| A | B |
|---|
| biome | a group of land ecosystems with similar climates and organisms |
| canopy | a leafy roof formed by tall trees |
| understory | a layer of shorter plants that grow in the shade of a forest canopy |
| desert | an area that receives less than 25 cm of precipitation per year |
| grassland | an area populated by grasses and other nonwoody plants. Most get 25-75 cm of rain each year. |
| savanna | a grassland close to the equator that receives as much as 120 cm of rain per year. |
| deciduous tree | a tree that sheds its leaves and grows new ones each year. |
| coniferous tree | a tree that produces its seeds in cones and that has needle-shaped leaves |
| tundra | an extremely cold, dry biome |
| permafrost | soil that is frozen all year |
| estuary | a habitat in which the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of the ocean |
| intertidal zone | the area between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide line |
| neritic zone | the region of shallow ocean water over the continental shelf |
