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Chapter 21.1
Chapter 21.1 vocab
Term | Definition |
---|---|
biome | very large terrestrial ecosystems that contain a number of smaller but related ecosystems within them |
tundra | a cold and largely treeless biome that forms a continuous belt across northern North America |
permafrost | a permanently frozen layer of soil under the surface |
tropical forest | occur near the equator, in the region between 23.5 degrees North and 23.5 degrees South, known as the tropics |
canopy | the continuous layer formed by treetops, that shades the forest floor |
epiphyte | small plants that live on branches of tall trees ; they use other organisms for support |
coniferous tree | trees that bear seeds in cones and tend to be evergreen |
deciduous tree | trees that shed their leaves each year |
temperate deciduous forest | trees that lose all of their leaves in the fall and regrow them each spring |
taiga | a forested biome dominated by coniferous trees |
temperate grassland | usually form in the interior of continents, at the same latitude as temperate deciduous forests |
savanna | tropical or temperate grasslands that have scattered deciduous trees and shrubs |
chaparral | a biome that is dominated by dense, spiny shrubs and has scattered clumps of coniferous trees |
desert | areas that receive an average of less than 25 cm of rainfall per year |