ch.19 test

Biome

is a geographic area on Earth that contains ecosystems with similar biotic and abiotic features

Deserts

are biomes that receive very little rain

Grasslands

are areas where grasses are the dominant plants

Temperate

regions of Earth between the tropics and the polar circles

Taiga

is a forest biome consisting mostly of cone-bearing evergreen trees

Tundra

biome is cold, dry, and treeless

Salinity

the amount of salt dissolved in water

Wetland

aquatic ecosystems that have a thin layer of water covering soil that is wet most of the time

Estuary

regions along coastlines where streams or rivers flow into a body of saltwater

Intertidal Zone

the ocean shore between the lowest tide and the highest high tide

Coral Reef

underwater structure made from outside skeletons of tiny, soft-bodied animals called coral

Desert Characteristics

Receive very little rain, Earth’s driest ecosystems

Grassland Characteristics

Biomes where grasses are dominant plants, Known as the world’s “breadbaskets”, Grass roots form sod with helps the soil to absorb and hold water

Tropical Rainforest Characteristics

Weather is warm and wet year-round

Temperate Rainforest Characteristics

Mild climates with very distinct seasons

Temperate Deciduous Forest Characteristics

Most common in the United States, Trees lose their leaves in the fall

Taiga Characteristics

Consisting mostly of cone-bearing evergreen trees, Occupies more space on Earth’s continents than any other biome

Tundra Characteristics

Has permafrost - a layer of permanently frozen soil

Freshwater: Streams and Rivers Characteristics

Form from underground sources of water, When streams flow together

Freshwater: Lakes and Ponds Characteristics

Shallow and warm (sunlight reaches bottom), Deeper water is dark and cold

Wetlands Characteristics

Contain freshwater, saltwater or both, Nutrient levels and biodiversity are high

Estuaries Characteristics

Most estuaries form along coastlines where freshwater and saltwater meet

Open Oceans Characteristics

Covers most of the Earth’s surface, Water has HIGH salinity

Coastal Oceans Characteristics

Sunlight can reach the bottom of shallow coastal oceans

Coral Reefs Characteristics

Underwater structure made from outside skeletons of tiny, soft-bodied animals called coral

Biotic Factors of an Ecosystem

All living organisms, Predators and Prey

Abiotic Factors of an ecosystem

Temperature, Sunlight, Dissolved Oxygen, Salinity

What is salinity?

the amount of salt dissolved in water

What is soil that remains frozen year-round?

permafrost

Ecological change

the process of one ecological community gradually changing into another

Climax community

a stable community that no longer goes through major ecological changes

Pioneer Species

the first species that colonize new or under-disturbed land

Eutrophication

is the process of a body of water becoming nutrient-rich

Climax Communities

a stable community that no longer goes through major ecological changes

Primary Succession

Occurs in NEW areas of land with little or no soil

Secondary Succession

Occurs in area where existing ecosystems have been disturbed or destroyed

Aquatic Succession

Sediments carried by rainwater and streams accumulate on the bottom of ponds, lakes, and wetlands, Dead organisms add to the build-up of soil

Eutrophication

is the process of a body of water becoming nutrient rich