Scottish blue carbon action plan

Glossary

Adaptation (Climate Change) - actions to help reduce vulnerability to current and expected impacts of climate change.

BCAP – Blue Carbon Action Plan.

Biodiversity - The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they form part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

Biogenic Reefs – Biogenic reefs comprise discrete accumulations of organisms having calcium carbonate structures, like shells, which are found on the seafloor. Biogenic reefs in Scotland include maerl beds, cold-water coral reefs, flame shell beds and horse mussel beds.

Blue Carbon - Blue carbon is the carbon captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems that accumulates over long timescales through natural processes. Blue carbon habitats include saltmarshes and seagrasses; and the term has been expanded here to include emerging blue carbon habitats, such as kelp beds and subtidal sediments.

Bottom Trawling - Bottom trawling is a fishing method that uses towed nets and other heavy gear to catch fish and other marine species living on or close to the seabed.

CO₂ – Carbon Dioxide.

Coastal Squeeze – Loss or deterioration of natural habitats resulting from human developments, particularly coastal defence structures, that restrict landward transgression of those habitats as sea levels rise.

Dredging - The removal of material from the seabed, for a variety of purposes, including the clearing of channels for navigation, or the extraction of sediments and minerals.

Ecosystem - A dynamic interlinked complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as an ecological unit. An ecosystem can range in size, e.g. from the size of an intertidal pool to the size of the Earth’s oceans.

Estuary - Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea. Estuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water—a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater.

FIRNS - Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland.

Flux Tower - Flux towers are micro-meteorological tower sites that use eddy covariance methods to measure and calculate vertical turbulence fluxes (the upward and downward movement) of trace-gas concentrations by an ecosystem and how it changes over time.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory - The Greenhouse Gas Inventory contains the UK’s official reported greenhouse gas emission estimates. It is a key tool for understanding the origin and magnitude of UK emissions.

Inorganic Carbon - Inorganic carbon refers to carbon compounds that do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and carbonates. It is typically found in the atmosphere, oceans, and rocks.

IPCC – International Panel on Climate Change.

JNCC – Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Just Transition - The Climate Change Act 2019 embeds the principles of a just transition. This means as we reduce our emissions and respond to a changing climate, our journey is fair and creates a better future for everyone – regardless of where they live, what they do, and who they are.

Labyrinthula – a net slime mould that causes a wasting disease in seagrass.

LiDAR Mapping - Light detection and ranging mapping is a remote-sensing technology that uses laser beams to measure precise distances and movement in an environment, in real time.

Mitigation (climate change) – Reducing the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Moorings - Moorings are permanent or semi-permanent anchoring systems on the water. They are used to secure boats and prevent them from moving away from a particular place.

Marine Protected Areas (MPA) - Marine Protected Area is the term used for sites designated in accordance with the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 for the purposes of protecting biodiversity, geodiversity and historical assets. It may also be used in the generic sense as ‘marine protected areas’ to refer to any designated area that contributes to the MPA network in Scotland’s seas.

NatureScot - NatureScot is a public body responsible for advising Scottish Ministers on all matters relating to the natural heritage. Their purpose is to; promote, care for and improve our natural heritage; help people to enjoy nature responsibly; enable greater understanding and awareness of nature and promote the sustainable use of Scotland’s natural heritage. They also advise local authorities and work with the Scottish Parliament and public, private and voluntary organisations.

NC MPAs – Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009).

Net Zero - net zero means achieving a balance between carbon emitted into the atmosphere, and carbon removed from it. This balance will happen when the amount of carbon added to the atmosphere is no more than the amount removed.

NMP2 – National Marine Plan 2.

NPF4 – National Planning Framework 4.

NRF – Nature Restoration Fund.

Organic Carbon - organic carbon refers to carbon compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Organic carbon is primarily found in living organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Passive Restoration - Allowing ecosystems to recover naturally by ceasing harmful activity or disturbance and giving native species the opportunity to regenerate on their own.

Photosynthesis - The process plants, algae and some bacteria use to turn sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

PMFs – Priority Marine Features.

RBMP – River Basin Management Plan.

SACs – Special Areas of Conservation (a type of MPA) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 or Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, in support of European Council Directive 92/43/EEC (the Habitats Directive).

SBCF – Scottish Blue Carbon Forum.

SEPA – Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Sequester – The process of capturing, securing and storing Carbon from the atmosphere.

SMEEF – Scottish Marine Environment Enhancement Fund.

SNAP3 - Scotland’s Third National (climate) Adaptation Plan.

SPAs - Special Protection Areas (a type of MPA) under Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, in support of European Council Directive 2009/147/EC (the Birds Directive).

SSEN – Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

SSSIs – Sites of Special Scientific Interest (a type of MPA) under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

Terrestrial Ecosystems – Ecosystems that can only be found on land.

Topography – The study of the land’s surface and its features including mountains, valleys, rivers and contours.

UKBCEP – UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership.