Vocabulary From Chapter 6 And 7 Of Living In The Environment, Miller

Front 1

altitude

Back 1

Height above sea level.

Front 2

broadleaf deciduous plants

Back 2

Plants such as oak and maple trees that survive drought and cold by shedding their leaves and becoming dormant.--Miller

Front 3

broadleaf evergreen plants

Back 3

Plants that keep most of their broad leaves year-round. Examples are the trees found in the canopies of tropical rain forests.--Miller

Front 4

climate

Back 4

Physical properties of the troposphere of an area based on analysis of its weather records over a long period (at least 30 years). The two main factors determining an areaUs climate are temperature, with its seasonal variations, and the amount and distribution of precipitation. --Miller

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cold front

Back 5

Leading edge of an advancing mass of cold air.--Miller

Front 6

coniferous evergreen plants

Back 6

Cone-bearing plants (such as spruces, pines, and firs) that keep some of their narrow, pointed leaves (needles) all year.--Miller

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desert

Back 7

Biome in which evaporation exceeds precipitation and the average amount of precipitation is less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) a year. Such areas have little vegetation or have widely spaced, mostly low vegetation.--Miller

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forest

Back 8

Biome with enough average annual precipitation (at least 76 centimeters, or 30 inches) to support growth of various species of trees and smaller forms of vegetation.--Miller

Front 9

front

Back 9

The boundary between two air masses with different temperatures and densities.--Miller

Front 10

grassland

Back 10

Biome found in regions where moderate annual average precipitation (25 to 76 centimeters, or 10 to 30 inches) is enough to support the growth of grass and small plants but not enough to support large stands of trees.--Miller

Front 11

greenhouse effect

Back 11

A natural effect that releases heat in the atmosphere (troposphere) near the earthUs surface. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and several other gases in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) absorb some of the infrared radiation (heat) radiated by the earthUs surface and then radiate it back toward the earthUs surface. This causes their molecules to vibrate and transform the absorbed energy into longer-wavelength infrared radiation (heat) in the troposphere. If the atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases rise and they are not removed by other natural processes, the average temperature of the lower atmosphere will increase gradually. Because the energy release into the atmosphere by greenhouse gases is not the same wavelength as the energy they absorbed, it is scientifically incorrect to say that greenhouse gases trap and reradiate energy released from the earthUs surface.--Miller

Front 12

greenhouse gases

Back 12

Gases in the earth's lower atmosphere (troposphere) that cause the greenhouse effect. Examples are carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide.

Front 13

latitude

Back 13

Distance from the equator.

Front 14

microclimates

Back 14

Local climatic conditions that differ from the general climate of a region. Various topographic features of the earthUs surface such as mountains and cities typically cause them.--Miller

Front 15

permafrost

Back 15

Perennially frozen layer of the soil that forms when the water there freezes. It is found in arctic tundra.--Miller

Front 16

rain shadow effect

Back 16

Low precipitation on the far side (leeward side) of a mountain when prevailing winds flow up and over a high mountain or range of high mountains. This creates semiarid and arid conditions on the leeward side of a high mountain range.--Miller

Front 17

succulent plants

Back 17

Plants, such as desert cacti, that survive in dry climates by having no leaves, thus reducing the loss of scarce water. They store water and use sunlight to produce the food they need in the thick, fleshy tissue of their green stems and branches.--Miller

Front 18

upwelling

Back 18

Movement of nutrient-rich bottom water to the oceanUs surface. This can occur far from shore but usually occurs along certain steep coastal areas where the surface layer of ocean water is pushed away from shore and replaced by cold, nutrient-rich bottom water.--Miller

Front 19

warm front

Back 19

The boundary between an advancing warm air mass and the cooler one it is replacing. Because warm air is less dense than cool air, an advancing warm front rises up over a mass of cool air.--Miller

Front 20

weather

Back 20

Short-term changes in the temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloud cover, wind direction and speed, and other conditions in the troposphere at a given place and time.--Miller

Front 21

barrier islands

Back 21

Long, thin, low offshore islands of sediment that generally run parallel to the shore along some coasts.--Miller

Front 22

benthos

Back 22

Bottom-dwelling organisms.--Miller

Front 23

coastal wetland

Back 23

Land along a coastline, extending inland from an estuary that is covered with salt water all or part of the year. Examples are marshes, bays, lagoons, tidal flats, and mangrove swamps.--Miller

Front 24

coastal zone

Back 24

Warm, nutrient-rich, shallow part of the ocean that extends from the high-tide mark on land to the edge of a shelflike extension of continental land masses known as the continental shelf.--Miller

Front 25

coral reef

Back 25

Formation produced by massive colonies containing billions of tiny coral animals, called polyps, that secrete a stony substance (calcium carbonate) around themselves for protection. When the corals die, their empty outer skeletons form layers that cause the reef to grow. They are found in the coastal zones of warm tropical and subtropical oceans.

