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Abstraction
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Taking water from rivers or ground water.
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Algae
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Marine plants including green, red or brown seaweed and
microscopic organisms.
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Algal bloom
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A massive reproduction and growth of marine algae, usually free
floating, in response tothe presence of higher than normal level of
nutrients.
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Algal mats
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Where a algal growth has become interwoven to form a mat. When a
mat forms it can smother other algae.
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Biodiversity
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The total variety of life on earth. This includes diversity
within species, between species and of ecosystems.
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Biomass
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The total living or dry weight of biological life either
occupying a level in the food chain, inhabiting a particular area,
or in a particular population - depending on the context
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Biota
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All the biological life (plants and animals) inhabiting a
particular site, area, or period.
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Biotope
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The physical habitat with its biological community; a term which
refers to the combination of physical environment and its
distinctive assemblage of conspicuous species.
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Chalk aquifer
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A geological formation which holds an underground reservoir of
water.
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Coastal Habitat
Management Plan
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(CHaMP) These plans will provide a framework for managing
European (and Ramsar) sites that are located on or adjacent to
dynamic coastlines in fulfillment of obligations under the Habitats
and Birds Directive (and the Ramsar convention) to avoid damage and
deterioration at these sites particularly in relation to coastal
defence issues.
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Characteristic species
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Special to or especially abundant in a particular situation or
biotope. Characteristic species should be immediately conspicuous
and easily identified.
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Citation
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The official note describing the reasons a site has been
selected for a particular designation. (Eg cSAC, SPA, SSSI)
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Community
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Any naturally occurring group of organisms occupying a common
environment.
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Competent authority
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Any Minister, government department, public or statutory
undertaker, public person or person holding a public office that
exercises legislative powers.
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Conservation objective
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A statement of the nature conservation aspirations for a site,
expressed in terms of the favourable condition required for the
habitats and/or species for which the site has been selected.
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Crustacean
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A class of invertebrates including crabs, shrimps and
barnacles.
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Dessication
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Drying out by the sun and wind.
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Dune slack
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A hollow between dunes which has a high water table (ie the
ground water is close to, at or above the ground surface).
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Dune feed sediments
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The sands which are moved onto the shore as a result of wave
action and which are then built up by the wind to form dunes.
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Encrusting animals
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Marine animals which from colonies - like crusts - on hard
surfaces.
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Energy budget
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The expenditure of energy in relation to it’s accumulation. In
this context a bird which has been disturbed is using up energy to
fly away which it may otherwise have used to lay down reserve fat
in preparation for migration.
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European marine site
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A European site - SAC or SPA - which consists of, or in so far
as it consists of, areas covered intermittently or continuously by
seawater.
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Favourable conservation status
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A range of conditions for a natural habitat or species at which
the sum of the influences acting upon it are not adversely
affecting its distribution, abundance, structure or function
throughout the biogeographic region
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Favourable condition
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A range of conditions for a natural habitat or species at which
the sum of the influence reacting upon it are not adversely
affecting its distribution, abundance, structure or function within
an individual Natura 2000 site.
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Flood Defence Strategy
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A strategy which identifies options for defending sections of
the coast.
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Food chain
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Plants or animals which are linked together in a sequence as one
organism eats another and food energy is passed along.
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Foreshore
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The part of the shore which lies between normal high and low
water marks.
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Fry
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Newly hatched or very young fish.
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Geomorphology
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The study of the formation and development of the land surface
and its physical features.
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Grazers
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Marine animals which feed by scraping off microalgae from rocks
and other surfaces.
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Habitat
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An environment defined by specific biological and non-biological
factors in which the species lives at any stage of its life
cycle.
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Habitats Directive
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The abbreviated term for Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21
May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna
and Flora. It is the aim of this Directive to promote the
conservation of certain habitats and species within the European
Union.
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Habituate
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A decrease in the level of response over time to the same level
of stimulation ie getting used to something.
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Hydrography
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The scientific study of seas, lakes and rivers.
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Hypernutrification
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Excessive level of nutrients (plant food).
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Interest feature
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A natural or semi-natural feature for which a European site has
been selected. This includes any Habitats Directive Annex I habitat
or Annex II species and any population of a bird species for which
a site has been selected under the Birds Directive (see also
sub-feature).
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Intertidal
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The area of the shore between the highest and lowest tides.
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Lichen
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An organism which is composed of algae and fungus.
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Maintain
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The action required for an interest feature when it is
considered to be in favourable condition.
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Management scheme
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The framework established by the relevant authorities under
Regulation 34 at a European marine site under which their functions
are exercised to secure compliance with the Habitats Directive in
relation to that site.
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Microalgal
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Microscopic marine plants - when grouped together they are
visible as a coloured zone on e.g. cliff faces.
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Microbial pathogens
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A minute living being which can cause disease.
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Microtopography
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The small scale and detailed natural surface features of an
area.
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Migratory
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Species of animals that move regularly between areas - often
movements are between breeding and wintering feeding grounds.
