Anthropocentric: Literally “centered on man,” it refers to the idea that humans are the most important species on the planet; alternately, a view of the world that places the needs and desires of humans above all else.
Biological totem: The totem of a species of living being such as an animal, plant, or fungus.
Biome: A specific type of habitat characterized by common climactic features that may be found in many places worldwide; as one example, arid deserts are found on almost all the continents of the world, though each one may have unique types of flora, fauna, and fungi living there.
Bioregion: Also known as an ecoregion, this is a large area of land characterized by common geographic and geological features; it will often have unique fauna, flora, and fungi not found as commonly, or at all, in adjacent bioregions. A bioregion is frequently outlined by the watershed of a major river.
Biotope: Also known as a habitat, this is a more local piece of land that is defined by having a common array of fauna, flora, and fungi throughout it. These living beings are supported by its specific environmental factors, such as water, soil, and weather patterns.
Ecoregion: See bioregion.
Ecosystem: An ecosystem is the interconnected system of relationships among the living beings that inhabit a biotope and the physical features (water, soil, etc.) of the biotope.
Greenwashing: Presenting a product, service, or company as being more ecologically friendly than it actually is.
Habitat: See biotope.
Invasive species: A species of animal, plant, or fungus that has been introduced to a place where it is not native. This term has the additional connotation of the species being especially destructive to the ecosystem there.
Land totem: The totem of a landform or other nonbiological part of nature, such as Quartz, River, and Gravity.
Nature: Everything that exists in the physical universe. Sometimes also limited to anything that is not a human being or created by human beings, called “nonhuman nature.”
Primary totem: A totem present with you for much of your life, often what people commonly think of when they say “your totem.” This totem commonly has a strong influence on you to the point where other people notice you resemble it.
Secondary totem: A totem that comes into your life for a specific period of time or to help you through a particular lesson and then bows out again.
Spirituality: The art of feeling connected to something greater than yourself. What that something is may vary from person to person. Spirituality may or may not occur in the framework of an organized religion.
Tertiary totem: A totem you approach for help with a specific situation but otherwise do not share a connection.
Totem: An archetypal being that embodies all of the given qualities of a particular species or natural phenomenon; all species and natural phenomena have totems. Totems are not individual spirits; contrast an individual gray wolf spirit with the totem Gray Wolf, who watches over all gray wolves, spirits included. See also: biological totem, land totem.