| A | B |
|---|
| weather | day-to-day condition of earths atmosphere |
| climate | year-to-year conditions of temp. and precipitation |
| greenhouse effect | heat is contained by greenhouse gases |
| polar zone | cold area were with litle sunlight |
| temperate zone | sits between polar and tropics |
| tropical zone | near equator, direct sunlight |
| biotic factor | biological influence on organisms |
| abiotic factor | nonliving factors that shape ecosystems |
| habitat | area were organism lives |
| niche | physical, biological conditions which organisms live |
| resource | any necessity of life |
| competitive exclusion principle | no 2 species can occupy same niche same time |
| predation | 1 organism eats another organism |
| symbiosis | relationship in which 2 species live together |
| mutualism | both benefit from relationship |
| commensalism | one benefits, other neither helped, hurt |
| parasitism | 1 organism harms another |
| ecological succesion | predictable changes occur in comunity over time |
| primary succesion | sucession occurs where no soil exists |
| pioneer species | first species to populate area |
| secondary succesion | sucession without removing soil |
| biome | particular physical enviroment |
| microclimate | area where climate differs from rest |
| canopy | trees form a dense covering |
| understory | second layer of short trees and vines |
| deciduous | tree that sheds its leaves |
| coniferous | seed bearing cones, needles for leaves |
| humus | material formed made of decaying matter |
| taiga | boreal forests |
| permafrost | permanently frozen subsoil |
| plankton | tiny organisms that live in water |
| phytoplankton | single-celled algae |
| zooplankton | planktonic animals |
| wetland | ecosystem where water is present in soil |
| estuary | serve as breeding grounds for animals |
| detritus | food fororganisms in estuaries |
| salt marsh | salt water estuaries |
| mangrove swamp | coastal wetlands |
| photic zone | well-lit upper ocean layer |
| aphotic zone | permanently dark ocean layer |
| zonation | banding of organisms living in an enviroment |
| coastal ocean | extends from low tide to drop off |
| kelp forest | aquatic forest of brown algae |
| coral reef | collections of coral animals |
| benthos | animals attached to bottom of ocean |
