Australian Faunal Directory: Ecological Descriptors

To access definition, click on the alphabet or select from the table. For detailed definitions, refer to specialised texts, such as those listed below. Some taxon groups will contain user-defined ecodes. To access these definitions (if any) see the list of ecodes at the top level (Level 1) for the Group.

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Life History	Feeding Habit	Freshwater	Marine	Terrestrial & Miscellaneous	Vegetation Growth Forms
aerial amphibious anadromous aquatic arboreal burrowing catadromous colonial crepuscular cryptozoic diurnal ectoparasitic endocommensal endoparasitic eurybathic fossorial gliding gregarious hibernator inquiline interstitial migratory miner nectonic neuston noctidiurnal nocturnal nomadic parasitoid planktonic riparian sedentary sessile solitary terrestrial territorial volant	acariphagous algal-feeder arthropod-feeder bacteria-feeder carnivorous coprophagous detritivore filter-feeder florivore folivore fucivore frugivorous fungivore herbivore gall-former graminivorous granivore grazer insectivorous mellivore necrophagous nectarivorous non-feeder omnivore piscivore predator root-feeder sanguinivore sap-feeder sporophagous wood-borer	freshwater interstitial waters lake lentic freshwater limnetic littoral lotic freshwater mud bottom permanent pond profundal rock bottom sand bottom silt bottom spring swamp temporary pond temporary pool thermal spring torrent dweller underground water vegetation-held water	abyssal abyssopelagic bathyal bathypelagic benthic brackish water coastal salt marsh continental rise continental shelf continental slope coral reef epipelagic estuarine hadal hadopelagic high intertidal infralittoral fringe intertidal low intertidal marine mangrove mesopelagic mid intertidal mud bottom neritic oceanic province oceanic trench pelagic rock bottom rock reef sand bottom sea-grass shallow subtidal silt bottom subtidal supratidal supratidal fringe	alpine apterous antarctic arctic brachypterous caves coastal coastal sand dunes cosmopolitan desert sand dunes host (taxon) inland salt marsh litter macropterous marsh micropterous montane nothing known peridomestic pest riparian rocky desert rotting wood salt lake salt marsh sand plain desert saxicoline soil dweller subtropical temperate tree hole tropical under bark vector	closed forest closed heath closed scrub crop grassland hummock grassland low closed forest low open forest low open shrubland low open woodland low shrubland low woodland open forest open heath open hummock grassland open scrub open woodland tall closed forest tall open forest tall open shrubland tall open woodland tall shrubland tall woodland tussock grassland woodland
Life History	Feeding Habit	Freshwater	Marine	Terrestrial & Miscellaneous	Vegetation Growth Forms

A 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

abyssal	sea bottom between 4000 and 6000 metres depth (= Abyssal plain)
abyssopelagic	water column between 4000 and 6000 metres depth
acariphagous	feeds on mites
aerial	occurs in the air; airborne
algal-feeder	feeds on algae
alpine	habitats and organisms found between the tree line and snow line in mountainous regions
amphibious	adapted to life on land as well as in water
anadromous	migrates from salt to fresh water, as in the case of a fish moving from the sea into a river to spawn
antarctic	pertaining to the south polar region, between latitudes 66 degrees 32 minutes and 90 degress S
apterous	without wings
arctic	pertaining to the North Polar region between latitudes 66 degrees 32 minutes and 90 degrees N
aquatic	adapted to life in water, living in water
arboreal	lives in, on, or among trees
arthropod-feeder	feeds on insects, spiders, etc.

B 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

burrowing	makes hole in the ground for refuge and habitation
bacteria-feeder	feeds on bacteria
bathyal	sea bottom between 200 and 4000 metres depth; continental slope and rise (= Bathybenthic)
bathypelagic	water column between 1000 and 4000 metres depth
benthic	on, or in association with, the sea bottom (opposite of Pelagic)
brachypterous	with short or abbreviated wing
brackish water	water that contains dissolved salt in the range that is less than that in seawater

