| A | B |
|---|
| biosphere | all of the Earth that is inhabitable by life |
| ecology | study of the interactions of organisms with their environments |
| biotic factors | all the living components of the environment |
| abiotic factors | all the nonliving components of the environment |
| habitat | specific environment (biotic/abiotic) of an organism's surroundings |
| organism level | hwo challenges/opportunities met by physiology/behavior |
| population level | how a group of one type of species meet success in their environment as a group |
| community level | how the interactions of different groups make them successful in their surroundings |
| ecosystem level | how all life and nonliving factors interact successfully |
| landscapes | study of larger areas how ecosystems in an area interact to be successful |
| Rachael Carson | author of Silent Spring |
| DDT | insecticide responsible for raptor population declines |
| tropics | region around the equator between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn |
| doldrums | area of calm/light winds formed by hot moist air rising at the equator |
| temperate zones | region between Tropics of Cancer/Capricorn and Arti/Antartic Circles |
| prevailing winds | global air movements caused by rising/faling air masses and Earth rotation |
| westerlies | prevaling winds blowing from west to east in the temperate zones |
| ocean currents | river-like water flows in ocean caused by unequal heating of surface water/prevailing winds/Earth rotation |
| biomes | major ecological associates found in different geographic regions |
| pelagic realm | all the "open" water regions of the oceans |
| benthic realm | the seaflor regions of the oceans |
| photic zone | ocean areas that are penetrated by light (200m depth) |
| continental shelf | submerged portions of the continental plates |
| phytoplankton | microscopic photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria, algae) of aquatic biomes |
| zooplankton | microscopic heterotrophic organisms of aquatic biomes |
| aphotic zone | region of oceans that is not penetrate by light |
| intertidal zone | shore line area covered by water/waves at high tide and exposed to air at low tide |
| deposit feeders | organisms that consume detritus on substrate |
| estuary | regions where freshwater and ocean merge |
| wetlands | regions that are transitional between aquatic/terrestial environments |
| tropical forest | biome w/warm temps year round 11-12 hrs daylight rich plant/animal life |
| savanna | year round warm temperatures seasonal rainfall mainly grasses some trees |
| desert | dry unpredictable rain all usually as little as 2cm per year |
| desertification | conversion of semiarid areas into desert due to over population/farming |
| chaparral | mild rainy winters, hot dry summers small shrubs found on coasts |
| grassland | treeless grassy plains with hot dry summers and cold wet winters |
| broadleaf forest | temperate regions typified by deciduous trees, cold winters hot humid summers |
| coniferous forest (taiga) | very cold winters/moderate summers characterized by evergreen (needled) trees |
| tundra | long cold bitter winters permafrost subsoil never thaws |
| permafrost | continuous frozed subsoil |
