Glossary N
Deutsch: Natürlicher Schritt / Español: Paso Natural / Português: Passo Natural / Français: Pas Naturel / Italiano: Passo Naturale /
The Natural Step Framework is a creative approach for addressing Environmental challenges based on consensus and systems thinking.Deutsch: Natur / Español: Naturaleza / Português: Natureza / Français: Nature / Italiano: Natura
Nature refers to the physical world, including all living and non-living things that exist independently of human activity. This encompasses ecosystems, wildlife, landscapes, and the elements such as water, air, and soil. In the context of the environment, nature is often viewed as the collective term for the natural systems that sustain life on Earth, providing essential resources and habitats.
Deutsch: Negatives Feedback / Español: Retroalimentación negativa / Português: Retroação negativa / Français: Rétroaction négative / Italiano: Retroazione negativa
Negative feedback in the environmental context refers to processes within environmental systems that counteract changes, stabilizing the system against deviations from its equilibrium state. This type of feedback is crucial for maintaining the balance and health of ecosystems and the broader environment.
Deutsch: Neocortex / Español: Neocorteza / Português: Neocórtex / Français: Néocortex / Italiano: Neocorteccia
In the environmental context, the neocortex refers to a part of the brain that plays a critical role in complex cognitive functions, such as problem-solving, reasoning, perception, and social Interaction, which are essential for understanding and addressing environmental challenges. The neocortex is the outermost Layer of the brain in mammals, particularly developed in humans, and it allows for advanced processing and decision-making that can guide responses to environmental issues.
In the context of the environment, neonicotinoids refer to a class of synthetic insecticides chemically related to nicotine. They have been widely used in agriculture since the 1990s to control a variety of pests, especially sap-feeding insects like aphids and root-feeding grubs. Neonicotinoids act on the central nervous system of insects, leading to paralysis and death, and are considered to be more targeted than older classes of insecticides, with a lower toxicity to mammals.
In the environmental context, "nervous system effect" refers to the impact environmental factors, pollutants, or toxic substances can have on the nervous system of humans and wildlife. These effects can range from acute to chronic and can result from exposure to a variety of environmental agents, including chemicals (like pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial pollutants), physical factors (such as radiation), and biological agents (like toxins produced by harmful algal blooms).