C 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

catadromous	migrates from freshwater to seawater, as in the case of a fish moving into the sea to spawn
carnivorous	feeds on flesh
caves	living in caves
closed forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 70-100%, trees 10-30 m (formally Tropical Rainforest, Subtropical Rainforest, Temperate Rainforest)
closed heath	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 70-100%, shrubs 0-2 m (heath - vegetation characteristic of low fertility, acidic, poorly drained soils, dominated by small leaved shrubs of Ericaceae (heathers and heaths) and Myrtaceae (myrtles))
closed scrub	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 70-100%, shrubs 2-8 m
coastal	of or at land next to the sea
coastal sand dunes	sand hill or sand ridge next to the sea and formed by the wind
coastal salt marsh	a poorly drained coastal swamp inundated by most high tides; the intertidal area on sandy mud in sheltered coastal areas
colonial	animals that live in a group; single celled animals that live together as a single unit
continental rise	sea bottom between 1000 and 4000 metres depth
continental shelf	sea bottom down to 200 metres depth
continental slope	sea bottom between 200 and 1000 metres depth (= Archibenthal zone)
coprophagous	feeds on dung or faecal material
coral reef	a massive, wave-resistant structure, built largely by coral, and consisting of skeletal and chemically precipitated material, being best developed where mean annual temperature is 23 to 25 degrees C
cosmopolitan	widely distributed over the globe
crepuscular	active during dusk and/or dawn
crop	the cultivated produce of the ground while growing or when gathered
cryptozoic	pertaining to small terrestrial animals (cryptozoa) inhabiting crevices, living under stones, in soil or litter

D 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

diurnal	active during daylight hours
desert sand dunes	sand hill or sand ridge in an area deficient in moisture
detritivore	feeds on fragmented particulate organic matter

E 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

ectoparasitic	a parasite that lives on the outer surface of its host
endocommensal	a commensal symbiont that lives inside its host
endoparasitic	a parasite that lives within the organs or tissues of its host
epipelagic	water column between 0 and 200 metres depth
estuarine	semi-enclosed coastal water, open to the sea, having a high freshwater drainage and with marked cyclical fluctuations in salinity; usually the mouth of a river
eurybathic	tolerant of a wide range of depth

F 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

filter-feeder	filters suspended particulate organic matter from water
florivore	feeds on flowers
fossorial	adapted for digging or burrowing into the substratum
folivore	feeds on leaves
frugivorous	feeds on fruit
freshwater	living in water that is fresh, or not salt
fucivore	feeds on seaweed
fungivore	feeds on fungi

G 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

gall-former	forms an abnormal outgrowth from plant stem or leaf, usually caused by the presence of young insects
gliding	not active flight
gregarious	aggregates actively into groups or clusters
graminivorous	feeds on grass
granivore	feeds on seeds
grassland	an area of vegetation dominated by herbaceous grasses
grazer	feeds on herbage, algae or phytoplankton

H 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

hadal	sea bottom below 6000 metres depth
hadopelagic	water column below 6000 metres depth
herbivore	feeds on plants
hibernator	an animal that passes the winter in a quiescent condition
high intertidal	sea bottom at the upper part of a given intertidal zone (= high littoral)
host (taxon)	any organism that provides food or shelter for another organism; may be a definitive host (infected by the mature adult stage) or an intermediate host (infected by developmental stages)
hummock grassland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, hummock grasses 0-2 m (dominated by 'spinifex', bare ground between tussocks)

I 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

infralittoral fringe	border between subtidal and intertidal
inland salt marsh	a marshy tract, wet with salt water away from the sea
inquiline	an animal that lives in an abode properly belonging to another, e.g. termite nest
insectivorous	feeds on insects
interstitial	pertaining to, or occurring within, the pore spaces (interstices) between sediment particles
interstitial waters	pertaining to, or occurring within, the pore spaces (interstices) between sediment particles
intertidal	sea bottom between high and low tide marks (= Eulittoral)

L 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

lake	a large body of fresh or saline standing water with negligible current, having a narrow peripheral beach largely devoid of vegetation as a result of wave action (lacustrine)
lentic freshwater	static, calm or very slow-moving water (e.g. ponds and lakes), see also lotic freshwater
limnetic	pertaining to lakes or to other bodies of standing fresh water; often used with reference only to the open water of a lake away from the bottom
litter	the layer of organic material that lies on the surface of the soil
littoral	pertaining to the shore; the shore of a lake to a depth of about 10 m
lotic freshwater	running-water (e.g. rivers and streams), see also lentic freshwater
low closed forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 70-100%, trees 5-10 m
low intertidal	sea bottom at lower part of a given intertidal zone
low open forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 30-70%, trees 5-10 m
low open shrubland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, shrubs 0-2 m
low open woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, trees 5-10 m (formally Tropical Tree Savannah, Temperate Tree Savannah, Sclerophyll Low-Tree Savannah, Semi-Arid Low-Tree Savannah)
low shrubland	Protective Foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, shrubs 0-2 m (formally Shrub Steppe)
low woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, trees 5-10 m (formally Low Shrub Woodland, Low Arid Woodland)

