chapter 6 Flashcards
(19 cards)
Biome
a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat,
climate
the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
latitude
the angular distance of a place north or south of the earth’s equator, or of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator, usually expressed in degrees and minutes.
altitude
the height of anything above a given planetary reference plane, especially above sea level on earth.
tropical rainforest
are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season.
emergent layer
the four main forest above the forest floor.
canopy
the next layer, considered the primary layer of the rainforest.
epiphytes
a plant that grows on another plant but is not parasitic, such as the numerous ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropical rainforests.
understory
a layer of vegetation beneath the main canopy of a forest.
temperate rainforest
are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rainfall.
temperate deciduous forest
a variety of temperate forest ‘dominated’ by trees that lose their leaves each year.
taiga
the sometimes swampy coniferous forest of high northern latitudes, especially that between the tundra and steppes of Siberia and North America.
savanna
a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.
temperate
relating to or denoting a region or climate characterized by mild temperatures.
grassland
a large open area of country covered with grass, especially one used for grazing.
chaparral
vegetation consisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes.
desert
abandon (a person, cause, or organization) in a way considered disloyal or treacherous.
tundra
a vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen.
permafrost
any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two years straight.
