CHAPTER 6 & 7 VOCABULARY1. Biome

2. Climate

3. Latitude

4. Altitude

5. Emergent layer

6. Epiphyte

7. Understory

8. Permafrost

9. Wetland

10.Plankton

11.Nekton

12.Benthos

13.Littoral zone

14.Benthic zone

15.Eutrophication

16.Estuary

17.Salt marsh

18.Mangrove swamp

19.Barrier island

20.Coral reef

CHAPTER 6 & 7 VOCABULARY1. Biome- large region characterized by a

specific type of climate and certain types of

plant and animal communities.

2. Climate- the average weather conditions in

an area over a long period of time.

3. Latitude- the distance north or south from

the equator, expressed in degrees.

4. Altitude- the height of an object above a

reference point, such as sea level or the

Earth’s surface.

5. Emergent layer- the top foliage layer in a

forest where the trees extend above the

surrounding trees.

6. Epiphyte- a plant that uses another plant for

support, but not for nourishment.

7. Understory- a foliage layer that is beneath

and shaded by the main canopy of a forest.

8. Permafrost- in artic regions, the

permanently frozen layer of soil or subsoil.

9. Wetland- an area of land that is periodically

underwater or whose soil contains a great

deal of moisture.

10.Plankton- the mass of mostly microscopic

organisms that float or drift freely in the

waters of aquatic (freshwater and marine)

environments.

CHAPTER 6 & 7 VOCABULARY11. Nekton- all organisms that swim in open

water, independent of currents.

12.Benthos- organisms that live at the bottom

of oceans or bodies of fresh water.

13.Littoral zone- a shallow zone in a freshwater

habitat where light reaches the bottom and

nurtures plants.

14.Benthic zone- the bottom region of oceans

and bodies of fresh water.

15.Eutrophication- an increase in the amount of

nutrients, such as nitrates, in a marine or

aquatic ecosystem.

16.Estuary- an area where fresh water from

rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean.

17. Salt marsh- a maritime habitat

characterized by grasses, sedges, and other

plants that have adapted to continual,

periodic flooding.

18.Mangrove swamp- a tropical or subtropical

marine swamp that is characterized by the

abundance of low to tall trees, especially

mangrove trees.

19.Barrier island- a long ridge of sand or

narrow island that lies parallel to the shore.

20.Coral reef- a limestone ridge found in

tropical climates and composed of coral

fragments that are deposited around

organic remains.

BIOMES

1. ANIMALS IN THE DESERT NORMALLY COME OUT AT WHAT TIME?

2.WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TUNDRA?

3.WHAT PLANTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE TAIGA?

4.THE DISTANCE NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR IS

MEASURED IN DEGREES CALLED WHAT?

5.WHAT DETERMINES THE TYPE OF PLANTS THAT GROW IN A

BIOME?

BIOMES1. ANIMALS IN THE DESERT NORMALLY COME OUT AT WHAT TIME? AT NIGHT/THEY ARE

NOCTURNAL TO PREVENT LOSING WATER DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY

2. WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TUNDRA? IT HAS PERMANENTLY FROZEN

SOIL BENEATH THE TOP LAYER OF SOIL, IT CAN BE EASILY DAMAGED BY HUMANS,

THERE ARE FEW ANIMALS, INSECTS, AND PLANTS THAT CAN LIVE IN SUCH AN

EXTREME ENVIRONMENT.

3. WHAT PLANTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE TAIGA? CONIFEROUS TREES, SUCH AS PINE, FIR,

AND SPRUCE. (FOREST BIOME)

4. THE DISTANCE NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR IS MEASURED IN DEGREES CALLED

WHAT? LATITUDE

5. WHAT DETERMINES THE TYPE OF PLANTS THAT GROW IN A BIOME? TEMPERATURE

AND PRECIPITATION

VEGETATION IN BIOMES6.BIOMES WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES AND LOW PRECIPITATION

WOULD HAVE WHAT TYPE OF VEGETATION?

7. WHAT IS THREATENING TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS?

8.WHAT CAN HAPPEN AFTER STORMS AS FORESTS ARE REMOVED

BY DEFORESTATION?

9.WHAT ARE WETLANDS USEFUL FOR?

10.WHERE DO ESTUARIES RECEIVE THEIR NUTRIENTS (WHAT

WATER SOURCES)?

