Ecology and Biomes: Salinity, Zones, Forests, and Water Cycles

Salinity

The concentration of salt in water.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic plants that float in water and are a primary producer in aquatic ecosystems.

Littoral

The nearshore zone of a body of water where light penetrates to the bottom.

Limnetic

The open water area of a lake or pond that is well-lit and supports photosynthesis.

Profundal

The deep zone of a lake where light does not penetrate and photosynthesis cannot occur.

Benthic

The ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water, including the sediment surface.

Intertidal zone

The area that is above water at low tide and underwater at high tide.

Temperate Rainforest

A forest characterized by high rainfall and moderate temperatures, typically found in coastal areas.

Boreal Forest/Conifer Forest/Taiga

A biome characterized by coniferous forests, found in high-latitude regions.

Hydrologic Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

Temperature

A measure of the warmth or coldness of an environment.

Surface Water

Water that collects on the surface of the ground, including rivers, lakes, and ponds.

Thermal Stratification

The layering of water in lakes due to differences in temperature.

Precipitation

Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface.

Oligotrophic

Describing a water body that has low nutrient levels and high oxygen levels.

Fall turnover

The mixing of water layers in a lake during the fall, which can bring nutrients from the bottom to the surface.

Latitude

The geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface.

Mesotrophic

Describing a water body that has moderate nutrient levels.

Swamp

A wetland that is dominated by woody plants.

Biome

A large ecological area on the Earth's surface with distinct plant and animal groups.

Eutrophic

Describing a water body that has high nutrient levels, often leading to algal blooms.

Marsh

A wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants.

Tundra

A cold, treeless biome characterized by permafrost.

Climate

The long-term average of weather patterns in a particular area.

Wetland

An area of land that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally.

Permafrost

A thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year.

Grasslands: Temperate, Savanna

Ecosystems characterized by open spaces and few trees, with grasses as the dominant vegetation.

Estuary

A coastal area where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

Chaparral

A biome characterized by dense, spiny shrubs and periodic fires.

Tropical Rain Forest

A biome characterized by high rainfall and a diverse range of plant and animal species.

Desert

A biome characterized by low precipitation and extreme temperature variations.

Temperate Deciduous

A forest characterized by trees that lose their leaves seasonally.