| A | B |
|---|
| community | group of interacting populations |
| limiting factor | any abiotic or biotic factor that restricts the numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms |
| tolerance | the ability of any organism to survive when subjected to abiotic factors or biotic factors |
| ecological succession | the change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic factors |
| primary succession | establishment of a community in an area of exposed rock that does not have any topsoil |
| climax community | the stable, mature community that results when there is little change in the composition of species |
| secondary succession | the orderly and predictable change that takes place after a community of organisms has been removed but the soil has remained intact |
| weather | the condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and time |
| latitude | the distance of any point on the surface of Earth north or south of the equator |
| climate | the average weather conditions in an area, including temperature and precipitation |
| tundra | a treeless biome with a layer of permanently |
| boreal forest | also called a northern coniferous forest or tagia |
| temperate forest | biome composed mostly of broad-leaves, deciduous trees |
| woodland | biome with mixed shrubs found in areas with less annual rainfall than in temperate forests |
| grassland | biome that is characterized by fertile soils that are able to support a thick cover of grasses |
| desert | any area in which the annual rate of evaporation exceeds the rate of precipitation |
| tropical savanna | characterized by grasses and scattered trees in climates that receive less precipitation than some other tropical areas |
| tropical seasonal forest | or "tropical dry forests" that resembles the temperate deciduous forest because during the dry season almost all trees drop their leaves to conserve water |
| tropical rain forest | biome with warm temperatures and large amounts of rainfall throughout the year |
| sediment | material that is deposited by water, wind, or glaciers |
| littoral zone | area closest to the shore of a lake or pond |
| limnetic zone | open water area that is well lit and is dominated by plankton |
| profundal zone | deepest areas of a large lake, is much colder and lower in oxygen than the other two zones |
| wetlands | areas of land such as marshes, swamps, and bogs that are saturated with water and that support aquatic life |
| estuary | an ecosystem that is formed where freshwater from a river or stream merges with salt water from the ocean |
| intertidal zone | narrow band where the ocean meets land |
| photic zone | area of an ocean to a depth of about 200 m where sunlight can reach |
| aphotic zone | area of an ocean where sunlight is unable to penetrate |
| benthic zone | area of an ocean along the ocean floor that consists of sand, silt, and dead organisms |
| abyssal zone | deepest region of an ocean |
