Angle of repose (of a granular material) is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping. At this angle, the material on the slope face is on the verge of sliding. (Wikidata. 2025. Angle of repose. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q532078)
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The angle of repose is is used in materials science, engineering, and sometimes used in the design of equipment for the processing of particulate solids. For example, it may be used to design an appropriate hopper or silo to store the material, or to size a conveyor belt for transporting the material.
Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, either across an international border or within a State, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters. (IOM. 2019. Glossary on Migration. International Migration Law. https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/iml_34_glossary.pdf)
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For persons forced to leave their home country, use "refugees".
Wheat starch is a by-product in the manufacture of gluten. Residual protein in the starch gives it a flour-like odor, flavor, and appearance. Rheological properties of the starch are similar to those of corn starch, although viscosity and gel strength are not as high. Its principal use is in baking where it replaces portions of wheat flour. (Moore, C.O.; Tuschhoff, J.V.; Hastings, C.W.; Schanefelt, R.V. Chapter XIX—Applications of Starches in Foods. In Starch: Chemistry and Technology, 2nd ed.; Whistler, R.L., Bemiller, J.N., Paschall, E.F., Eds.; Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA, 1984; pp. 575–591.)
Macroalgal blooms are rapid accumulations of macroalgal populations that form dense canopies in benthic communities of estuaries and coastal waters. (ASFA adaptation from Kennish, M.J. (2016). Macroalgal Blooms. In: Kennish, M.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Estuaries. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_10)
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Macroalgal blooms can be blue-green, green, greenish brown or brown, depending on the species. For macroalgal blooms caused specifically by green macroalgae, see "green tides".
Ranavirus is a genus of viruses in the family Iridoviridae that infects amphibians, reptiles, and fish. (Adapted from Sharifian-Fard M, Pasmans F, Adriaensen C, et al. Ranavirosis in Invasive Bullfrogs, Belgium. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2011;17(12):2371-2372. doi:10.3201/eid1712.110236.)
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Depending upon the virus and the age and health of the host, infections result in a variety of clinical signs such as internal organ hemorrhage, skin sloughing and external petechia.
Farmed fish that escape from fish farms. Escapes from fish farms occur from marine net pens in all fish producing countries, as both repeated “trickle” losses of relatively small numbers of fish, and through large-scale episodic events. (Adapted from Thorstad, E.B., Fleming, I.A., McGinnity, P., Soto, D., Wennevik, V. & Whoriskey, F. 2008. Incidence and impacts of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in nature. NINA Special Report 36. 110 pp https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2725676)
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Escapes of fish from sea-cage aquaculture have typically been thought of as referring to juvenile and adult fish. Such escapes have been reported for almost all species presently cultured around the world. Recently, a second form of escape has come into focus, involving the escape of viable, fertilized eggs spawned by farmed individuals from sea-cage facilities, or so-called “escape through spawning”.
Nanotoxicology is a branch of toxicology concerned with the study of the toxicity of nanomaterials. (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. 2025. Nanotoxicology https://www.csir.co.za/nanotoxicology)
Green synthesis, also known as sustainable synthesis or eco-friendly synthesis is an approach to chemical synthesis that prioritize minimizing the environmental impact of chemical reactions and processes. The goal of green synthesis is to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, energy consumption, waste generation, and overall resource depletion while maximizing efficiency and sustainability. (Le Y (2023) An Overview on Sustainable Strategies of Green Synthesis. Organic Chem Curr Res. 12:330.)
Government-imposed prohibition on the export of certain products, most commonly essential commodities like foodstuffs, with the aim of addressing domestic concerns such as food security. Export bans are typically enacted to increase domestic food availability, stabilize or reduce domestic food prices, and prevent or relieve critical shortages of food during sudden supply disruptions. (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2025. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 – Addressing high food price inflation for food security and nutrition. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd6008en)
A proglacial river is a river that flows from the margin of a glacier. These rivers are strongly affected by the highly-seasonal water supply from the glacier and by the large supply of sediment that arrives at the glacier terminus. (Adapted from Marren, Philip M. (2005). "Magnitude and frequency in proglacial rivers: A geomorphological and sedimentological perspective". Earth-Science Reviews. 70 (3–4): 203–251. Bibcode:2005ESRv...70..203M. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2004.12.002.)
