The Living World: Ecosystems

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35 Terms

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Salinity

The saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in a body of water.

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Phytoplankton

The autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems.

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Littoral Zone

The part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore.

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Limnetic Zone

The open and well-lit area of a freestanding body of fresh water, such as a lake or pond.

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Profundal

The deep zone of a lake, located below the range of effective light penetration.

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Benthic

The ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers.

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Intertidal Zone

The area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide.

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Temperate Rainforest

Rainforests with coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain.

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Hydrologic Cycle

A biogeochemical cycle that involves the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth across different reservoirs.

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Surface Water

Water located on top of land, forming terrestrial (surrounding by land on all sides) waterbodies.

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Oligotrophic

Lakes with a low level of productivity.

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Mesotrophic

Lakes with an intermediate level of productivity.

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Eutrophic

Lakes with a high level of productivity.

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Climate

The long-term weather pattern in a region.

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Temperate Grasslands

The predominant vegetation in these biomes consists of grass and/or shrubs. The climate is temperate and ranges from semi-arid to semi-humid.

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Savanna

A mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close.

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Chaparral

A shrubland plant community found primarily in California, southern Oregon, and northern Baja California.

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Desert

A landscape where little precipitation occurs.

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Eutrophication

A process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water.

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Thermal Stratification

The tendency of lakes to form separate and distinct thermal layers during warm weather.

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Fall turnover

The seasonal mixing of a lake.

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Swamp

A forested wetland.

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Marsh

A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.

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Wetland

A distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water.

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Estuary

A partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea.

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Tropical Rain Forest

Dense and warm rainforests with high rainfall typically found between 10° north and south of the Equator.

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Temperate Deciduous Forest

A variety of temperate forest 'dominated' by deciduous trees that lose their leaves each winter.

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Temperature

Quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness.

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Precipitation

Any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull.

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Latitude

A geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth.

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Biome

A distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life.

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Tundra

A type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons.

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Permafrost

Soil or underwater sediment which continuously remains below 0 °C (32 °F) for two years or more.

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Boreal Forest/Conifer Forest/Taiga

A biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches.

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Figures/ Equations to Know

NPP = GPP - RL

10% of all energy moves from one trophic level to the next