Ch. 6 Key Terms Flashcards
Biome
a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plants and animal communities
Climate
the weather conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, and winds, that occur in an area over a long period of time
Latitude
the distance north or south of the equator and is measured in degrees, with the equator equal to 0
Altitude
the height of an object above sea level
Tropical Rain Forest
always humid and warm and get about 200to 450 cm of rain a year
Emergent Layer
The top layer has the tallest trees, which reach heights of 60 to 70 m
Canopy
The next layer, considered the primary layer of the rain forest
Epiphyte
use the entire surface of a tree as a place to live
Understory
Below the canopy, very little light reaches the next layer
Temperate Rain Forest
have large amounts of precipitation, high humidity, and moderate temperatures
Temperate Deciduous Forest
trees drop their broad, flat leaves each fall
Taiga
the northern coniferous forest that stretches in a broad band across the Northern Hemisphere just below the Arctic Circle
Savannah
a tropical biome dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small trees
Temperate Grassland
covers large areas of the interior of continents, where there is moderate rainfall but trees and shrubs cannot be established because there is not enough rain or fires are too frequent
Chaparral
a temperate shrub land biome that is found in all parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate
