Glossary (eng)

Sediment grains smaller than 0.0625 mm in size. Includes silt (between 0.0625 and 0.004 mm) and clay (<0.004 mm). Not really used in Finnish or Russian grain size classifications. In Russia includes modern unconsolidated soft clay sediments, in Finland it includes organic material.

A high resolution seabed mapping system that uses multiple (>1.00) sound beams to map the depth of water in a swath of the seabed across the track of the ship. When the sound pulses bounce off the seafloor, the strength of the echo depends on the roughness and hardness of the seafloor. The strength of the sonar reflection (the backscatter) provides information on the seafloor topography and presence of rock or sediment on the bottom.

In conservation, the extent to which a habitat or environment has been modifiedfrom its natural state by human activities and impacts. Commonly used descriptive termsfor naturalness are near-pristine, largely unmodified, modified, and extensively modified.

Coastal line of sea bottom, where sediment-reliefs role of emotion and longshore currents is the most active. Nearshore subdivided into a zone of deformation of waves, wave breaking zone and the zone of overrun.

Living organisms associated with surface film – a specific aquatic (marine) habitat.

An aquatic organism, such as fish and krill (euphausiids), that can swim powerfullyenough to move against currents (contrast with Plankton).

Pertaining to the water column overlying the continental shelf.

An area characterized with a typical complex of biotic and abiotic factors that are optimal for nesting of a specific avian species.

Long-term attachment of birds to the same nesting site.

An individual home range of a nesting pair of birds, usually actively protected (in most cases it corresponds to the "territory" concept).