1-Biomes_23-24

Biome

A group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms.

Major Biomes

Five major biomes: 4 land (Deserts, Forests, Grassland, Tundra) and 2 aquatic (Freshwater, Marine).

Climate

General weather patterns and seasons, including temperature and precipitation.

Altitude

The height above sea level, which impacts climate and biomes.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living factors affecting biomes, such as insolation, precipitation, and temperature.

Precipitation to Evaporation Ratio

A measurement that compares the amount of precipitation with the amount of evaporation in a given area.

Net Primary Productivity

The rate at which all the plants in an ecosystem produce net useful chemical energy.

Ecosystems

Dynamic interactions between plants, animals, microorganisms, and their environment working together.

Tropical Rainforest

A biome found near the equator with high temperatures and significant precipitation all year.

Desert

A dry biome with less than 25 cm of rain per year and extreme temperatures.

Grassland

A biome dominated by grasses, receiving 25 to 75 cm of rain annually.

Deciduous Forest

A biome with trees that shed their leaves annually, receiving at least 50 cm of rain.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

A biome primarily composed of coniferous trees with very cold winters and warm, rainy summers.

Tundra

An extremely cold and dry biome characterized by permafrost and limited vegetation.

Freshwater Ecosystems

Ecosystems including streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes that do not contain saltwater.

Marine Ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystems that include estuaries, intertidal zones, neritic zones, and the open ocean.

Estuary

A habitat that occurs where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

Intertidal Zone

The area between high and low tide that experiences changing water levels and exposure.

Neritic Zone

The marine zone extending over the continental shelf, where sunlight penetrates, allowing plant growth.

Open Ocean Zone

The vast body of saltwater that covers most of the earth's surface, divided into surface and deep zones.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration in temperature and typical weather patterns in a place, affecting biomes.

Hotspots

Areas predicted to have a high turnover of species due to climate change.