APES Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

weather

a local area's short-term temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover, and other physical conditions of the lower atmosphere as measured over hours or days

climate

an area's general pattern of atmospheric or weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years

uneven heating of the earth's surface by the sun, rotation of the earth on its axis, properties of air, water, and land

3 major factors that determine how air circulates in the lower atmosphere

currents

mass movements of surface water produced by prevailing winds over the ocean

leeward

side of a mountain where air descends, warms, and releases little moisture; arid climate, desert

windward

side of a mountain where air rises, cools, and releases lots of moisture; wet climate, forest

biome

a large terrestrial region characterized by similar climate, soil, plants, and animals

temperature and precipitation

the two main deviations in climate are caused by

desert

biome where precipitation is low and scattered unevenly throughout the year; hot during the day and cold at night. hot & dry most of the year with scant vegetation and moisture. very fragile ecosystem

tropical desert

desert (Sahara) that is hot and dry most of the year; hard, wind-blown surface strewn with rocks and sand, dust storms, few plants

temperate desert

desert (Mojave) where daytime temperatures are high in the summer and low in the winter. sparse vegetation=widely dispersed, drought-resistant shrubs and succulents

cold desert

desert (Gobi) where vegetation is sparse, winters are cold, summers are warm/hot, and precipitation is low. organisms in this biome have adaptations to help them stay cool and obtain enough water to survive

grassland

biome that is located in the interiors of continents in areas too moist for deserts and too dry for forests; persist because of drought and grazing

savanna

tropical grassland with widely scattered clumps of trees, warm temperatures year-round, and alternating dry and wet seasons. have herds of grazing animals (zebras, gazelles, giraffes, wildebeests, antelopes)

temperate grassland

grassland where winters are bitterly cold & summers are hot and dry. annual precipitation is sparse and falls unevenly throughout the year. organic matter accumulates to produce a very fertile soil. two types of this grassland= tall-grass and short-grass

tundra

grasslands that lie south of the polar ice cap, treeless plains; bitterly cold, swept by frigid winds, covered by ice and snow. winters are long and dark, scant precipitation falls as snow. many low-growing plants. fragile biome

permafrost

underground soil in which water stays frozen for more than 2 consecutive years

chaparral

biome in many coastal regions that border deserts, close to water, dense growths of low-growing evergreen shrubs and some small trees, soil is thin and not fertile. long, warm, and dry summers but moderate climate. dry season -> highly flammable vegetation

forest

biome that is dominated by trees

tropical rainforest

forest that is found near the equator, hot and humid, year-round uniformly warm temperatures, heavy rainfall almost daily. dominated by broadleaf evergreen plants & tops of trees form a dense canopy, blocking light that would otherwise reach the bottom. very high NPP and specialized plant/animal niches are stratified

temperate deciduous forests

forest that grows in areas w/moderate average temperatures that change with the season. long, warm summers and cold (but not too severe) winters. abundant precipitation, trees drop their leaves in the fall to survive cold winters

taiga

forests found south of the arctic tundra regions across North America, Asia, and Europe. winters are long, dry, and extremely cold and summers are short with cool to warm temperatures. dominated by coniferous evergreen trees that keep their narrow, needle-like leaves throughout the year. contains bears, wolves, moose, lynx

mountain

a place where dramatic changes in altitude, slope, climate, soil, and vegetation take place over a very short distance

aquatic life zone

an aquatic equivalent of a biome

saltwater/marine or freshwater

two distinct types of aquatic life zones

oceans, estuaries, coastal wetlands, coral reefs, mangrove forests

types of marine biomes

lakes, rivers, streams, inland wetlands

types of freshwater biomes

phytoplankton

primary producers that support most aquatic food webs, weakly swimming and free floating

zooplankton

range from protozoa to jellyfish; feed on phytoplankton, drifting animals

ultraplankton

extremely small, photosynthetic bacteria; responsible for 70% of world's primary productivity near the ocean surface

nekton

strongly swimming consumers such as fish, turtles, and whales

benthos

bottom dwellers such as oysters, clams, worms, lobsters, and crabs

decomposers

mostly bacteria; group that breaks down organic compounds into nutrients that can be used by aquatic primary producers

coastal zone

area of warm, nutrient-rich, shallow water from the high-tide mark to the edge of the continental shelf

estuaries

areas where rivers meet the sea, seawater mixes with freshwater here

coastal wetlands

coastal land areas covered with water all or part of the year (river mouths, inlets, bays, sounds, and salt marshes). organisms in these areas must adapt to daily changes

intertidal zone

the area of shoreline between low and high tides; organisms in this area must be able to avoid being swept away/crushed by waves

coral reef

oldest, most diverse, and most productive aquatic ecosystem

open sea

sharp increase in water depth at the edge of the continental shelf, divided into three vertical zones. primary productivity is low per unit area, but very high as a whole

euphotic zone

brightly lit upper zone of the open sea, low nutrient levels unless there is upwelling. populated by sharks, swordfish, and bluefin tuna

upwelling

occurs in the open ocean and along coastlines when deep, cold, nutrient-rich water rises towards the surface

bathyal zone

dimly lit middle zone of the open sea that does not contain photosynthesizing producers

abyssal zone

dark, very cold bottom zone of the open sea. many nutrients. animals get their food from marine snow

lake

natural body of freshwater formed when precipitation, runoff, or groundwater fills depressions

littoral zone

top area of lake (surface to where rooted plants stop growing), high biodiversity due to ample sunlight and nutrients

limnetic zone

open, sunlit surface away from the shore, extends to the depth penetrated by sunlight, abundant organisms are phytoplankton and zooplankton, lots of photosynthesis

benthic zone

lake zone inhabited by decomposers, nourished by dead matter and sediment

profundal zone

deep, open water where photosynthesis does not occur. oxygen levels are low since sunlight and plants are not in this lake zone

oligotrophic

poorly nourished (ex: deep lake w/steep banks)

eutrophic

well nourished

cultural eutrophication

the acceleration of eutrophication of lakes due to human inputs of nutrients from the atmosphere and nearby urban or agricultural areas