Chapter 20 The Earth’s Ecosystems

Describes nonliving factors in the environment Click for Term

Abiotic Describes nonliving factors in the environment Click for Term

A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities Click for Term

Biome A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities Click for Term

A tropical grassland biome with scattered clumps of trees Click for Term

Savanna A tropical grassland biome with scattered clumps of trees Click for Term

A hot, dry biome inhabited by organisms adapted to survive high daytime temperatures and long periods without rain Click for Term

Desert A hot, dry biome inhabited by organisms adapted to survive high daytime temperatures and long periods without rain Click for Term

A far-northern biome characterized by long, cold winters, permafrost, and few trees Click for Term

Tundra A far-northern biome characterized by long, cold winters, permafrost, and few trees Click for Term

The permanently frozen ground just below the surface of the soil in the artic tundra Click for Term

Permafrost The permanently frozen ground just below the surface of the soil in the artic tundra Click for Term

An ecosystem based on salty water Click for Term

Marine An ecosystem based on salty water Click for Term

Microscopic photosynthetic organisms that float near the surface of the ocean Click for Term

Phytoplankton Microscopic photosynthetic organisms that float near the surface of the ocean Click for Term

Very small animals that, along with the phytoplankton they consume, form the base of the oceans’ food web Click for Term

Zooplankton Very small animals that, along with the phytoplankton they consume, form the base of the oceans’ food web Click for Term

An area where fresh water from streams and rivers spills into the ocean Click for Term

Estuary An area where fresh water from streams and rivers spills into the ocean Click for Term

A small stream or river that flows into a large one Click for Term

Tributary A small stream or river that flows into a large one Click for Term

The zone of a lake or pond closest to the edge of land Click for Term

Littoral zone The zone of a lake or pond closest to the edge of land Click for Term

The zone of a lake or pond the extends from the littoral zone out across the top of the water and that is only as deep as light can reach through the water Click for Term

Open-water zone The zone of a lake or pond the extends from the littoral zone out across the top of the water and that is only as deep as light can reach through the water Click for Term

The zone of a lake or pond below the open-water zone, where no light reaches Click for Term

Deep-water zone The zone of a lake or pond below the open-water zone, where no light reaches Click for Term

An area of land where the water level is near or above the surface of the ground for most of the year Click for Term

Wetland An area of land where the water level is near or above the surface of the ground for most of the year Click for Term

A treeless wetland ecosystem where plants such as cattails and rushes grow Click for Term

Marsh A treeless wetland ecosystem where plants such as cattails and rushes grow Click for Term

A wetland ecosystem where trees and vines grow Click for Term

Swamp A wetland ecosystem where trees and vines grow Click for Term