Sci 112 Chapter 6 Kinds Of Ecosystems And Communities

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Succession

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regular and predictable changes in the structure of a community, ultimately leading to a climax community.

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Climax Community

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last stage of succession a relatively stable, long-lasting, complex and interrelated community of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.

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Primary Succession

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succession that begins with bare mineral surfaces or water.

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Secondary Succession

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succession that begins with the destruction or disturbance of an existing ecosystem.

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Pioneer Community

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the early stages of succession that begin the soil-building process.

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Successional Stage

Back 6

a stage in succession.

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Seral Stage

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a stage in the successional process

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Sere

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a stage in succession

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Biomes

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a kind of plant and animal community that covers large geographic areas. Climate is a major determiner of the biome found in a particular area.

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Deserts

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a biome that receives less than 25 centimeters of precipitation per year.

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Temperate Grasslands

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areas receiving between 25 and 75 centimeters of precipitation per year. Grasses are the dominant vegetation, and trees are rare.

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Prairies

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temperate grasslands.

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Steppes

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a grassland.

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Savannas

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tropical biome having seasonal rainfal of 50 to 150 centimeters per year. The dominant plants are grasses, with some scattered tire-and drought-resistant trees.

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Mediterranean Shrublands

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coastal evosystems characterized by winter rains and summer droughts that are dominated by low, woody vegetation with small leaves.

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Tropical Dry Forest

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regions that receive low rainfall amounts, as little as 50 centimeters per year, and are characterized by species well adapted to drought. Trees of dry tropical forests are usually smaller than those in rainforests, and many lose their leaves during the dry season.

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Tropical Rainforests

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a biome with warm, relatively constant temperatures where there is no frost. These areas receive more than 200 centimeters of rain per year in rains that fall nearly every day.

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Temperate Deciduous

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biome that has a winter-summer change of seasons and that typically receives 75 to 150 centimeters or more of relaively evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year.

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Taiga

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biome having short, cool summers and long winters with abundant snowfall. The trees are adapted to winter conditions.

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Northern Coniferous Forest

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a broad band of mixed coniferous and deciduous trees that stretches across northern North America; its northernmost edg is integrated with the Arctic tundra

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Tundra

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a biome that lacks trees and has permanently frozen soil.

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Permafrost

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permanently frozen ground.

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Alpine Tundra

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the biome that exists above the tree line in mountainous regions.

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Freshwater Ecosystems

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aquatic ecosystems that have low amounts of dissolved salts.

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Marine Ecosystems

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aquatic ecosystems that have high salt content.

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Plankton

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tiny aquatic organisms that are moved by tides and currents.

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Phytoplankton

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free-floating, microscopic, chlorophyll-containing organisms.

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Euphotic Zone

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the upper layer in the ocean where the sun's rays penetrate.

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Zooplankton

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weakly swimming microscopic animals.

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Benthic

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describes organisms that live on the bottom of marine and freshwater ecosystems.

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Benthic Ecosystem

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a type of marine or freshwater ecosystem consisting of organisms that live on the bottom.

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Coral Reef Ecosystems

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a tropical, shallow-water, marine ecosystem dominated by coral organisms that produce external skeletons.

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Mangrove Swamp Ecosystems

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marine shoreline ecosystems dominated by trees that can tolerate high salt concentrations.

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Abyssal Ecosystem

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the collection of organisms and the conditions that exist in the deep portions of the ocean.

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Estuary

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marine ecosystems that consist of shallow, partially enclosed areas where freshwater enters the ocean.

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Emergent Plants

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aquatic vegetation that is rooted on the bottom but has leaves that float on the surface or protrude above the water.

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Submerged Plants

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aquatic vegetation that is rooted on the bottom and has leaves that stay submerged below the surface of the water.

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Limnetic Zone

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region that does not have rooted vegetation in a freshwater ecosystem.

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Oligotrophic Lakes

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deep, cold, nutrient-poor lakes that are low in productivity.

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Eutrophic Lakes

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a usually shallow, warmwater lake that is nutrient rich.

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Biochemical Oxygen Demand

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the amount of oxygen required by microbes to degrade organic molecules in aquatic ecosystems.

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Periphyton

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attached organisms in freshwater streams and rivers, including algae, animals, and fungi.

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Swamps

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area of trees that is flooded either permanently or for a major part of the year.

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Marshes

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area of grasses and reeds that is flooded either permanently or for a major part of the year.