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AP Bio chapter 46
Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| alpine tundra | Tundra near the peak of a mountain. |
| Arctic tundra | Biome that encircles the Earth just south of ice-covered polar seas in the Northern Hemisphere. |
| biomagnification | The accumulation of pollutants as they move up the food web. |
| biome | One of the biosphere’s major communities, characterized in particular by certain climatic conditions and particular types of plants. |
| bog | Wet, spongy ground in a low-lying area, usually acidic and low in organic nutrients. |
| chaparral | Biome characterized by broad-leafed evergreen shrubs forming dense thickets. |
| climate | Generalized weather patterns of an area, primarily determined by temperature and average rainfall. |
| coral reef | Coral formations in shallow tropical waters that support an abundance of diversity |
| desert | Ecological biome characterized by a limited amount of rainfall;usually with hot days and cool nights |
| El Niño–Southern Oscillation | Warming of water in the Eastern Pacific equatorial region such that the Humboldt Current is displaced, with possible negative results such as reduction in marine life. |
| epiphyte | Plant that takes its nourishment from the air because its placement in other plants gives it an aerial position. |
| estuary | Portion of the ocean located where a river enters and fresh water mixes with salt water. |
| eutrophication | Enrichment of water by inorganic nutrients used by phytoplankton. Often, overenrichment caused by human activities leads to excessive bacterial growth and oxygen depletion. |
| fall overturn | Mixing process that occurs in fall in stratified lakes, whereby oxygen-rich top waters mix with nutrient-rich bottom waters. |
| grassland | Biome characterized by rainfall greater than 25 cm/yr, grazing animals, and warm summers; includes the prairie of the U.S. midwest and the African savanna |
| hydrothermal vent | Hot springs in the seafloor along ocean ridges where heated sea water and sulfate react to produce hydrogen sulfide; here, chemosynthetic bacteria support a community of varied organisms. |
| intertidal zone | Region along a coastline where the tide recedes and returns. |
| lake | Body of fresh water, often classified by nutrient status, such as oligotrophic (nutrient-poor) or eutrophic (nutrient-rich). |
| marsh | Soft wetland, that is treeless. |
| monsoon | Climate in India and southern Asia caused by wet ocean winds that blow onshore for almost half the year. |
| montane coniferous forest | Coniferous forest of a mountain. |
| pelagic zone | Open portion of the ocean. |
| permafrost | Permanently frozen ground, usually occurring in the tundra, a biome of Arctic regions. |
| phytoplankton | Part of plankton containing organisms that photosynthesize, releasing oxygen to the atmosphere and serving as food producers in aquatic ecosystems. |
| rain shadow | Leeward side (side sheltered from the wind) of a mountainous barrier, which receives much less precipitation than the windward side |
| savanna | Terrestrial biome that is a grassland in Africa, characterized by few trees and a severe dry season. |
| shrubland | Arid terrestrial biome characterized by shrubs and tending to occur along coasts that have dry summers and receive most of their rainfall in the winter. |
| spring overturn | Mixing process that occurs in spring in stratified lakes whereby oxygen-rich top waters mix with nutrient-rich bottom waters. |
| swamp | Wet, spongy land that is saturated and sometimes partially or intermittently covered with water. |
| taiga | Terrestrial biome that is a coniferous forest extending in a broad belt across northern Eurasia and North America. |
| temperate deciduous forest | Forest found south of the taiga; characterized by deciduous trees such as oak, beech, and maple, moderate climate, relatively high rainfall, stratified plant growth, and plentiful ground life. |
| temperate grassland | Grasslands characterized by very cold winters and dry, hot summers; examples are the North American prairies and Russian steppes. |
| topography | Surface features of the Earth. |
| tropical rain forest | Biome near the equator in South America, Africa, and the Indo-Malay regions; characterized by warm weather, plentiful rainfall, a diversity of species, and mainly tree-living animal life. |
| upwelling | Upward movement of deep, nutrient-rich water along coasts; it replaces surface waters that move away from shore when the direction of prevailing wind shifts. |
| wetland | Area that is covered by water at some point in the year. (See also bog, marsh, or swamp.) |
| zooplankton | Part of plankton containing protozoans and other types of microscopic animals. |
| temperate rain forest | Coniferous forest—e.g., that running along the west coast of Canada and the United States—characterized by plentiful rainfall and rich soil. |
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arincon1
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