Lesson 4: Biogeochemical Cycles, Biomes, and Interactions in the Ecosystem

Practice flashcards covering terrestrial and aquatic biomes, including their climate, vegetation, and specialized adaptations.

Biomes

Large, relatively distinct region with similar climate, vegetation, and wildlife, regardless of where it is in the world.

Terrestrial biomes

Biomes identified by their mature or old-growth vegetation.

Aquatic biomes

Biomes distinguished by their dominant animals.

Tundra

A biome found in extreme northern latitudes characterized by long, harsh winters, short summers, nutrient-poor soil, and precipitation of $10 \times 25\text{ cm}$ ($4 \times 10\text{ in}$).

Permafrost

Permanently frozen ground found in the Tundra biome.

Boreal Forest or Taiga

A circumpolar belt of coniferous forest south of the Arctic tundra characterized by spruces, firs, and acidic, nutrient-poor soils.

Temperate Rainforest

A middle latitude biome ($40^\text{o}$ to $60^\text{o}$) with high annual precipitation exceeding $127\text{ cm}$, heavy rain, and coastal fog.

Epiphytes

Plants such as mosses, club mosses, lichens, and ferns that grow on other plants, common in temperate rainforests.

Temperate Grassland

Open areas of grass known as Prairies (North America) or Steppes (Eurasia), maintained by grazing animals and frequent fires, with precipitation between $25 \times 75\text{ cm}$.

Sod formers

Grasses in temperate grasslands whose roots and rhizomes form a thick, continuous underground mat.

Chaparral

Also known as scrub forest, characterized by drought-resistant woody shrubs adapted to frequent fires and found between $30^\text{o}$ and $50^\text{o}$ latitude.

Burls

Woody bases of plants in the chaparral that store energy for rapid regrowth after fires.

Serotiny

An adaptation where seeds have hard coats that crack open only with intense heat to allow germination.

Desert

Arid environments covering about one-fifth of Earth's surface that receive less than $25\text{ centimeters}$ ($10\text{ inches}$) of rainfall annually.

Resurrection plants

Desert-adapted plants that can survive extreme dehydration and appear to come back to life when water is present.

Savannah

A tropical grassland characterized by an extensive cover of grasses with scattered trees, occurring $8^\text{o}$ to $20^\text{o}$ from the Equator.

Tropical Rainforest

An equatorial biome with high annual precipitation ($200 \times 450\text{ cm}$) and the greatest biodiversity on Earth.

Vertical stratification

The distinct layers of vegetation in a forest, including the emergent, canopy, understory, shrub, and herb layers.

Intertidal zone

The marine zone closest to land that is submerged during high tide and exposed during low tide.

Neritic zone

The ocean zone extending to the edge of the continental shelf, water is well-oxygenated and stable in temperature.

Oceanic zone

The open area of the ocean beyond the neritic zone characterized by thermal stratification.

Abyssal zone

The deepest part of the ocean at depths of $4000\text{m}$ or greater, featuring high pressure and extremely low temperatures.

Chemoautotrophic organisms

The primary producers in the abyssal zone that utilize chemical energy instead of sunlight.

Benthic zone

The layer located beneath the water made up of silt, sand, and decaying organisms.

Coral Reefs

Marine biomes teeming with Cnidarians that secrete calcium carbonates and often live symbiotically with photosynthetic algae.

Zooxanthellae

Photosynthetic algae that live in a symbiotic relationship with corals in shallow waters.

Estuaries

Areas where the ocean meets freshwater from a river, featuring varying levels of salinity.

Halophytes

Plants found in estuaries that are adapted to tolerate salty conditions through salt exclusion, excretion, or accumulation.

Lake

A freshwater area filled with water, localized in a basin, and surrounded by land.

Littoral Zone

The shallow area around the edge of a lake.

Limnetic zone

The open, sunlit water of a lake away from the shore.

Profundal zone

The deep areas of a lake where light cannot reach.

Headwater

The point of origin or source water for rivers and streams.

Mouth

The point where a river drains into the ocean.