VEGETATION IN BIOMES6. BIOMES WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES AND LOW PRECIPITATION WOULD HAVE WHAT

TYPE OF VEGETATION? SHORTER, LESS DENSE VEGETATION

7. WHAT IS THREATENING TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS? HUMANS CAUSING

DEFORESTATION AND THE RAIN FOREST PLANT AND ANIMAL TRADE

8. WHAT CAN HAPPEN AFTER STORMS AS FORESTS ARE REMOVED BY DEFORESTATION?

FLOODS

9. WHAT ARE WETLANDS USEFUL FOR? PREVENTING FLOODING (DECREASING RUNOFF),

ABSORBING AND REMOVING POLLUTANTS FROM WATER, TRAPPING CARBON THAT

WOULD BE RELEASED INTO THE AIR

10.WHERE DO ESTUARIES RECEIVE THEIR NUTRIENTS (WHAT WATER SOURCES)?

RIVERS AND OCEANS (FRESH WATER AND SALT WATER)

POLLUTION11.WHAT CAUSES COASTAL POLLUTION IN THE U.S.?

12.WHERE ARE SWAMPS TYPICALLY FOUND?

13.WHERE DO YOU FIND MOST MARINE ORGANISMS?

14.AS RIVERS FLOW FROM A MOUNTAIN TO FLATTER

GROUND, WHAT DO THEY DO?

15.WHAT ARE SOME THREATS TO OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS?

POLLUTION11.WHAT CAUSES COASTAL POLLUTION IN THE U.S.? INDUSTRIAL WASTE AND

SEWAGE

12.WHERE ARE SWAMPS TYPICALLY FOUND? IN FLAT, POORLY DRAINED LAND

13.WHERE DO YOU FIND MOST MARINE ORGANISMS? SHALLOW, COASTAL WATERS

14.AS RIVERS FLOW FROM A MOUNTAIN TO FLATTER GROUND, WHAT DO THEY DO?

BECOME WIDER, WARMER, AND SLOWER FLOWING

15.WHAT ARE SOME THREATS TO OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS? SEWAGE, ALGAL BLOOMS,

NUTRIENT RUNOFF, INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGE, OVERFISHING, AND MARINE

MAMMALS GETTING ENTANGLED IN TRAWL NETS.

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS16. THE TYPES OF ORGANISMS THAT ARE FOUND IN LAKES

AND PONDS DEPENDS ON WHAT?

17.WHAT ZONE IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS HAS DIVERSE

AND ABUNDANT LIFE?

18.WHAT ZONE IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IS THE WATER

COOL AND DARK?

19.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN NEKTON AND BENTHOS?

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS16. THE TYPES OF ORGANISMS THAT ARE FOUND IN LAKES AND PONDS DEPENDS ON

WHAT? THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT AVAILABLE, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER,

AND THE PRESENCE OF NUTRIENTS.

17.WHAT ZONE IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS HAS DIVERSE AND ABUNDANT LIFE? THE

LITTORAL ZONE

18.WHAT ZONE IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IS THE WATER COOL AND DARK? BENTHIC

ZONE

19. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN NEKTON AND BENTHOS? NEKTON SWIM FREELY AND

BENTHOS OFTEN LIVE ATTACHED TO A HARD SURFACE OR MOVE WITH THE

CURRENTS.

AQUATIC ORGANISMS20.WHICH ORGANISMS PRODUCE MOST OF THE

FOOD IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS?

21. WHAT DETERMINES THE ARRANGEMENT OF

ORGANISMS IN THE OPEN OCEAN?

22.WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF

WETLANDS?

AQUATIC ORGANISMS20.WHICH ORGANISMS PRODUCE MOST OF THE FOOD IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS?

PHYTOPLANKTON

21. WHAT DETERMINES THE ARRANGEMENT OF ORGANISMS IN THE OPEN OCEAN?

THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS AND SUNLIGHT THAT ARE AVAILABLE

22.WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF WETLANDS? WETLANDS HAVE

PLENTIFUL NUTRIENTS AND THE CAPACITY FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS, WETLANDS

ARE PERCEIVED HISTORICALLY AS DISEASE-INFESTED WASTELANDS, WETLANDS

HAVE VARIED POPULATIONS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS, AND WETLANDS CAN BE

FRESHWATER OR SALTWATER.

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

23.WHY IS AN ESTUARY CONSIDERED A MINERAL TRAP

(TRAPS MINERALS)?

24.HOW ARE CORAL REEFS FORMED?

25.WHAT ARE THE TWO MAIN FRESH WATER WETLANDS?

26.WHAT ECOSYSTEM HAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF

SALINITY?

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS23.WHY IS AN ESTUARY CONSIDERED A MINERAL TRAP (TRAPS

MINERALS)? THE MIXING OF RIVER WATER AND OCEAN WATER

(MINERALS LIKE SALT AND CALCIUM, ETC)

24. HOW ARE CORAL REEFS FORMED? BY THE SECRETION OF CALCIUM

CARBONATE BY TINY MARINE ANIMALS.

25.WHAT ARE THE TWO MAIN FRESH WATER WETLANDS? SWAMPS AND

MARSHES

26.WHAT ECOSYSTEM HAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SALINITY? SALT

MARSH

OCEAN27.WHAT ARE SOME THREATS TO CORAL REEFS?

28.WHY DOESN’T PHOTOSYNTHESIS OCCUR IN THE DEEP OCEAN?

29.WHAT BIOME HAS PLANTS THAT ARE LOW-LYING EVERGREEN

SHRUBS AND TREES WITH SMALL, LEATHERY LEAVES?

30.WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF DISSOLVED SALTS IN WATER

CALLED?

31.WHERE DO YOU FIND CORAL REEFS?

OCEAN27.WHAT ARE SOME THREATS TO CORAL REEFS? OIL SPILLS, SEWAGE, AND

PESTICIDES

28.WHY DOESN’T PHOTOSYNTHESIS OCCUR IN THE DEEP OCEAN? THERE ISN’T ANY

SUNLIGHT

29.WHAT BIOME HAS PLANTS THAT ARE LOW-LYING EVERGREEN SHRUBS AND

TREES WITH SMALL, LEATHERY LEAVES? CHAPARRAL

30.WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF DISSOLVED SALTS IN WATER CALLED? SALINITY

31.WHERE DO YOU FIND CORAL REEFS? IN SHALLOW, WARM WATER WHERE THERE

IS ENOUGH LIGHT FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS

WHERE’S THAT BIOME?32.WHAT BIOME RECEIVES 200-450 CM OF RAIN PER YEAR?

33.WHAT BIOME RECEIVES LESS THAN 25 CM OF RAIN PER YEAR?

34.WHAT ARE SOME ANIMALS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN A

SAVANNA?

35.AS YOU TRAVEL FROM THE NORTH POLE TO THE EQUATOR,

WHAT BIOMES WOULD YOU PASS THROUGH?

WHERE’S THAT BIOME?32.WHAT BIOME RECEIVES 200-450 CM OF RAIN PER YEAR? TROPICAL

RAIN FOREST

33.WHAT BIOME RECEIVES LESS THAN 25 CM OF RAIN PER YEAR? DESERT

34.WHAT ARE SOME ANIMALS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN A SAVANNA?

LARGE HERDS OF GRAZING ANIMALS, SUCH AS RHINOS, GAZELLES, AND

GIRAFFES.

35.AS YOU TRAVEL FROM THE NORTH POLE TO THE EQUATOR, WHAT

BIOMES WOULD YOU PASS THROUGH? TUNDRA, TAIGA, GRASSLANDS,

TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST, DESERT, TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

WHAT’S IN IT?36.WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEMPERATE RAIN

FOREST?

37.WHICH BIOME IS LOCATED PRIMARILY IN COASTAL AREAS

THAT HAVE MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE CLIMATES WITH WARM,

DRY SUMMERS AND MILD, WET WINTERS?

38.WHAT IS AN ADAPTATION OF DESERT ANIMALS THAT HELP

THEM SURVIVE IN THE HOT, DRY DESERT?

WHAT’S IN IT?36.WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST?

HIGH HUMIDITY AND MODERATE TEMPERATURES, ABUNDANT MOSSES,

FERNS, AND LICHENS, AND LARGE HARDWOOD TREES SUCH AS OAK,

MAPLE, AND HICKORY.

37.WHICH BIOME IS LOCATED PRIMARILY IN COASTAL AREAS THAT HAVE

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE CLIMATES WITH WARM, DRY SUMMERS AND

MILD, WET WINTERS? CHAPARRAL

38.WHAT IS AN ADAPTATION OF DESERT ANIMALS THAT HELP THEM

SURVIVE IN THE HOT, DRY DESERT? SEARCHING FOR FOOD AT NIGHT