occurring below the mixed zone of buttress zone from 10 to 25 m water
depth. The terrace can be relatively wide (30 to 100 m)
Territory—an area occupied exclusively by one animal and defended by aggressive behavior or displays
Thalli—plural of thallus; the vegetative body of algae
Thalliod⎯having no roots, stems, or leaves
Thermocline—the depth in the ocean (water column) in which there is an abrupt temperature change
Thermohaline circulation—density-driven water circulation caused by differences in temperature and/or
salinity
Thermoregulatory—an organism’s ability to maintain a specific body temperature regardless of the
environmental temperature
Threatened species—any plant or animal species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable
future throughout all or a part of its range; the authority to designate a species as threatened is shared by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (terrestrial species, sea turtles on land, manatees) and National Marine
Fisheries Service (most marine species) under provisions of the Endangered Species Act
Tidepools—pool of waters remaining on beach or reef after recession of tide
Topography—physical features of the ocean floor, such as mounds or ridges
Total length—the longest measurable distance from the outermost portion of a fish’s snout lengthwise to
the outermost portion of the tail fin
Tradewinds—air masses moving from subtropical high pressure belts toward the equator. They are
northeasterly in the Northern Hemisphere and southeasterly in the Southern Hemisphere
Transverse fission—asexual reproduction of two genetically similar individuals
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