Biomes and Food-Production Lecture Vocabulary

36 vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the lecture on biomes, climate graphs, and challenges to food production.

Biome

A large ecological area on Earth with distinctive climate, soil, plants and animals (e.g., desert, tundra, rainforest).

Desert Biome

A biome receiving less than 250 mm of rainfall a year, with high daytime and low night temperatures and sparse, drought-adapted life.

Hot Desert

Deserts located near the tropics (e.g., Sahara) characterised by very high daytime heat and arid conditions.

Cold Desert

Deserts at higher latitudes (e.g., Antarctica) that receive little precipitation but experience low temperatures.

Xerophyte

A plant specially adapted to survive severe drought and limited soil moisture in deserts.

Drought Evader

Short-lived desert plant whose seeds remain dormant until sufficient rain allows rapid growth (e.g., Sturt’s desert pea).

Drought Escaper

Plant that taps alternative water sources through wide-spreading or deep roots (e.g., ocotillo, ghost gum).

Drought Resister

Plant that limits water loss through features like reduced leaf surface area (e.g., cactus).

Water Conserver (plant)

Desert plant category that stores or efficiently retains water to survive long dry periods.

Savanna Grassland

Biome with hot, wet summers and warm, dry winters; annual rain 500-1000 mm; porous soils and seasonal grasses.

Humus

Thin layer of partially decomposed organic matter in soil that provides nutrients for plants.

Tundra

Treeless biome of the Arctic with −34 °C winters, short growing seasons, low rainfall (150–250 mm) and permafrost soils.

Permafrost

Permanently frozen subsoil layer in the tundra that restricts deep root growth and slows soil formation.

Climograph

Combined bar-and-line graph showing a location’s average monthly rainfall (bars) and temperature (line) over a year.

Climate Graph

Visual representation of climate data—typically average monthly temperatures (line) and precipitation (bars).

Water Security

Reliable availability of adequate, clean water for health, livelihoods and production, including agriculture.

Water Quantity

The volume of water accessible for use; scarcity occurs when demand exceeds supply.

Water Quality

The chemical, physical and biological suitability of water for a given purpose; poor quality limits food production.

Groundwater

Water stored beneath Earth’s surface in soil pores and rock fractures; tapped for irrigation when surface water is scarce.

Aquifer

Underground layer of water-bearing rock or sediment that can yield usable water via wells.

Land Degradation

Reduction in land’s productive capacity due to natural or human causes such as erosion, salinity and overuse.

Overcultivation

Farming a plot too intensively or too frequently, exhausting soil nutrients and structure.

Overgrazing

Allowing livestock to graze vegetation faster than it can regenerate, leading to soil exposure and erosion.

Soil Salinity

Accumulation of salts in soil, often from excessive irrigation, that impairs plant growth and yields.

Desertification

Process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically from drought, deforestation or inappropriate agriculture.

Arable Land per Capita

Amount of farmable land available for each person; declines as population grows if land area stays constant.

Deforestation

Large-scale removal of forest, such as logging in the Amazon, which alters climate and threatens biomes.

Amazon Rainforest

World’s largest rainforest biome, crucial for carbon uptake and oxygen release but under pressure from development.

Taiga

Coniferous forest biome south of the Arctic tundra, featuring cold winters and moderate rainfall.

Deciduous Forest

Temperate biome where trees shed leaves seasonally; moderate climate and well-developed soils.

Grassland

Biome dominated by grasses, moderate rainfall, and periodic fires; includes prairies and steppes.

Extreme Weather Events

More frequent floods, droughts and storms linked to climate change that disrupt food production.

Pest Invasion

Increasing spread and frequency of pests (e.g., locusts) affecting crops due to climate change.

Waterlogging

Soil saturation from excessive irrigation or poor drainage, depriving roots of oxygen and harming crops.

Soil Erosion

Removal of topsoil by wind or water, often accelerated by deforestation, overgrazing or heavy rains.

Pollution (Agricultural)

Contamination of water or soil by farm runoff containing nutrients, pesticides, sediments or salts, reducing water quality for irrigation.