GLOSSARY

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OPERCULUM (Opercule)

The bony flap covering the gills of fish.

(The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, L. Brown [ed.]. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993.)

OVARIAN FOLLICLE (Follicules ovariens)

Roughly spherical cell aggregations in the ovary containing an ovum and from which the egg is released during ovulation.

(Wikipedia.)

PATHOGENIC (Pathogène)

Refers to a disease-causing agent.

(Translated from Parent, S. Dictionnaire des sciences de l'environnement. Broquet, Quebec, 1990.)

PATHOGENICITY (Pathogénicité)

The ability of a parasite to inflict damage on the host.

PERIPHYTON (Périphyton)

Sessile biotal components of a freshwater ecosystem. These aquatic organisms can be attached to solid underwater surfaces such as plants, rocks, logs and other structures.

(Adapted from D. N. Lapedes (Ed.), McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, Second Edition, 1978.)

PHYLOGENETIC LINEAGE (Lignées phylogénétiques)

Set of organisms of the same species with the same ancestor which maintains its distinct identity relative to other lineages and has its own evolutionary tendancies over time.

PHYLOGENY (Phylogénie)

The study of the evolutionary origins of a group of living beings, established by diverse methods and based on anatomy, paleontology, bloodlines and, more recently, by comparing molecular DNA structures, by which the degree of genetic parentage of two lines of descent can be determined with absolute certainty.

(Translated from Ramade, F. Dictionnaire encyclopédique de l’écologie et des sciences de l’environnement. Second edition. Dunot, Paris. 2002.)

PHYTO-LITHOPHILOUS (Phyto-lithophile)

Refers to an aquatic animal that lives both in rocky habitats and in plants.

PHYTOPHILOUS (Phytophile)

Refers to an aquatic animal that lives in and depends upon vegetation.

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

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) (Hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques [HAP])

Organic compounds composed of two or more benzene rings, where adjacent rings share two carbon atoms; nonaromatic rings may also be present.

PROPAGULE (Propagule)

Any structure capable of giving rise to a new plant through sexual or asexual reproduction.

(The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, L. Brown [ed.]. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993.)

PROTOZOAN (Protozoaire)

Microscopic animals of a subkingdom and phylum (Protozoa) made up of a single cell or a group of more or less identical cells and living chiefly in water, but including many parasitic forms.

(Translation Bureau. Termium. Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 1999.)