refugia
re-FYOO-jee-uh
Definition
Small, protected areas or artificial structures created within a larger, often disturbed habitat that provide necessary shelter or relief from harsh environmental conditions.
Etymology
The word is the plural form of 'refugium', derived from the Latin 'refugium' meaning a place of refuge, consisting of 're-' (back) and 'fugere' (to flee). It was adopted into scientific usage to describe areas where species can survive during periods of environmental change.
In the news
The researchers installed these underground shelters near a snake fence to give the animals a way to escape the intense heat of the desert ground. They serve as safe havens to mitigate the disruptive impact that human construction has on the local snake population.
In the Okanagan desert, snakes offer lessons on protecting a fragile ecosystem
Read the full article ↗Penticton Herald