| |
Dictionary of Marine Biology and SCUBA Diving Terms
A | B | C |
D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
- ABLJ
- Adjustable buoyancy lifejacket. The horsecollar style of buoyancy compensator. Not much used nowadays.
- ACUC
- American Canadian Underwater Certifications. Canada's scuba certification body. More information...
- Anadromous
- Migrating up rivers from the sea to breed in fresh water.
- Barotrauma
- Injury to the middle ear caused by a rapid change in pressure. May result when ears aren't cleared on a descent.
- Benthic
- Bottom dwelling: living on the floor of the sea or lake.
- BSAC
- British Sub-Aqua Club. The BSAC is the governing body for the sport of scuba diving in the UK. It is a club-based organisation that offers training for members through a branch, or intensive courses through a BSAC school.
- By-catch
- Living creatures which are caught unintentionally by fishing gear. Bycatch includes those fish captured by fishers (both commercial and recreational) that are undersized, prohibited, inedible or unsaleable. It also includes dolphins, albatrosses and turtles.
- Catadromous
- Migrating down river to breed in the sea.
- Cerata
- Finger-like projections on the back of a nudibranch (sea slug).
- CESA
- Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. It involves finning up while exhaling to keep expanding air in the lungs from causing lung expansion injuries. It is used when a diver is out of air, and no other air source is available.
- Chart Datum (CD)
- The level of the lowest tide there has ever been at a particular place. All depths on a chart and heights of tide refer to it.
- CITES
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
- CMAS
- Confédération Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques (World Underwater Federation of Underwater Activities). Established 1959.
- Cosmopolitan Marine Species
- Species which occur around the world. Examples include hammerhead sharks, leatherback turtles and moon jellyfish.
- Crepuscular
- Appearing or active at twilight. Search for more information...
- Demersal
- Living on the sea-floor.
- Deviation
- The angle between compass north and true north.
- Diel
- Describes events that occur with a 24 hour periodicity. See also diurnal and nocturnal.
- Diurnal
- Refers to events that occur during the day
- Dorsal Fin
- The fin running across the back of the fish. Search for more information...
- Emarginate Tail
- Shaped as in the diagram to the right. Search for more information...
- Hectocotylus
- The modified arm of a male octopus or squid, used to transfer sperm to the female during reproduction. Search for more information...
- Hermaphrodite
- Having both male and female reproductive organs.
- HWL
- High water level.
- LWL
- Low water level.
- MHW
- Mean high water.
- MLW
- Mean low water.
- msw
- Metres of seawater: a unit of pressure. The pressure exerted by seawater varies slightly with temperature and salinity, but for practical purposes the convention is that each meter imposes a pressure of 0.1 bar. Sometimes the convention is that each meter is equivalent to 0.1 atmosphere (0.1013 bar).
- NASDS
- National Association of Scuba Diving Schools. In 1999 NASDS merged with Scuba Schools International. Search for more information...
- NAUI
- National Association of Underwater Instructors. Search for more information...
- Nematocysts
- Stinging cells such as those possessed by sea anemones.
- Neritic zone
- From the low-tide line to the to the edge of the continental shelf - around 200 m. After the neritic zone comes the pelagic zone - or open ocean.
- Nocturnal
- refers to events that occur at night.
- PADI
- Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Search for more information...
- Pectoral fins
- The pair of fins at the front of the fish, behind its head.
- Pelagic zone
- The open sea.
- RIB
- Rigid-hull inflatable boat.
- SAA
- Sub-Aqua Association. Search for more information...
- SCUBA
- Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
- Sclerite
- See spicule.
- SDI
- SCUBA Diving International. Qualification agency created in 1999. It grew out of sister company TDI, which specialises in the more advanced disciplines of technical dive training.
- Spicule
- Hard, needle-shaped, calcium carbonate skeletal structure contained within soft corals. Also known as a sclerite. Search for more information...
- SSI
- Scuba Schools International. In 1999 SSI merged with the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools. Search for more information...
- Swell
- Casued by waves formed by past wind, or wind at a distance.
- Tail: Emarginate
- See Emarginate. Search for more information...
- Tail: Truncate
- Shaped as in the diagram to the right. Search for more information...
- Tidal Range
- The difference in height between high and low water.
- Truncate Tail
- Shaped as in the diagram to the right. More Information...
- Zooplankton
- The animal constituent of plankton.
- Zonation
- The system used to describe fringing coral reefs. These reefs are commonly have six distinct areas (or zones): shore, back reef, flat reef, reef crest, fore reef and drop-off. (From the Beautiful Oceans on-line course.)
- Zooxanthellae
- Microscopic algae that live in the tissue of reef-building corals. Pronounced zoo-zan-thelly. (From the Beautiful Oceans on-line course.)
|
