Biomes

Ecology

The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.

Biosphere

The part of Earth where life exists, including all living things and their environments.

Biome

A large region on Earth with a specific climate and the characteristic plant and animal communities that live there (e.g., desert, forest).

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms (plants, animals, microbes) interacting with the non-living parts (air, water, soil) of their environment.

Habitat

The specific place or type of environment where an organism or population normally lives.

Weather

The short-term state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time (like temperature, rain, or sun today).

Climate

The long-term average weather patterns in a region, usually over 30 years or more.

Latitude

A geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface (distance from the equator).

Tundra

A very cold and treeless biome found in the Arctic or on high mountains, characterized by permafrost (permanently frozen ground).

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

The largest land biome, characterized by coniferous (evergreen) trees and long, cold winters.

Woodland

An area covered with trees and shrubs, but generally less dense than a forest, often with a more open canopy.

Grassland

A biome dominated by grasses and few to no large trees, such as prairies or savannas.

Desert

A very dry biome that receives little rainfall, with plants and animals adapted to conserve water.

Tropical Savanna

A grassland biome in tropical or subtropical regions with scattered trees and distinct wet and dry seasons.

Tropical Seasonal Forest (Deciduous)

A forest biome in tropical areas where trees drop their leaves during the dry season.

Photic Zone

The top layer of water in a lake or ocean where enough sunlight penetrates for photosynthesis to occur.

Aphotic Zone

The area of water beneath the photic zone where sunlight cannot reach, so no photosynthesis takes place.

Wetlands

Areas of land that are saturated with water (covered by water or have water-saturated soil) for at least part of the year, like marshes or swamps.

Estuary

A partially enclosed coastal body of water where fresh water from rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean.

Intertidal Zone

The area of a shoreline that is submerged during high tide and exposed to air during low tide.

Biological Community

All the different populations (of plants and animals) that live and interact in a specific area.

Population

All the individuals of a single species that live in a specific area.

Biotic Factor

A living or once-living part of an ecosystem that affects an organism (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria).

Abiotic Factor

A non-living physical or chemical part of an ecosystem that affects an organism (e.g., water, temperature, sunlight, soil).

Limiting Factor

Any resource or condition that is scarce or unfavorable and restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population (e.g., limited food or water).

Tolerance

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce within a range of environmental conditions (e.g., a range of temperatures).