Unit 2: Earth Systems

Biome

A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat

Latitude

Geographic distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees

Climatogram

A single graph showing a region's average monthly temperature and precipitation over time

Atmosphere

The envelope of gases surrounding the Earth or another planet

Troposphere

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs and temperature decreases with altitude

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer above the troposphere containing the ozone layer; temperature increases with altitude

Mesosphere

The middle layer of Earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere where temperature decreases with altitude

Thermosphere

The atmospheric layer above the mesosphere characterized by high temperatures and ionization

Exosphere

The outermost region of Earth's atmosphere transitioning into outer space

Convection cell (current)

A self

Jet Stream

A narrow band of strong, fast

Coriolis effect

The deflection of moving objects (winds, currents) caused by the rotation of the Earth

Weather

The short

Climate

The long

Solar radiation

Radiant energy emitted by the sun from nuclear fusion reactions

Adaptation

An inherited characteristic that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce

Dormant

A period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped

Deciduous

Trees or shrubs that shed their leaves annually

Coniferous

Trees that bear cones and evergreen needlelike or scalelike leaves

Taiga (boreal)

A subarctic biome dominated by evergreen coniferous forests

Temperate Rainforest

A coastal biome characterized by heavy rainfall, moderate temperatures, and dense evergreen forests

Shrubland

A terrestrial biome dominated by shrubs, chaparral, and low vegetation adapted to fire

Temperate Grassland

A biome characterized by rich soils, low precipitation, and dominant grass species

Savanna

A tropical grassland biome with scattered individual trees and distinct wet and dry seasons

Desert

A biome characterized by extremely low precipitation and harsh moisture constraints

Tundra

A cold, treeless biome with low vegetation, short growing seasons, and permafrost

Albedo

The measure of the reflectivity of a surface (light surfaces reflect, dark absorb)

Rainshadow effect

An area having relatively little precipitation due to the effect of a topographic barrier, especially a mountain range

Permafrost

A thick sublayer of soil that remains frozen continuously throughout the year

Ozone

A gas molecule that absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the stratosphere

El Niño

Periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific Ocean, altering global weather

La Niña

Periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean

Marine

Pertaining to ocean ecosystems and saltwater bodies

Freshwater

Aquatic ecosystems with low salt concentrations (typically under 1%)

Streams / Rivers

Flowing bodies of freshwater running along a channel

Ponds / Lakes

Standing, non

Oceans (continental, open)

Continuous bodies of saline water covering most of Earth's surface

Coral reefs

Diverse marine ecosystems held together by calcium carbonate structures secreted by corals

Coral bleaching

The loss of symbiotic algae from corals due to elevated sea surface temperatures

Marshland

Wetland dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species

Estuaries

Partially enclosed coastal bodies of brackish water where freshwater streams meet the ocean

Intertidal

The area of the foreshore and seabed that is exposed to the air at low tide and underwater at high tide

Mangrove Forest/Swamp

Coastal wetland trees adapted to saline intertidal environments

Salinity

The total concentration of dissolved salts in water

Aquatic

Relating to water, including marine and freshwater ecosystems

Turbidity

The measure of relative clarity or cloudiness of a liquid caused by suspended solids

Wetlands

Land areas that are saturated or inundated with water permanently or seasonally

Habitat

The natural environment or physical locality in which a plant or animal species lives