Chapter 3: The Biosphere (LS)

Biosphere

Combined parts of the planet in which all life exists

Ecology

Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment

Species

A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Population

Group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Community

Collection of different populations that live together in a defined area

Ecosystem

all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving environment

Climate

Average year-to-year conditions of temperature and precipitation in an area over a long period of time

Weather

Day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere, including temperature, precipitation, and other factors

Greenhouse Effect

The process in which certain gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor) trap sunlight energy in Earth's atmosphere as heat

Biome

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms

Canopy

Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain forest trees

Understory

Layer in a rain forest found underneath the canopy formed by shorter trees and vines

Humus

Material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter

Taiga

Biome with long cold winters and a few months of warm weather; dominated by coniferous evergreens; also called boreal forest

Permafrost

Layer of permanently frozen subsoil found in the tundra

Photic Zone

Sunlit region near the surface of water

Aphotic Zone

Dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone where sunlight does not penetrate

Plankton

Microscopic organisms that live in aquatic environments; includes both phytoplankton and zooplankton

Wetland

Ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface for at least part of the year

Estuary

Kind of wetland formed where a river meets the ocean