2. Chapter 20 The Earth’s Ecosystems

3. Describes nonliving factors in the environment Click for Term

4. Abiotic Describes nonliving factors in the environment Click for Term

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15. An ecosystem based on salty water Click for Term

16. Marine An ecosystem based on salty water Click for Term

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27. 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

28. 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

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

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

31. 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

32. 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

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

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

35. A wetland ecosystem where trees and vines grow Click for Term

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