Ecology Biomes

Tundras

Permafrost, Brief growing season, plants grow low to ground, upper soils thaw during the brief summer growing season

Alpine tundras

occur at high altitudes at high elevations in temperate and tropical latitudes; they have a longer growing season

Boreal forests

Evergreen needle-leaved trees, with a short growing season and severe winters, temps are low, litter decomposes slowly and accumulates, forming the largest reservoir of organic carbon on Earth. Acidic soils and podsolized, species diversity is low, but biome is a major source of lumber and paper

Temperate rainforests

Known for mild temps and abundant rainfall, dominated by evergreen forests warm conditions due to warm ocean currents, Redwoods, douglas firs, Low species diversity

Temperate Season Rainforests

Moderate temps and precipitation conditions, dominated by deciduous trees, conditions fluctuate, because forests are not near warm ocean currents, precipitation exceeds transpiration, soils are podsolized, slightly acidic, support a small layer of small plants beneath dominating trees

Woodlands/shrublands

Hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, drought tolerant grass species, Chaparrals, matorrals, fynbos, and maquis, 12 months growing season, dry summers, cold winters

Temperate Grasslands/Cold Deserts

Grasses, non-woody flowering plants, and drought adapted shrubs, hot dry summers, and cold winters, prairies, pampas, steppes

Tropical Rainforest

Warm and rainy biome, multiple layers of lush vegetation, SPECIES DIVERSITY IS HIGH, organic matter decomposes quickly; vegetation rapidly takes up nutrients, soils are devoid of clay and humus and are poor

Tropical Seasonal forests/savannas

Biome with warm temps and pronounced wet and dry seasons, dominated by deciduous trees that shed leaves during the dry season, fires and grazing maintain savannas, do not hold nutrients,

Subtropical Deserts

A biome characterized by hot temps, scarce rainfall, long growing seasons, and sparse vegetation

Lotic

Characterized by flowing water

Stream

A narrow channel of fast-moving fresh water

River

A wide channel of slow-flowing fresh water

Allochthonus

Organic matter, such as leaves, that come from outside of an ecosystem

Autochthonous

Produced by algae and aquatic plants inside an ecosystem

Littoral Zone

The shallow area around th edge of a lake or pond containing rooted vegetation

Limnetic zone

the open water, where photosynthetic organisms dominat

Profundal Zone

Area too deep to recieve sunlight; Low concentration of O2

Benthic Zone

Sediment at the bottom of the lake, pond, and oceans; habitat for burrowing organisms

Epilimnion

Surface layer of water in a lake or pond

Hypolimnion

The deepest layer of water in a lake or pond

Thermocline

A middle depth of water in a lake or pond that experiences a rapid change of temp over a short distance in depth; slow mixing between epilimnion and hypolimnion

Fall bloom

Rapid increase in the population of phytoplanktonin fall that occurs with the infusion of nutrients from fall overturn

Freshwater wetland

An aquatic biome contaning standing water, or soils saturated with freshwater for at least part of the year; shallow enough for emergent vegetation throughout all depths

Swamps: contain emergent trees

Marshes: emergent non-woody vegetation

Bogs: acidic water and plants adapted to these conditions

Salt Marshes

Saltwater biome that contains non-woody emergent vegetation

Estuaries

Abundant nutrients and sediments carried downstream by rivers, high biological activity

Mangrove swamps

A biome that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts and contain salt-water tolerant trees with roots submerged in water

Intertidal Zone

A biome consisting of the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide

Coral Reefs

Found in warm, shallow water that are around 20 C year-round

Neritic zone

The ocean zone beyond the range of the lowest tidal level and which extends to depths of about 200m, generally a region of high productivity

Oceanic Zone

Ocean zone beyond the neritic zone; nutrients are sparse and production is limited

Photoic Zone

Includes both Oceanic and Neritic zone that contains light for photosynthesis

Aphotic Zone

Neritic and oceanic zones where water is so deep that sunlight doesn’t penetrate; less productive but organisms have adaptations

Pelagic

Habitat off the bottom of the ocean, or in the water column