environmental Ch 6 Flashcards
Biome
a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities
Climate
the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time
latitude
the distance north or south from the equator; expressed in degrees
altitude
the height of an object above a reference point, such as sea level or the earth’s surface
tropical rain forests
a forest or jungle near the equator that is characterized by large amounts of rain and little variation in temperature that contains the greatest known diversity of organisms on Earth
emergent layer
the top foliage layer in a forest where the trees extend above surrounding trees
canopy
he layers of treetops that shade the forest floor
epiphytes
a plant that uses another plant for support, but not for nourishment
understory
a foliage layer that is beneath and shaded by the main canopy of a forest
temperate rain forest
a forest community (or biome), characterized by cool, humid weather and abundant rainfall, where tree branches are draped with mosses, tree trunks are covered with lichens, and the forest floor is covered with ferns
temperate deciduous forest
a forest (or biome) that is characterized by trees that shed their leaves in the fall
taiga
a region of the evergreen, coniferous forest below the arctic and subarctic tundra regions
savanna
a plain full of grasses and scattered trees and shrubs; found in tropical and subtropical habitats and mainly in regions with a dry climate, such as East Africa
temperate grassland
a community (or biome) that is dominated by grasses, has few trees and is characterized by cold winters and rainfall that is intermediate between that of a forest and a desert
chaparral
a type of vegetation that includes broad-leafed evergreen shrubs and that is located in areas with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winter.