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Molluscs
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Soft bodied unsegmented animals usually with shells e.g.
limpets, periwinkles. whelks, cockles, muscles, oysters and
piddocks.
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National Nature Reserve
|
A designation given to Sites of Special Scientific Interest that
are amongst the finest wildlife and earth heritage sites in
England, containing examples of a wide range of ecosystems,
habitats, communities and species, and of geological and
geomorphological features and formations.
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Nationally scarce/rare
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For marine purposes, these are regarded as species or biotopes
of limited national occurrence.
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Natural change
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Change which is attributable to natural causes rather than those
which result from human activities.
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Natura 2000 series
|
The European network of protected sites established under the
Birds Directive and the
Habitats Directive.
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Nutrient enrichment
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When a water body has an extra input of plant nutrients such as
nitrates or phosphates, which under the right conditions cause
excessive plant growth and can reduce the oxygen content of the
water.
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Objective 2
|
‘Objective 2' is one of the objectives for European Union
structural funds. This objective is for areas which have been
subject to industrial decline or long term structural economic
problems.
If an area is identified as an Objective 2 area it has access to
funding through the European Regional Development Fund and the EU
Social Fund.
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Operations which may cause deterioration or
disturbance
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Any activity or operation taking place within, adjacent to, or
remote from a European marine site that has the potential to cause
deterioration or disturbance to the habitats or species for which
the site has been designated.
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Organic enrichment
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When a water body has an extra input of small particles of
organic material. These are broken down by micro organisms to
become plant nutrients contributing to nutrient enrichment.
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Particulate
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In the form of many tiny separate particles.
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PCB’S
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Polychlorinated Byphenyls, chemicals which have been used in the
electronics industry. They can build up in the food chain and are
poisonous.
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Piddocks
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A type of bivalve mollusc.
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Plan or project
|
Any proposed development that is within a relevant authority’s
function to control, or over
which a competent authority has a statutory function to decide
on applications for consents, authorisations, licences or
permissions.
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Predation
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The natural preying of one animal on another.
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Prey species
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A species which is the food source for a another.
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Reef
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Marine rocky surfaces colonized by biological life.
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Refracted
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The way water is deflected off a hard surface at a certain angle
having hit it from a different angle.
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Relevant authority
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A body which has powers or functions which have or could have an
impact on the marine
environment within a European marine site.
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Roost
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A place where birds regularly settle to sleep.
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SAC
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Special Area of Conservation. A site of Community importance
designated by the Member States where the necessary conservation
measures are applied for the maintenance of restoration, at a
favourable conservation status, of the habitats and/or species for
which the site is designated. A candidate SAC is a SAC formally
submitted to the European Commission, but yet to be adopted by the
Commission and designated as a SAC.
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Scour
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A process of abrasion of surfaces caused by the action of sandy
particles carried in moving water. Usually occurs as a result of
tidal water movement or, in shallower areas, by wave action.
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Sensitivity
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The level of intolerance of a habitat, community or individual
to damage or disturbance from an external factor.
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Shoreline Management Plan
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Plans which identify appropriate lines for coast defence based
on land use and coastal processes.
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SPA
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Special Protection Area - a European designation for the
protection of birds and their habitats.
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Spawning
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The activity of producing eggs.
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Spore
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(Of algae) microscopic reproductive cells produced in vast
numbers.
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Sub feature
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An ecologically important component of the interest feature.
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Subtidal
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Zone of the sea below low water.
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Surge
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A swell of waves moving powerfully forward.
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SSSI
|
A Site of Special Scientific Importance. A designation given to
sites considered to be of nature conservation and/or geological
importance in a National context.
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Synthetic compounds /non-synthetic
compounds
|
In this context synthetic compounds are chemicals created by
chemical processing and that do not occur naturally. Non synthetic
compounds are those compounds which can occur naturally but not in
the concentrations resulting from chemical processing .
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Territorial
|
The behaviour involved in occupying and then defending a
division of space.
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TBT
|
A chemical, tributyltin, which is toxic to marine life and which
is used as an anti-fouling paint on large vessels.
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Thermal regime
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Regularly changing patterns in the temperature of the sea.
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Toxic contamination
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Pollute with poisonous chemicals.
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Toxins
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Chemicals which are poisonous.
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Turbid
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Waters that contain high levels of particulate matter through
which light penetration is poor.
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Type locality
|
The locality from which the original specimens used to describe
a new species were taken.
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Typical species
|
A species that is considered to be a typical component of a
feature or sub feature.
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Upper Cretaceous
|
Chalk rocks formed from small sea creatures deposited during the
Cretaceous period - a period in time usually dated as 135-136
million years before present and lasting about 70 million
years.
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Vulnerability
|
The likelihood of a habitat, community or individual of being
exposed to an external factor to which it is sensitive.
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Wintering
|
A species which has migrated to the area to find adequate food
during the winter months.
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Zonation
|
In a planning context this means: areas which are designated for
particular use.
In a natural context this means: the natural division of the
habitat into particular communities.
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