Chapter 3 vocab cards

Question 1

all parts of Earth in which LIFE exists.

Answer 1

Biosphere

Question 2

The STUDY of nature’s “houses” organisms that live in those “houses”, and interactions based on energy and nutrients.

Answer 2

Ecology

Question 3

A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

Answer 3

Species

Question 4

A group of individual that belong to the same species and live in the same area.

Answer 4

Population

Question 5

An assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area.

Answer 5

Community

Question 6

all the organisms that live in a place, together with their physical environment

Answer 6

Ecosystem

Question 7

any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact.

Answer 7

Biotic factor

Question 8

Physical, or NON-LIVING factor that shapes an ecosystem.

Answer 8

Abiotic factor

Question 9

Thin layer of gasses that surround Earth.

Answer 9

Atmosphere

Question 10

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.

Answer 10

Hydrosphere

Question 11

All the “usually solid stuff”, rocks , continents, and the ocean floor. Deep inside earth, portions of geosphere are liquid.

Answer 11

Geosphere

Question 12

Average year to year conditions of temperature and precipitation, and other factors.

Answer 12

Climate

Question 13

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

Answer 13

Weather

Question 14

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

Answer 14

Greenhouse effect

Question 15

Group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms.

Answer 15

Biome

Question 16

Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain forest trees.

Answer 16

Canopy

Question 17

Layer in a rain forest found underneath the canopy, formed by shorter trees and vines.

Answer 17

Understory

Question 18

Material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter.

Answer 18

Humus

Question 19

Biome with long cold winters and a few months of warm weather, dominated by coniferous vergreens, also called boreal forest.

Answer 19

Taiga

Question 20

Layer of permanently frozen subsoil found in the tundra.

Answer 20

Permafrost

Question 21

Sunlight region near the surface of water.

Answer 21

Photic Zone

Question 22

Dark layer of the oceans below the photic where sunlight does not penetrate.

Answer 22

Aphiotic Zone

Question 23

Microscope organisms that live in aquatic environments includes both phytoPLANKTON and zooPLANKTON

Answer 23

Plankton

Question 24

Ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface at least part of the year.

Answer 24

Wetland

Question 25

Kind of wetland formed where a river meets the ocean.

Answer 25

Estuary