| A | B |
|---|
| Niche | The basic function, or occupation, of a life form within a given community |
| Niche | the way an organism obtains its food, air and water |
| ecosystem | a self-regulating association of living plants, animals and their nonliving physical and chemical environment |
| biomass | the total mass of living organisms on earth or per unit area of a landscape |
| biomass | also known as the weight of the living organisms in an ecosystem |
| community | a convenient biotic subdivision within an ecosystem; formed by interacting populations of animals and plants in an area. |
| photosynthesis | the process - plants produce their own food from carbon dioxide and water, powered by solar energy. |
| photosynthesis process | the joining of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in plants, under the influence of certain wavelengths of visible light |
| photosynthesis | releases oxygen and produces energy rich organic material, sugars and starches (compared to respiration) |
| Habitat | a physical location to which an organism is biologically suited |
| respiration | plants use food to derive energy for their operations - reverse of the photosynthetic process; releases carbon dioxide water, and heat energy into the environment |
| biome | lare terrestrial ecosystem characterized by specific plant communities and formations; usually named after the predominant vegetation in the region |
| Ecotone | a boundary transition zone between adjoining ecosystems that may vary in width and represent areas of tension as similar species of plants and animals compete for the resources |
| Desertification | the expansion of deserts worldwide, related principally to poor ar=gricultural practices (overgrazing and inappropriate agricultural practices), improper soil moisutre management, erosion and salinization, deforestation, and the ongoing climatic change; an unwanted semipermanent invasion into the neighboring biomes |
| Food chain | the 1 directional circuit along which energy flows from producers to consumers - ending with decomposers. |
| Terrestrial ecostystem | a self-regulating association characterized by specific plant formations; usually named |
