Thesis

Glossary

data things known or assumed as facts

acidification increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolving in the ocean

benthos organisms which live on, in, or near the bottom of the sea

biomass a measure of the total mass of living matter in a particular habitat or area

conflate to combine two texts into a composite text that can be read more than one way

dual resonance a quality attributed to a text that can be read two ways, that expands its impact and meaning

dynamic equilibrium a balance of forces that maintains life through flows of energy between physical and biological systems such a planet or human body, where the whole is made up of unstable parts

ecosystem a community of organisms that interacts as an ecological unit

elemental pertaining to fundamental forces of nature such animate air, fire, rock, ice, water, and biological systems

energy systems physical and biological entities that work together to shape an ecosystem

environment conditions, influences, and forces under which any person or thing is shaped

fundamental trace form a line generated by a gesture, such as circling, that is governed by the anatomical structure of the human body

Gaia the hypothesis that Earth is a living entity of which we are a part, and that Earth maintains conditions suitable for life through a dynamic balance of physical and biological forces

gesture movement performed, consciously and unconsciously, through isolated body parts, and by the body as a whole

Indigenous a way that humans relate to the environment in accord with elemental structures shaped by forces that are common to each; expanded from native, or characteristic of, a particular region or country

kinaesthetic the use of all the senses to experience knowledge of the environment

kinesphere an imaginary spherical space that surrounds a person through which a sense of the environment is perceived

landscape an art genre that evolved in Europe to visualise the environment, that has, through the ages reflected changing human relationships to it

line a form traced by a human gesture that appears as a mark made in physical material, or that can be imagined in the space where the gesture is performed

primal earliest known experiences that are held (usually unconsciously) within body memory

subjective response conscious and unconscious, mental and sensory, knowledge of the environment gained through the senses that cannot be objectively verified

text a human communication of meaning on any theme or topic, that can include gesture, image, sound, and the spoken and written word

trace form a line traced by a gesture that is most naturally performed by virtue of our anatomical structure; a line that is drawn to describe energy that flows between the human body and the environment; a line of force

visceral gut feeling