| A | B |
|---|
| biosphere | the part of the earth that supports life |
| climate | the general weather of an area over a long period of time |
| biome | is a large region characterized as having a distinct climate and specific types of plant and animal life |
| tundra | is a cold, dry, mostly treeless land biome that encircles the arctic ocean |
| coniferous forests | found just south of the tundra in an area called taiga, trees that remain green throughout the year are found |
| deciduous forests | trees that drop their leaves in autumn are found in these forests |
| tropical rain forests | found near the equator, warm temperatures and has abundant rainfall (more than 150 inches in a year) |
| grasslands | biomes in which the main types of plants are grasses |
| savanna | is a grassland with a few scattered trees |
| deserts | dry environments that generally receive less than 25 cm (about 10 inches) of rainfall each year |
| freshwater ecosystem | includes lakes, ponds, swamps, streams, and rivers |
| saltwater ecosystem | this ecosystem includes the oceans and all living organisms in it |
| canopy | the uppermost layer of the forest |
| permafrost | soil that remains frozen to a depth of about 1 meter (about 3 feet0 |
| coniferous trees | trees that remain green throughout the year, have needle-like leaves, and produce seed in cones (example: pine trees) |
