| A | B |
|---|
| Main Idea | Earth has different ecosystems. They are classified by the type of climate, soil, plants, and animals they have. |
| climate | the pattern of weather at a certain place over a long time |
| soil | a mixture of minerals, weathered rocks, and decayed plant and animal matter. |
| desert | sandy or rocky ecosystem with little rainfall and little plant life |
| forest | n ecosystem with many trees |
| ocean | a large body of salt water |
| wetland | n ecosystem where water covers the soil for most of the year |
| humus | broken-down plant and animal material |
| tropical rain forest | a forest that is hot and damp |
| temperate forests | tropical rain forests that have different weather during different seasons |
| tundra | northern ecosystem |
| grasslands | ecosystem where grasses grow well and are food for animals such as buffalo |
| fresh water ecosystems | ponds filled with plants algae and animals |
| Saguaro National Park, Arizona | in the Sonoran Desert |
| deserts | Not all deserts are hot. Deserts such as Antartica can be dry and cold. |