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macropterous	fully-winged
mangrove	a tidal salt marsh community dominated by trees and shrubs
marine	of or pertaining to the sea
marsh	a tract of low, wet land
mellivore	feeds on nectar
mesopelagic	water column between 200 and 1000 metres depth
micropterous	having small or vestigial wings
mid intertidal	middle part of the tidal range
migratory	periodic or seasonal movement, typically of relatively long distance, from one habitat or climate to another; any general movement that affects the range of distribution of a population or individual; movement of a pathogen in a host body
miner	of insects, at some stage living under the epidermis of leaves
montane	pertaining to mountain conditions, the lower vegetation belt on mountains
mud bottom (freshwater)	characterised by mobile fine sediments, typically having relatively rich fauna
mud bottom (marine)	characterised by fine sediment particles

N 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

nectonic	actively swimming pelagic organisms able to move independently of water currents; typically in the size range 20 mm to 20 m
neritic	water above the Shelf down to 200 metes depth (opposite of Oceanic Province)
necrophagous	feeds on dead material
nectarivorous	nectar eating
neuston	small to medium size organism that lives on (epineuston) or under (hyponeuston) the surface film of water bodies
noctidiurnal	activity not confined to day or night
nocturnal	active during the hours of darkness
nomadic	pertaining to the habit of wandering from place to place, usually within a well defined territory
non-feeder	do not feed as adults, especially invertebrates
nothing known	no ecological data available for taxon; entered only if no other keyword can be selected

O 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

oceanic	pertaining to the open waters beyond the edge of the continental shelf
oceanic province	open sea beyond the Shelf edge at 200 metres depth (opposite of Neritic Province)
oceanic trench	steep trenches in the Hadal zone
omnivore	feeds on a mixed diet of plant and animal material
open forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 30-70%, trees 10-30 m (formally Tropical Layered Forest, Dry Sclerophyll Forest)
open heath	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 30-70%, shrubs 0-2 m (formally Heath)
open hummock grassland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, hummock grasses 0-2 m
open scrub	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 30-70%, shrubs 2-8 m (formally Layered Scrub, Sclerophyll Mallee, Semi-Arid Mallee)
open woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, trees 10-30 m

P 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

parasitoid	an organism with a mode of life intermediate between parasitism and predation; usually a species of hymenopteran in which the larva feeds within the body of another organism eventually causing the death of the host
pelagic	water column above, but not in association with, the bottom (opposite of Benthic)
peridomestic	adapted to urban household environment
permanent pond	a small natural or artificial body of standing fresh water, intermediate in size between a pool and a lake, usually with negligible current and having more or less continuous vegetation from the marginal land area into the water in the absence of significant wave action
pest	a noxious, destructive, or troublesome thing, often economically adverse; nuisance
piscivore	feeds on fish
planktonic	organisms that are unable to maintain their position or distribution independent of the movement of water or air masses
predator	preys on other organisms
profundal	the deep zone of a lake below the level of effective light penetration, and hence of vegetation

R 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

riparian	living on streams or river banks
rock bottom	characterised by solid state substrates, typically showing zonation of attached organisms
rock reef	a narrow ridge dominated by rock at or near the surface of the water
rocky desert	an area deficient of moisture, dominated by rock
root-feeder	feeds on roots
rotting wood	wood undergoing decomposition