“Digital sequence information” (“DSI”) plays a fundamental role in environmental and biological research, contributing to understanding of the molecular basis of life and evolution and of the ways in which genes can potentially be manipulated to provide new therapies and cures for diseases, new energy sources and other new products. It also plays important roles in taxonomy, identifying and mitigating risks to threatened species, tracking illegal trade, identifying the geographical origin of products and planning conservation management. The term “DSI” currently has no agreed definition. Differences in terminology in scientific circles reflect differences in the material referred to, which makes it difficult to harmonize terminology. However, it is clear that “DSI” is a critical tool in the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture. (FAO. 2025. Digital sequence information. https://www.fao.org/cgrfa/topics/digital-sequence-information/en/)
Pitted hair is a clinical sign marked by tiny depressions on the hair shaft surface, often linked to structural damage or underlying dermatological conditions. (FAO Animal Health, 2024.)
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This clinical sign is observed exclusively in animals, not humans, and may be important for detecting certain condition, similar to other irregularities in animal hair, such as a dull hair coat.
Kava biomass from the plant Piper methysticum is normally sold as the rhizome, with the periderm and roots removed. The peeled rhizome is also the desired material for solvent extraction to produce kava extracts. Kava may also be sold as an unpeeled rhizome covered with the cork or with the roots attached. Fresh kava products are prepared using peeled rhizomes, peeled basal stems and/or roots. Dried kava products may be in the form of intact lateral roots or peeled rhizomes, or peeled chips, or in powdered form. (Adapted from IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Some Drugs and Herbal Products. Lyon (FR): International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2016. (IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 108.) 1, Exposure Data. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK350450/# and FAO & WHO. 2023. Regional standard for kava products for use as a beverage when mixed with water. Codex Alimentarius Standard, No. CXS 336R-2020. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Rome. https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius )
Food derived from plants (e.g. vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts). (FAO. 2023. Contribution of terrestrial animal source food to healthy diets for improved nutrition and health outcomes – An evidence and policy overview on the state of knowledge and gaps. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc3912en)
Dysentery is diarrhoea with visible blood in the faeces. It often leads to anorexia, rapid weight loss, and intestinal mucosal damage caused by invasive bacteria. The main cause is Shigella, though Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella, and rarely E. histolytica may also be responsible. (Adapted from WHO. 1992. Readings on Diarrhoea. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/40343/9241544449.pdf)
The product obtained by partial or complete removal of fat from cocoa nib or cocoa mass. (FAO & WHO. 2022. Standard for Cocoa (Cacao) Mass (Cocoa/Chocolate Liquor) and Cocoa Cake. CXS 141-1983. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Rome. https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius)
Aptamers are DNA and RNA oligonucleotides that can adopt tridimensional structures that enable them to join specifically to any desired target. Aptamers are capable of binding to specific molecules including drugs, proteins, carbohydrates, cells, and viruses. (Cruz-Hernández CD, Rodríguez-Martínez G, Cortés-Ramírez SA, Morales-Pacheco M, Cruz-Burgos M, Losada-García A, Reyes-Grajeda JP, González-Ramírez I, González-Covarrubias V, Camacho-Arroyo I, Cerbón M, Rodríguez-Dorantes M. Aptamers as Theragnostic Tools in Prostate Cancer. Biomolecules. 2022 Jul 29;12(8):1056. doi: 10.3390/biom12081056. PMID: 36008950; PMCID: PMC9406110.)
An arena for carbon dioxide emissions trading, i.e. the buying and selling of emission allowances (credits or shares) and emission reductions for metric tons of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. (NALT https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/137721)
The production, use and conservation of biomass to provide products and ecosystem services across all economic sectors in the most efficient way while respecting planetary boundaries, by avoiding or preventing the use of raw materials, reducing waste, reusing and recycling of biomass. It also concerns social (fairness and accessibility) as well as animal health and well-being criteria. (FAO. 2025. The role of livestock in circular bioeconomy systems. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd6765en)
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A circular bioeconomy lies at the intersection of the bioeconomy and the circular economy, with an emphasis on the sustainable use of biomass through closed-loop systems that rely on reducing, reusing and recycling biomass.
Agricultural adjustment refers to coordinated strategies and policy measures within or among countries to improve the balance between national or world agricultural supply and demand, promote stable growth in food production, and enhance the functioning of markets and trade in agricultural products. (Adapted from FAO. 1973. Proposal by the director-general on a world food security policy https://www.fao.org/4/x5590e/x5590e05.htm)
The production of non-food products such as forestry, animal rearing, feedstock and biomass used to produce biofuels, oilseeds transformed into oleo-chemical products, starch producing polymers for biodegradable plastics, or fibres used in textile and automotive industries. (FAO. 2023. The status of women in agrifood systems. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc5343en)
