Task: Class Definition Understanding (ontology: Earth_Environment/EnvironmentOntology)

Which of the following definitions best describes 'site of special scientific interest'?

A. A protected area in which management objectives have been declared, by a local governing body or authority, to adhere to the guidelines set forth by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
B. A conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic 'building block' of nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations are based upon them, including National Nature Reserves, Ramsar Sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation.
C. An environmental zone which contains, as determined by an officially mandated selection process, one or more ecosystems which include, as parts, ecological communities of global significance for conservation due to their vulnerability and irreplaceability.
D. An area of protected biodiversity which is of national significance for biological or Earth science interest.

Answer: A conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic 'building block' of nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations are based upon them, including National Nature Reserves, Ramsar Sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation.