Chapter 20
The Earth’s Ecosystems
Describes nonliving factors in the
environment
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Abiotic
Describes nonliving factors in the
environment
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A large region characterized by a specific
type of climate and certain types of plant
and animal communities
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Biome
A large region characterized by a specific
type of climate and certain types of
plant and animal communities
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A tropical grassland biome with
scattered clumps of trees
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Savanna
A tropical grassland biome with scattered
clumps of trees
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A hot, dry biome inhabited by
organisms adapted to survive high
daytime temperatures and long
periods without rain
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Desert
A hot, dry biome inhabited by organisms
adapted to survive high daytime
temperatures and long periods without
rain
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A far-northern biome characterized
by long, cold winters, permafrost,
and few trees
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Tundra
A far-northern biome characterized by
long, cold winters, permafrost, and few
trees
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The permanently frozen ground just
below the surface of the soil in the
artic tundra
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Permafrost
The permanently frozen ground just
below the surface of the soil in the artic
tundra
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An ecosystem based on salty water
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Marine
An ecosystem based on salty water
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Microscopic photosynthetic
organisms that float near the surface
of the ocean
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Phytoplankton
Microscopic photosynthetic organisms
that float near the surface of the ocean
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Very small animals that, along with the
phytoplankton they consume, form the
base of the oceans’ food web
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Zooplankton
Very small animals that, along with the
phytoplankton they consume, form the
base of the oceans’ food web
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An area where fresh water from streams
and rivers spills into the ocean
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Estuary
An area where fresh water from streams
and rivers spills into the ocean
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A small stream or river that flows
into a large one
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Tributary
A small stream or river that flows
into a large one
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The zone of a lake or pond closest to
the edge of land
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Littoral zone
The zone of a lake or pond closest to the
edge of land
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The zone of a lake or pond the extends
from the littoral zone out across the top of
the water and that is only as deep as light
can reach through the water
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Open-water zone
The zone of a lake or pond the extends
from the littoral zone out across the top
of the water and that is only as deep as
light can reach through the water
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The zone of a lake or pond below the
open-water zone, where no light
reaches
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Deep-water zone
The zone of a lake or pond below the
open-water zone, where no light reaches
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An area of land where the water level
is near or above the surface of the
ground for most of the year
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Wetland
An area of land where the water level is
near or above the surface of the ground
for most of the year
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A treeless wetland ecosystem where
plants such as cattails and rushes
grow
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Marsh
A treeless wetland ecosystem where plants
such as cattails and rushes grow
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A wetland ecosystem where trees and
vines grow
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Swamp
A wetland ecosystem where trees and
vines grow
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