Terms Chapter 7

Question 1

Adaptations

Answer 1

Behavioral or physiological traits that allow a plant or animal to thrive in a particular environment.

Question 2

Benthic

Answer 2

The area on or near the floor of a body of water.

Question 3

Biome

Question 4

Channel

Question 5

Community

Question 6

Competitive Exclusion Principle

Question 7

Deciduousness

Answer 7

Plants that shed their leaves seasonally to avoid adverse weather conditions such as cold or aridity.

Question 8

Ecosystem

Question 9

Epifauna

Answer 9

Organisms that are attached to or move about the surface of the bottom of a water body.

Question 10

Epilimnion

Answer 10

The upper layer of a water body where sunlight may power high rates of net primary production.

Question 11

Epipelagic

Answer 11

The oceanic zone extending from the surface to about 200 meters, where enough light penetrates to allow photosynthesis.

Question 12

Estuary

Question 13

Euphotic Zone

Answer 13

The surface layer of the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

Question 14

Eutrophic

Answer 14

Water bodies that have high net primary production.

Question 15

Filter Feeders

Answer 15

Organisms that obtain food by separating it from passing water.

Question 15

Environmental Gradients

Answer 15

Changes in conditions from one region to the next.

Question 16

Germinate

Answer 16

The process by which a seed starts to grow and develop.

Question 17

Growing Season

Answer 17

The number of consecutive days during which temperatures remain above 0°C.

Question 18

Habitat

Answer 18

Geographical locations and environmental conditions where a plant or animal lives.

Question 19

Hadal

Answer 19

The deepest layer of the ocean, below 6,000 meters.

Question 20

Hypolimnion

Answer 20

The layer of water in a thermally stratified lake that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, remains perpetually cold, and is usually low in oxygen.

Question 21

Infauna

Answer 21

Aquatic animals that live in the substrate of a body of water, especially in a soft sea bottom.

Question 22

Intertidal Zone

Question 23

Lentic

Answer 23

Characterizing aquatic communities found in standing water.

Question 24

Limnetic Zone

Answer 24

The well-lit, open-surface water area far from shore.

Question 25

Littoral Zone

Answer 25

Shallow waters that are near the shore.

Question 26

Lotic

Answer 26

Of, relating to, or living in actively moving water.

Question 27

Mesopelagic

Answer 27

The middle layer of the ocean from 200 to 1,100 meters.

Question 28

Mudflat

Answer 28

Large areas of mud in the intertidal zone that are exposed to the air during low tide.

Question 29

Niche

Answer 29

Totality of a species’ environmental requirements.

Question 30

Oligotrophic

Answer 30

Aquatic ecosystems with low rates of net primary production.

Question 31

Payback Period

Answer 31

The time it takes an energy investment to capture or save an amount of energy equivalent to the investment.

Question 32

Pelagic

Answer 32

Open areas of the ocean away from the bottom.

Question 33

Permafrost

Question 34

Phreatic Zone

Answer 34

The saturated soil below a stream.

Question 35

Potential Evaporation

Answer 35

The amount of water that would evaporate if water were available.

Question 36

Reproductive Range

Answer 36

The area where individuals have enough energy for reproduction.

Question 36

Prairies

Answer 36

The North American term for grasslands.

Question 37

Riparian Zone

Answer 37

The transition zone between a waterway and the surrounding terrestrial environment.

Question 38

Rooting Depth

Answer 38

The vertical distance from the soil surface that contains 95 percent of a plant’s roots.

Question 39

Salinity

Answer 39

The concentration of mineral salts dissolved in water.

Question 40

Salt Marsh

Answer 40

The transition area from land to sea that is farthest from the sea.

Question 41

Specializations

Answer 41

Adaptations well suited for a relatively narrow range of conditions.

Question 42

Survival Range

Answer 42

The area where an individual can obtain enough energy and materials to survive.

Question 43

Thermoclines

Question 44

Upwellings

Answer 44

Areas where large quantities of deep ocean water rise back to the surface.