EOTP vocab

abiotic

non living aspects

adaptations

The ways that plants evolve to cope with certain environmental conditions

biomass

The total mass of plants and animals in the ecosystem

biomes

global scale ecosystems

biotic

living aspects

canopy

Situated below the emergents

coniferous forest

Forests of conifer trees which are evergreen (eg. pine).

consumer

Organisms that obtain their energy by eating other organisms

convectional rainfall

The heat of the sun warms water on the lands surface

coral reefs

Found within 30degrees north and south of the Equator in sub-tropical and tropical oceans

decomposers

Organisms such as bacteria that break down plant and animal material

deciduous forest

Forests of trees which lose their leaves in winter (eg. oak).

deforestation

The removal of trees

ecosystem

The Living And Non Living Components Of An Environment And The Interrelationships That Exist Between Them

emergents

The tallest trees in a rainforest. They can reach as high as 50m.

evapotranspiration

the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.

fauna

Animals

Ferrell Cell

Part of the Global Atmospheric Circulation system that causes rainfall at 60degrees N&S creating temperate forests.

flora

Plants

food chain

A line of linkages between producers and consumers

food web

A diagram that shows all the linkages between producers and consumers in an ecosystem

frontal rainfall

Rainfall caused by a warm and cold air mass meeting

Hadley cell

Part of the Global Atmospheric Circulation system that takes air rising at the equator to around 30degrees N&S where it descends and returns. Causes hot deserts and tropical rainforests.

interdependence

The mutual reliance between two or more groups

leaching

The dissolving and removal of nutrients from the soil

mitigate

make something that potentially could be bad

natural capital

The value of an environmental/location/ecosystem in terms of its value to humankind

nutrient cycling

The recycling of nutrients between living organisms and the environment

orographic rainfall (relief rainfall)

This is rainfall which is caused by the uplifting of land. When warm moist air hits an area of uplands

Polar cell

Part of the Global Atmospheric Circulation that causes descending

polyp

A small and simple organism consisting of a stomach topped with a mouth and tentacles.

producers

Organisms that obtain their energy from a primary energy source such as the sun

shrub layer

The lowest layer of the rainforest where only small trees and shrubs that have adapted to living in the shade can survive.

symbiotic relationship

Mutually beneficial relationship between 2 biotic factors (eg. zooxanthellae and coral polyp).

transpiration

Exhalation of water vapour through the stomata of a plant.

tundra

This is where the ground is permanently frozen (permafrost). It is a treeless area

under canopy

This rainforest layer consists of trees growing up to 20m.

weathering

The breakdown of rock in situ through contact with the Earth's atmosphere

xerophytic

Plants that are adapted to an environment with very little water.

zooxanthellae

Plant like algae living in the tissues of coral polyps