This glossary includes most relevant terms used in this handbook. First version of the glossary was created during the development of the ‘Wildlife and Traffic’ handbook (Action COST 341) and it has been expanded with contributions from partners of the project Horizon 2020 ‘BISON’. Terms definitions are provided by legal texts, reference documents or by agreement between experts from both ecology and infrastructure. The organisations IENE, PIARC, UIC, and ISO have also assisted and will contribute in future updates.
Last update: October 2023 – How to cite
There are currently 14 names in this directory beginning with the letter D.
Dark corridors
En ecological corridor that integrates mitigation of artificial light at night as an additional criterion to calculations of resistances to wildlife movement. See also 'Ecological corridor'.
Decommissioning
The final stage in the life cycle of transport infrastructure. Few transport infrastructure projects will reach this stage in its foreseeable future, because most transport infrastructure is continuously maintained or upgraded. When radical changes in economic activities on a whole-territory scale occur, transport infrastructure can lose its importance and could be removed. See also 'Strategic Planning','Design','Construction', Operation and Maintenance'.
Defragmentation
Actions aimed at recovering or increasing ecological connectivity in territories affected by existing transport infrastructure. It is also used to refer to actions to mitigate any of the effects that cause habitat fragmentation (road mortality, habitats disturbances, etc.).
Design
Second phase of the infrastructure life cycle. It starts after delimitation of the transport corridor is approved and a decision is made that allows construction preparation to start. The first subphase is the route/site selection (alignment), followed by a detailed project, contractor selection and a final building permit. During the design phase, parameters determining the potential impact of the project development on the environment, including effects on biodiversity and habitat fragmentation, are being assessed. See also 'Strategic Planning','Construction','Operation and Maintenance', Decommissioning'.
Digital Twin
A virtual representation that serves as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process in the real world. DT can be deveoped for geographic areas (e.g. in urban spatial planning) or for buidg assets (e.g. in infrastructure development). See also 'Building Information Modelling'.
Drainage
The system of drains, pipes and channels devised to remove excess water (surface or subsurface) from an infrastructure surface.
Drover road
Traditional path for the movement of livestock that form reticular networks across regions. In some countries (i.e., Spain, Italy) they are legally regulated and protected. Synonyms: ‘Stock route’; ‘Drover track’.