| A | B |
|---|
| biome | large regions of smaller but related ecosystems |
| tundra | large, treeless biome with little rainfall, cold and permafrost |
| permafrost | a permanently frozen layer of soil under the surface |
| tropical forest | a biome with lots of rainfall near the equator and lots of biodiversity |
| canopy | a continuous layer of treetops that shade the forest floor |
| epiphyte | plants that live on branches of tall trees (mosses, orchids, bromeliads) |
| coniferous tree | cone-bearing trees that tend to be evergreens |
| deciduous tree | trees that shed their leaves each year |
| temperate deciduous forest | forests that have trees that lose their leaves each year in areas with 4 seasons |
| taiga | cold biome under the tundra with cone-bearing trees and a little more rainfall |
| temperate grassland | same area as temperate forests, usually in the interior of continents that are too dry to support trees and have rich soil |
| savanna | tropical and temperate grasslands with scattered trees due to infrequent, but big storms |
| chaparral | biome that is dominated by dense, spiny shrubs and clumps of coniferous trees, little water |
| desert | dry, often sandy biome with succulent plants and scattered grasses |
| aphotic zone | a zone of the ocean that is too dark for photosynthesis |
| photic zone | part of the ocean where light is available for photosynthesis |
| intertidal zone | area of ocean's edges that are covered with water twice a day and not during the rest of the day |
| neritic zone | zone from intertidal zone to continental shelf |
| oceanic zone | zone beyond the continental shelf |
| pelagic zone | open ocean |
| benthic zone | ocean bottom |
| plankton | communities of small organisms that drift with ocean currents and major food source |
| estuary | where fresh water streams and rivers flow into the sea |
| eutrophic lake | freshwater, murky bodies of water that are rich in organic matter |
| oligotrophic lake | freshwater bodies with little organic matter (clear with sandy bottoms) |
| freshwater wetland | areas covered with freshwater for most of the year (marshes/swamps) |
