Chapter 52 Flashcards
Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere
Abiotic
Nonliving; referring to the physical and chemical properties of an environment
Abyssal Zone
The part of the ocean’s benthic zone between 2,000 and 6,000 meters deep
Aphotic Zone
The part of an ocean or lake beneath the photic zone, where light doesn’t penetrate sufficiently for photosynthesis
Benthic Zone
The bottom surface of an aquatic environment
Benthos
The communities of organisms living in the benthic zone of an aquatic biome
Biomes
Any of the world’s major ecosystem types, characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment
Biotic
pertaining to the living factors -the organisms- in an environment
Canopy
The uppermost layer of vegetation in a terrestrial biome
Chaparral
A scrubland biome of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at midlatitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore; mild, rainy winters, and long, hot dry summers
Climate
the long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area. temperature, precipitation, sunlight, wind
Climograph
A plot of the temperature and precipitation in a particular region
Coral Reefs
Typically a warm-water, tropical ecosystem dominated by the hard skeletal structures secreted primarily by corals. Some also exist in cold, deep waters
Detritus
Dead organic matter
Desert
A terrestrial biome characterized by very low precipitation
Dispersal
The movement of individuals or gametes away from their parent location. Sometimes expands geographic range of a population or species
Disturbance
An event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community (not necessarily bad)
Ecology
The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
Ecotone
The transition from one type of habitat/ecosystem to another, such as transition from a forest to a grassland
Estuary
The area where a freshwater stream or river merges with the ocean
Intertidal Zone
The shallow zone of the ocean adjacent to land between the high and low tide lines
Lakes
Large inland bodies of standing water
Macroclimate
Large-scale patterns in climate; the climate of an entire region
Marine Benthic Zone
The Ocean floor
Microclimate
Climate patterns on a very fine scale, such as the specific climatic conditions underneath a log
Northern Coniferous forest
A terrestrial biome characterized by long, cold winters and dominated by cone-bearing trees
Oceanic Pelagic Zone
Most of the ocean’s waters far from shore ,constantly mixed by ocean currents
Pelagic Zone
The open-water component of aquatic biomes
Photic Zone
The narrow top layer of an ocean or lake where light penetrates sufficiently for photosynthesis
Savanna
A tropical grassland biome with scattered individual trees and large herbivores (occasional fires and droughts)
Streams and Rivers
Bodies of water known for their speed and volume of flow
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
A biome located throughout midlatitude regions where there is sufficient moisture to support broadleaf deciduous trees
Temperate Grassland
A terrestrial biome that exists at midlatitude regions
Tropical Forest
A terrestrial biome with relatively high temperatures and precipitation overall
Tropics
Regions that lie between 23.5° north and 23.5° south latitude
Tundra
A terrestrial biome at the extreme limits of plant growth. At the northernmost limits, it is called arctic tundra and and high altitude where plant forms are limited to low shrubby or mat like vegetation, it is called alpine tundra
Wetlands
A habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time and that supports plants adapted to water-saturated soil
