Unit 3 The Biosphere Vocabulary

Biosphere

Part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere.

Ecology

The 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

Groups of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

Community

Assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area

Ecosystem

All the organisms that live in a Place, together with their non-living environment

Biotic Factor

Any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact

Abiotic Factor

Physical, or non-living, factor that shapes an ecosystem

Atmosphere

Thin layer of gases that surround Earth

Hydrosphere

All of the water - salt water and fresh water in the form of liquid, ice, or vapor - above and below Earth's surface and in the atmosphere.

Geosphere

All of the rock above and below Earth's surface

Climate

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

Weather

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

Greenhouse Effect

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

Biome

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 vergreens, also called boreal forest

Permafrost

Layer of permanently frozen sub soil found in the tundra

Photic Zone

Sunlight 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 at least part of the year

Estuary

Kind of wetland formed where a river meets the ocean