S 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

salt lake	an inland body of water having a high salinity due to an excess of evaporation over precipitation
salt marsh	a marshy tract, wet with salt water or flooded by the sea
sand plain desert	a tract of flat land deficient in moisture and dominated by sand
sand bottom (freshwater)	characterised by mobile coarse sediments, typically having poor infauna
sand bottom (marine)	characterised by coarse sediment particles
sanguinivore	feeds on blood
sap-feeder	feeds on sap
saxicoline	living or growing on or among rocks or stones
sea-grass	any of various marine plants, usually of the genus Zostera, having long strap-like leaves
sedentary	organisms that are attached to a substrate but are capable of limited movement
sessile	organisms permanently attached to the substrate
shallow subtidal	sea bottom down to 5 metres depth
silt bottom	characterised by particles of size intermediate between sand and clays
soil dweller	living on or in the soil
solitary	occurs singly
sporophagous	feeds on spores
spring	an issue of water from the earth
subtidal	sea bottom down to 20 metres depth
subtropical	between latitudes 23 degrees 27 minutes and 34 degrees in either hemisphere
supratidal fringe	areas that blend from High intertidal to Saltmarsh
supratidal	seashore above high water mark, or spray zone (= Supralittoral)
swamp	wet spongy ground, saturated or intermittently inundated by standing water, typically dominated by woody plants but without an accumulation of surface peat

T 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

tall closed forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 70-100%, trees > 30 m
tall open forest	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 30-70%, trees > 30 m (formally Wet Sclerophyll Forest)
tall open shrubland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, shrubs 2-8 m (formally Tropical Tall Shrub Savannah)
tall open woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 10%, trees > 30 m
tall shrubland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, shrubs 2-8 m (formally Arid Scrub)
tall woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, trees > 30 m
temperate	between latitudes 23 degrees 27 minutes and 66 degrees 32 minutes (the polar circles) in each hemisphere
tree hole	living in a cavity developed in a tree
tropical	between latitude 23 degrees 27 minutes in either hemisphere (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn)
terrestrial	living on the ground; not aquatic, arboreal, or aerial
territorial	behaviour related to the defence of a territory
temporary pond	a small natural or artificial body of standing freshwater, intermediate in size between a pool and a lake, usually with negligible current and having more or less continuous vegetation from the marginal land area into the water in the absence of significant wave action
temporary pool	a small body of standing water that is not permanent
thermal spring	an issue of warm water from the earth
torrent dweller	living in river torrents
tussock grassland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum < 70% (mono- or multi-layered community dominated by tussocks of perennial grasses, rushes, sedges, or iron grass (Lomandra), herbaceous or ground layer frequently conspicuous)

U 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

under bark	living between bark and bole of tree or shrub
underground water	water occurring naturally underground, such as artesian water and watertable

V 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

vector	an insect or other organism transmitting disease (give details of disease in qualification field)
vegetation-held water	water held externally by plants, such as in leaf axils
volant	adapted for flying

W 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

wood-borer	burrows into and feeds on wood
woodland	protective foliage cover of tallest stratum 10-30%, trees 10-30 m (includes Tropical Deciduous Woodland, Tropical Woodland (mixed), Tropical Layered Woodland, Mixed Coastal Woodland, Temperate Woodland (mixed))

Bibliography for Ecological Descriptors

Allaby, M. (ed.) (1991). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Zoology. Oxford : Oxford University Press

Brown, R.W. (1956). Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian Institution Press

CSIRO (ed.) (1991). Insects of Australia. 2nd edn Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press

Gullan, P.J. & Cranston, P.S. (1994). The Insects: An Outline of Entomology. London : Chapman & Hall

Lawrence, E. (ed.) (1995). Henderson's Dictionary of Biological Terms. 11th edn England : Longman Scientific & Technical

Lincoln, R.J. & Boxshall, G.A. (1987). The Cambridge Illustrated Dictionary of Natural History. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press

Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. (1982). A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press

The Macquarie Dictionary. 2nd Revised edn Sydney : Macquarie Library Pty Ltd

Matthews, E.G. (1976). Insect Ecology. St. Lucia : University of Queensland Press

Parker, S.P. (ed.) (1989). McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. 4th edn New York : McGraw-Hill

Specht, R.L. (1970). Vegetation. pp. 44-67 in Leeper, G.W. (ed.) The Australian Environment. 4th edn Melbourne : CSIRO-Melbourne University Press

Specht, R.L., Roe, E.M. & Boughton, V.H. (1974). Conservation of major plant communities in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Aust. J. Botany Suppl. 7 Table 1.2 (pp. 8, 9)

Torre-Bueno, J.R. de la (1989). The Torre-Bueno Glossary of Entomology. New York : New York Entomological Society

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