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| Term | Synonyms | Definition | Data Type | Regulatory Context | Source | Data Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area Measurement | Area | Area of a surface determined from its geometrical dimensions, not including surface roughness. The area measurement specification shall include units (mandated or explicitly listed). International Units or UN-CEFACT units are preferred. | Object | RMA, Fresh water, Emissions, Biodiversity | View{:target="_blank"} | View{:target="_blank"} |
| Biodiversity area | Biodiversity area | An area set aside to protect and encourage the increase of natural biological system diversity, particularly native and endemic non-pest species. | Float | Biodiversity; Fresh water; Emissions | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Biophysical Land Unit | An area of contiguous or non-contiguous land with similar natural and/ or biophysical characteristics. These units are based on the natural and modified biophysical characteristics of the land (i.e., modified through surface or sub-surface drainage and/or the addition of irrigation water) and should be described on a spatial basis. | String | Fresh water | |||
| Ecosystem | A system in which the interaction between different organisms and their environment generates a cyclic interchange of materials and energy. | String | Biodiversity | View{:target="_blank"} | ||
| Geographic Coordinate System | Coordinate System, GPS Coordinates | Defines locations on the earth using a three-dimensional spherical surface. It is a reference system that uses latitude and longitude to identify locations on a spheroid or sphere. A datum, prime meridian, and angular unit are parts of a Geographic Coordinate System. | Coordinates | RMA, Fresh water, Emissions, Biodiversity | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Inherent risk | Buit in risk, basic risk, potential risk | Background risk due to a particular combination of natural characteristics. Inherent risk does not consider best management practices applied to reduce any potential adverse impacts of the activity. | String | Fresh water | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Land Cover | Land Cover Unit, Vegetation | observed (bio)physical cover on the Earth’s surface [SOURCE: UNFAO LCCS 2:2005] Note 1 to entry: Land cover is distinct from land use. | String | Fresh water; Emissions | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Landform | Topography, geography, terrain | A specific geomorphic feature on the surface of the earth, ranging from large-scale features such as plains, plateaus, and mountains to minor features such as hills, valleys, and alluvial fans. | Object | Fresh water | ||
| Plant available water | Available water, profile available water | Amount of water plants can extract from the soil, the difference in moisture content between field capacity and permanent wilting point. | Float: mm, millimeters of water per meter of soil (mm/m) | View{:target="_blank"} | ||
| Protected Site | wāhi tapu | An area designated or managed within a framework of international, Community and Member States' legislation to achieve specific conservation objectives. In NZ, this could be used for QEII Conservation zones. | String | RMA | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Saturation point | Point at which the soil can no longer hold water. | Float: mm, millimeters of water per meter of soil (mm/m). | View{:target="_blank"} | |||
| Slope Class | Slope, Slope Classification | A classification forming part of the NZ Land Use Resource system that is applied to areas of similar slope range, such that each class item represents a define range of slope in degrees, and is described in natural language terms such as undulating or steep. | Float | Fresh water; Emissions | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Slope Polygon | Slope, Slope Feature | A polygon delineating physiographic areas of relatively homogenous average slope class. | Fresh water; Emissions | View{:target="_blank"} | ||
| Soil Body | Soil Type, Soil Zone, Soil Complex | Part of the soil cover that is delineated and that is homogeneous with regard to certain soil properties or characteristics. | String | Fresh water | View{:target="_blank"} View{:target="_blank"} |
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| Soil Classification | Soil properties, Soil quality, Soil Class, NZSC, Soil Order, Soil Group | The New Zealand soil classification, which describes the characteristics, qualities and limitations of different soils. The top three levels of the NZSC classification - order, group, and subgroup - are defined by Hewitt (2010), the fourth and fifth levels (family and sibling) by Webb and Lilburne (2011). The fourth level (soilforms) by Clayden and Webb (1994) were replaced by the family and sibling. | String | Fresh water | View{:target="_blank"} | |
| Soil erosion | soil loss, Soil attrition, Soil disintegration, Soil abrasion, Soil decrease | The removal of material from the surface of the land (specifically soil) by weathering, running water, moving ice, wind and mass movement. | String | Fresh water; Biodiversity | View - Erosion, Accelerated Erosion{:target="_blank"} | |
| Water body | Lake, pond, pool, reservoir | An inland body of water | String | Fresh water | ISO 6107:2021(en), Water quality — Vocabulary{:target="_blank"} | |
| Watercourse | River, Stream | Channel on or below the earth’s surface, through which water may flow | String | Fresh water | ISO 6107:2021(en), Water quality — Vocabulary{:target="_blank"} | |
| Water holding capacity | Amount of water the soil can hold. | Float: mm, millimeters of water per meter of soil (mm/m). | View{:target="_blank"} | |||
| Wetland | Marshland, marsh, fen, swamp, peatland | Land inundated with water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, that is static or flowing, brackish or salt [SOURCE: Ramsar Convention on Wetlands[17], Art.1, modified] Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and associated plant and animal life. | String | Fresh water; Emissions | View{:target="_blank"} | View{:target="_blank"} |