L |
| La Niña | Condition opposite of an El Nino. In a La Nina, the tropical Pacific trade winds become very strong and an abnormal accumulation of cold water occurs in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. |
| Lake | Inland body of water of considerable size. |
| Land tenure | The legal regime in which land is owned by an individual. The individual is said to 'hold' the land. |
| Landsat satellite (Landsat) | Oldest and most well known satellite of its kind, the first satellite in the Landsat series was launched in 1972. Subsequent satellites, with new and improved sensor technology (e.g., Thamatic Mapper) and an almost continuous data collection stream, have made Landsat the most successful civilian Earth observation program to-date. |
| Lava | Molten magma released from a volcanic vent or fissure. |
| LBPTC (Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee) | In 1986, Limpopo Basin States signed in Harare, Zimbabwe, a multilateral agreement establishing a Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC), which was set up to advise the parties on issues regarding the river. The LBPTC did not however function during its first ten years. LBPTC's second meeting was held in South Africa in 1995. At the meeting, it was agreed to activate the LBPTC, and discussions concentrated on mutual interest regarding the common river. |
| Legislation | Law that has been enacted by a governing body. |
| Lenticels | A porous area on the surface of bark and certain fruits that allow for the exchange of gasses between inside and outside the plant. |
| Levee | A raised bank, natural or man-made, that contains the water within a river channel. Natural levees are formed by the deposition of sediments during floods. |
| LIMCOM (Limpopo Watercourse Commission) | The Limpopo Watercourse Commission was negotiated by the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. The Commission between South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is to manage the Limpopo River and must facilitate the building of capacity within the four countries to manage the water resource. |
| Limpopo | The second largest river in southern Africa. |
| Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC) | In 1986, Limpopo Basin States signed in Harare, Zimbabwe, a multilateral agreement establishing a Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC), which was set up to advise the parties on issues regarding the river. The LBPTC did not however function during its first ten years. LBPTC's second meeting was held in South Africa in 1995. At the meeting, it was agreed to activate the LBPTC, and discussions concentrated on mutual interest regarding the common river. |
| Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM) | The Limpopo Watercourse Commission was negotiated by the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. The Commission between South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is to manage the Limpopo River and must facilitate the building of capacity within the four countries to manage the water resource. |
| Lithosols | A shallow soil showing minimal profile development and dominated by the presence of weathering rock and rock fragments. Lacking horizons other than an A1 (one layer only) (GSG Classification). |
| Lithostratigraphic | Related to the geological discipline associated with the study of rock strata and formation. |
| Livelihood | Combination of the resources used and the activities undertaken in order to live. Resources consist of individual skills and abilities (human capital), land, savings and equipment (natural, financial and physical capital, respectively) and formal support groups or informal networks that assist in the activities being undertaken (social capital). |
| Livestock | Domesticated animals, that may be kept or raised in pens, houses, pastures, or on farms as part of an agricultural or farming operation, whether for commerce or private use. |
| Low income country | Gross national income per capita of USD $935 or less. |
| Lower basin states | Countries situated downstream or in the region of the mouth of a river. |
| Lower course of a river | The lower course of a river corresponds to the region close to its mouth. |
