GLOSSARY

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ICHTHYOFAUNA (Ichtyofaune)

Designates the fish life in a given region.

(Translated from Ramade, F. Dictionnaire encyclopédique de l'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement. Édiscience international, Paris, 1993.)

ICHTHYOLOGY (Ichtyologie)

Branch of zoology dealing with fish.

(Translated from Dictionnaire universel francophone. Hachette/Edicef, 1997.)

INTERSEX (Intersexualité)

An individual who is intermediate in sexual constitution between male and female.

(Inductel Scientific & Technical Dictionaries)

ISOBATH (Isobathe)

Line connecting points of equal depth in a water mass.

(Translated from Grand dictionnaire terminologique. Office de la langue française and Sémantix. 2000.)

ISOTOPE (Isotope)

Atoms of the same element (i.e. having the same atomic number) which differ in mass number are called isotopes of that element. The isotopes of an element are identical in chemical properties, and in all physical properties except those determined by the mass of the atom. The different isotopes of an element contain different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Nearly all elements found in nature are mixtures of several isotopes.

(Uvarov, E. B., d. R. Chapman, and A. Isaacs. A Dictionary of Science. Third Edition. Penguin Books Ltd., Harmondsworth, England, 1966.

ISOTOPIC TRACER (Traceur isotopique)

Indicator made of the same element as the one to be monitored, but having a different isotopic composition. Isotopic tracers make it possible to determine the provenance of certain molecules in a chemical compound and to monitor the movement of chemical substances on a large scale.

(Microsoft®. Encarta Encyclopedia® 99. ©1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation.)