Glossary

Biofuel is a fuel produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants. Examples of biofuel include alcohols (from fermented sugar), black liquor from the paper manufacturing process, wood and soybean oil.

Biomass is the total dry organic matter or stored energy content of living organisms. Biomass can be used for fuel directly by burning it (e.g., wood), indirectly by fermentation to an alcohol (e.g., sugar) or extraction of combustible oils (e.g., soybeans).

Carbon Cycle is the natural processes that govern the exchange of carbon (in the form of CO2, carbonates and organic compounds etc.) among the atmosphere, ocean and terrestrial systems. Major components include photosynthesis, respiration and decay between atmospheric and terrestrial systems ; thermodynamic invasion and evasion between the ocean and atmosphere, operation of the carbon pump and mixing in the deep ocean .

Carbon  neutral  A product or process that does not add more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere over its life cycle.

                                                                                           
Carbon sequestration is the long-term storage of carbon or carbon dioxide in the forests, soils, ocean, or underground in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, coal seams, and saline aquifers. Examples include: the separation and disposal of CO2 from flue gases or processing fossil fuels to produce H2 and carbon-rich fractions; and the direct removal of CO2 from the atmosphere through land use change, afforestation, reforestation, ocean fertilization, and agricultural practices to enhance soil carbon.

Cellulosic biomass The fibrous, woody, and generally inedible portions of plants that make up 75 percent or more of all plant material

Depolymerisation is a process that reduces a polymer to individual elements

Energy crops are plants grown to use as fuel

Ethanol is a liquid that is produced chemically from ethylene or biologically from the fermentation of various sugars from carbohydrates found in agricultural crops and cellulosic residues from crops or wood. Depending on how it is produced, it can be used as a substitute for gasoline, and can result in significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. It is also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol.

Gene expression is the process by which proteins are made from the instructions encoded in DNA.

Genome  All the DNA contained in an organism or a cell, which includes both the chromosomes within the nucleus and the DNA in mitochondria

Germplasm The genetic material, especially its specific molecular and chemical constitution, that comprises the inherited qualities of an organism

Genotype The genetic makeup of an organism

Life Cycle Analysis is an analysis of the environmental impact of a product during the entirety of its life-cycle, from resource extraction to post-consumer waste disposal. It is a comprehensive approach to examining the environmental impacts of a product or package.

Lignin is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood and an integral part of the cell walls of plants

Phenotype describes any observed quality of an organism, such as its morphology, development, or behaviour

Sustainability is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes and functions, biodiversity, and productivity over time. Also a term used by governments to describe the efficient use of the earth's resources to ensure there will be adequate resources to support the economy and maintain a healthy environment for future generations to come.