Glossary
1080
sodium fluoroacetate or sodium monofluoroacetate (from Compound 1080, the original registration number given when it was tested as a rat poison in the USA in 1944). The chemical formula for 1080 is FCH2COONa
biodiversity
the variability among living organisms; includes the genetic diversity within species, the variety of species on Earth and ecosystem diversity - such as forests, deserts, streams, estuaries, oceans - and their biological communities
bioaccumulation
the accumulation and concentration of stable substances as they move up the food chain. Perhaps the best known examples are organochlorine pesticides such as DDT, now banned in New Zealand
carcinogen
cancer-causing agent; carcinogens may be genotoxic (affect DNA directly) or non-genotoxic. Carcinogens produce cancerous tumours that may be benign or malignant
chaff
small fragments; refers to small or undersized pieces of carrot, or small pieces of other baits treated with 1080
controlled pesticide
pesticide listed in the First Schedule of the Pesticides Act 1979, including 1080, phosphorus and cyanide. Use of controlled pesticides is restricted to approved and licensed operators
detection limit
the minimum concentration of an analyte (substance being analysed) that can be detected at a known confidence level. The term is generally applied to laboratory testing and may vary depending on the method of analysis
degradation
the breaking down of substances by physical or biological means; bio-degradation refers specifically to breaking down of substances by natural processes, including bacteria, action of sunlight etc
dose
the quantity of chemical or substance to which an organism is exposed, usually expressed as a mass per unit body weight (eg. mg/kgbw) either discretely or over time (eg. mg/kgbw-day)
endocrine disruptor
a chemical that interferes with endocrine system function (the glands that produce hormones that guide the development, growth and reproduction in people and animals); known endocrine disruptors include DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds
existing substances
hazardous substances already approved for use in New Zealand prior to July 2001 (HSNO Act)
exposure
contact of a chemical with an organism, for example a person or animal; the way in which a chemical enters an organism after contact is usually described as the exposure route, e.g. by ingestion, inhalation or dermal absorption (through the skin)
feral
wild population of a species that is also domesticated (e.g. cats, deer, pigs, cattle)
folivores
an animal eating mostly leaves
genotoxic
an agent or substance that harms an organism by damaging its genetic material (DNA); in this document, the term refers specifically to carcinogens that are genotoxic
hazardous substance
any substance with one or more of the following intrinsic hazardous properties: explosiveness, flammability, oxidising capacity, corrosiveness, toxicity and ecotoxicity (HSNO Act)
insectivorous
feeding on insects
invertebrate
animal having no backbone (vertebral column)
LC50
the concentration of a chemical that is estimated to be fatal to 50% of the population of a particular organism (usually based on laboratory tests under specified conditions), usually expressed as milligram per kilogram, milligram per litre etc
LD50
the dose of a chemical that is estimated to be fatal to 50% of the population of a particular organism (usually based on laboratory tests under specified conditions), usually expressed as milligram per kilogram of body weight
mainland island
an area of forest, largely isolated from close sources of predators by farmland or other landscape features
metabolism
the chemical processes in organisms that convert food into living tissue or break down the contents of cells into simpler substances for specific functions
new substances
hazardous substances not imported or manufactured in New Zealand prior to July 2001 (HSNO Act)
pesticide
agent that kills pests. Pesticides may be chemical or biological agents; chemical agents may be naturally occurring or synthetically manufactured. Vertebrate pesticides specifically kill vertebrates
possum
Australian brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), introduced to New Zealand from Australia from 1837 to 1922. In early New Zealand literature, possums were often referred to as opossums, although recent literature, including this document, has standardised on possum. The term opossum is used in North America and refers to the native American marsupial Didelphis virginiana
reservoir species
those species able to maintain a disease within populations of the same species (in this case bovine Tb) and also pass it on to other host species. See also vector species
toxic substance
as defined by the Toxic Substances Act 1979. 1080 and cyanide are classified as deadly poisons under the First Schedule Toxic Substances Regulations 1983
trace amount
in analytical terms, an amount that is detectable but not able to be quantified
trap-night
a measure of trapping effort, e.g. 100 trap nights represents 10 traps set for 10 nights, or 50 traps set for 2 nights
ungulates
hoofed mammals (e.g. pig, deer, cattle, goat)
vector species
those species able to spread disease (in this case bovine Tb), but not known to maintain the disease within its own populations
vertebrate
animal with backbone (vertebral column)
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