Please note that the glossary of terms was developed from Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, June 5, 1992.

Biological Diversity: The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic eco systems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems

Biological diversity prospecting ('biodiversity prospecting' or 'bioprospecting'): The search for useful genetic and biochemical compounds and materials and related information in nature

Biological resources: Genetic resources, organisms or parts thereof, populations, or any other biotic component of ecosystems with actual or potential use or value for humanity

Biopiracy: The unauthorized and uncompensated taking of biological resources

Biotechnology: Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use

Copyright: Any original work of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression that satisfies applicable statutory requirements

Country of origin of genetic resources: The country which posses those genetic resources in in-situ conditions

Domesticated or cultivated species: Species in which the evolutionary process has been influenced by humans to meet their needs

Ecosystem: A dynamic complex of plant, animal, and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit

Ex-situ conservation: The conservation of components of biological diversity outside of the natural habitats

Farmers' rights: Rights deriving from the cultivation of plants and bred animals by communities over time (may or may not be recognized or protected)

Genetic material: Any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity

Genetic resources: Genetic material of actual or potential value

Habitat: The place or type of site where an organism or population naturally occurs

In-situ conditions: Conditions where genetic resources exist within ecosystems and natural habitats, and, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties

In-situ conservation: The conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings and, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties

Intellectual property: Ideas, discoveries, information, know-how and other tangible or applied results of intellectual effort that have actual or potential value (degree of protection depends on local law and is therefore territorial)

Patent: Any new, useful, and non-obvious discovery or invention that satisfies applicable statutory requirements (e.g., utility patents, process patents, petty patents)

Plant breeders' rights: Rights to novel plant varieties that are distinctive, uniform, and stable (e.g., cultivars bred true-to-type for desired traits)(International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants)

Protected area: A geographically defined area which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives

Regional economic integration organization: An organization constituted by sovereign States of a given region, to which its member States have transferred competence in respect

Sustainable use: The use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations

Technology: Includes biotechnology

Trade secret: Any formula, pattern, device or compilation of information which gives its owner an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it ('common knowledge' excluded by definition)

Trademark: Any word, Name, symbol, or device (or any combination thereof) used to identify goods and to distinguish them from those created or sold by others that satisfies applicable statutory requirements