UPSC IAS Prelims Exam: Environment and Ecology: Glossary of Terms -2

Environment and Ecology is interal part of the IAS Prelims Syllabus. It was covered under Geography prior to 2011, but seperated in 2011 and since then playing a game changing role for the IAS Prelims Exam. It has a highly technical terminology and the candidates need to know the explaniation and definition of the terms used in Environment and Ecology

False Color Composite

The image generated by projecting any three spectral bands of the satellite data on the red, green and blue channels and does not show features in true colours.

Farm Forestry

The practice of cultivating and managing trees in compact blocks on agricultural lands.

Forest Area

The area recorded as a forest in the Government records. It is also referred to as "recorded forest area".

Forest Cover

All lands, one hectare and more in area, with a tree canopy density of 10 percent or more irrespective of ownership and legal status. Such lands may not necessarily be a recorded forest area. It also includes orchards, bamboo and palm.

Forest Inventory

The measurement of certain parameters of forests to assess the growing stock and other characteristics of forests.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A computer based system for capturing, storing, manipulating, analyzing and displaying data, which are spatially referenced to the earth.

Green Wash

The extent of wooded areas generally shown in light green colour on the SOl toposheets.

Growing Stock

The sum (by number or volume) of all the trees growing/living in the forest or a specified part of it.

Hill District

A district with more than 50 percent of its geographic area under "hill talukas" based on criteria adopted by the Planning Commission for Hill Area and Western Ghats Development Programmes.

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Land Cover

Broad land use classes interpreted from satellite data. It includes very dense forest, moderately dense forest, open forest, scrub and non-forest for the purpose of this report.