| A | B |
|---|
| weather | day to day conditions of the earth's atmosphere |
| climate | average year round weather conditions for a particular region |
| greenhouse effect | temperatures on earth remain within a certain range; gases in the atmosphere 'trap' energy |
| polar zone | cold areas of the earth where energy from the sun strike the earth at a very low angle |
| temperate zone | region between the polar zone and the tropics; seasons are well defined here |
| tropical zone | area near the equator; this zone recieves nearly direct sunlight during most of the year |
| biotic | living parts of and ecosystem |
| abiotic | non-living parts of an ecosystem |
| habitat | the area where an organism lives |
| niche | an organisms occupation; what it gives and takes from the ecosystem it lives in |
| resource | any necessity of life (light, food, water, space, nutrients, space, etc.) |
| competetive exclusion principle | no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time |
| predation | one organism captures and feeds on another organism |
| symbiosis | any relationship in which two species live closely together (at least one is affected) |
| mutualism | a relationship in which all parties benefit |
| parasitism | a relationship in which one individual benefits and the other is harmed |
| commensalism | a relationship in which one individual benefits and the other is unaffected |
| ecological succession | the natural and constant change of species present in an ecosystem |
| primary succession | the succession of organisms in an area where no life has existed before (bare earth/ rock) |
| secondary succession | the succession of organisms in an area where the ecosystem was disrupted by human activity, by animals, etc. |
| pioneer species | the first species to populate and area (always producers) |
| climax community | The most stable organisms in a mature ecosystem; succession plateaus |
| biome | a large complex of ecosystems that share basic traits |
| tolerance | the ability to survive and reproduce under conditions outside of the ideal for that organism |
| microclimate | climate of a small area that differs from the climate around it |
| canopy | dense covering formed by the tops of tall rainforest trees |
| understory | layer of rainforest foliage formed by short trees and vines |
| deciduous | major division of plants including trees that lose their leaves seasonally to conserve water |
| coniferous | a major division of trees that are 'evergreen' and produce cones |
| humus | partially decomposed organic material |
| taiga | northern edge temperate zone forests/ coniferous trees and long cold winters |
| permafrost | a layer of permanently frozen earth a few inches/ feet below the surface of polar regions |
| wetland | ecosystem in which water covers the soil or is quite near the surface |
| phytoplankton | tiny aquatic photosynthesizing organisms |
| zooplankton | tiny predatious aquatic organisms |
| estuary | aquatic ecosystem where fresh water streams mix with the sea |
| detritus | small fragments of partially decomposed organisms |
| salt marsh | temperate zone estuaries dominated by salt tolerant grasses/ sea grasses |
| mangrove swamp | costal wetlands dominated by salt tolerant trees |
| photic zone | top 200 meters of ocean; depth to which light penetrates |
| aphotic zone | ocean waters deeper than 200 meters; no light penetrates |
| zonation | prominant horizontal banding of organisms that live in a particular habitat |
| costal ocean | extends from the low tide mark to the edge of the continental shelf |
| kelp forest | costal ocean community that are dominated by giant brown algae |
| coral reef | very productive warm costal ocean habitat; hard calcium carbonate skeletons provide structure |
| benthos | organisms that live on the ocean floor at a variety of depths |