Front 26

decomposer

Back 26

A heterotroph that obtains energy by chemically breaking down the remains, products, or wastes of other organisms. Decomposers help cycle nutrients to producers in ecosystems. Certain fungi and bacteria are examples.--Starr/T

Front 27

estuary

Back 27

Partially enclosed coastal area at the mouth of a river where its fresh water, carrying fertile silt and runoff from the land, mixes with salty seawater.--Miller

Front 28

euphotic zone

Back 28

Upper layer of a body of water through which sunlight can penetrate and support photosynthesis.--Miller

Front 29

eutrophic lake

Back 29

Lake with a large or excessive supply of plant nutrients, mostly nitrates and phosphates.--Miller

Front 30

freshwater life zones

Back 30

Aquatic systems where water with a dissolved salt concentration of less than 1% by volume accumulates on or flows through the surfaces of terrestrial biomes. Examples are (1) standing (lentic) bodies of fresh water such as lakes, ponds, and inland wetlands and (2) flowing (lotic) systems such as streams and rivers.--Miller

Front 31

inland wetland

Back 31

Land away from the coast, such as a swamp, marsh, or bog, that is covered all or part of the time with fresh water.--Miller

Front 32

intertidal zone

Back 32

The area of shoreline between low and high tides.--Miller

Front 33

lake

Back 33

Large natural body of standing fresh water formed when water from precipitation, land runoff, or groundwater flow fills a depression in the earth created by (1) glaciation, (2) earth movement, (3) volcanic activity, or (4) a giant meteorite.--Miller

Front 34

mesotrophic lake

Back 34

Lake with a moderate supply of plant nutrients.--Miller

Front 35

nekton

Back 35

Strongly swimming organisms found in aquatic systems.--Miller

Front 36

oligotrophic lake

Back 36

Lake with a low supply of plant nutrients.--Miller

Front 37

open sea

Back 37

The part of an ocean that is beyond the continental shelf.--Miller

Front 38

plankton

Back 38

Small plant organisms (phytoplankton) and animal organisms (zooplankton) that float in aquatic ecosystems.--Miller

Front 39

runoff

Back 39

Fresh water from precipitation and melting ice that flows on the earthUs surface into nearby streams, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs.--Miller

Front 40

surface water

Back 40

Precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration.--Miller

Front 41

watershed

Back 41

Land area that delivers the water, sediment, and dissolved substances via small streams to a major stream (river).

Front 42

weather, 121

Back 42

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front, 121

Back 43

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Front 44

warm front, 121

Back 44

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Front 45

thunderheads, 121

Back 45

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Front 46

high, 121

Back 46

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Front 47

low, 121

Back 47

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Front 48

weather extremes, 121

Back 48

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tornadoes, 121

Back 49

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Front 50

tropical cyclones, 121

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Front 51

hurricanes, 121

Back 51

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typhoons, 121

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Coriolis effect, 123

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El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), 126

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La Niña, 127

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Front 56

water vapor, 128

Back 56

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Front 57

ozone layer, 129

Back 57

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Front 58

thermal cap, 129

Back 58

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Front 59

heat island, 130

Back 59

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Front 60

sea breezes, 130

Back 60

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Front 61

land breezes, 130

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tropical desert, 133

Back 62

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Front 63

temperate desert, 133

Back 63

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Front 64

cold desert, 133

Back 64

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Front 65

tropical grasslands, 136

Back 65

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Front 66

savanna, 136

Back 66

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grazing, 136

Back 67

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browsing, 136

Back 68

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temperate grasslands, 137

Back 69

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tall-grass praries, 137

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short-grass praries, 137

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pampas, 137

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veldt, 137

Back 73

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steppes, 137

Back 74

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Front 75

polar grasslands 137

Back 75

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Front 76

arctic tundra 137

Back 76

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Front 77

permafrost 141

Back 77

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Front 78

alpine tundra 141

Back 78

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Front 79

temperate shrubland 142

Back 79

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Front 80

chaparral 142

Back 80

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Front 81

Mediterranean climate 142

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Front 82

tropical rain forests 142

Back 82

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Front 83

canopy 144

Back 83

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Front 84

understory 144

Back 84

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Front 85

shrub layer 144

Back 85

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Front 86

forest floor 144

Back 86

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Front 87

lianas 144

Back 87

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Front 88

epiphytes 144

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Front 89

tropical deciduous forests 145

Back 89

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Front 90

tropical scrub forests 145

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Front 91

temperate deciduous forests 145

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Front 92

evergreen coniferous forests 145

Back 92

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Front 93

boreal forests 145

Back 93

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Front 94

taigas 145

Back 94

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Front 95

muskegs 145

Back 95

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Front 96

coastal coniferous forests 145

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Front 97

temperate rain forests 145

Back 97

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Front 98

tree farms 148

Back 98

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Front 99

tree plantations 148

Back 99

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Front 100

snow line 148

Back 100

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Front 101

islands of biodiversity 148

Back 101

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Front 102

aquatic life zones 153

Back 102

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Front 103

salinity 153

Back 103

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Front 104

saltwater (marine) 153

Back 104

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Front 105

freshwater 153

Back 105

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Front 106

nekton 153

Back 106

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Front 107

phytoplankton 153

Back 107

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Front 108

nanoplankton 153

Back 108

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Front 109

zooplankton 153

Back 109

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Front 110

continental shelf 156

Back 110

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Front 111

barrier beaches 158

Back 111

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Front 112

barrier islands 161

Back 112

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Front 113

euphoric zone 162

Back 113

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Front 114

bathyal zone 164

Back 114

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Front 115

abyssal zone 164

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Front 116

deposit feeders 164

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Front 117

filter feeders 164

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Front 118

littoral zone 165

Back 118

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limnetic zone 165

Back 119

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Front 120

profundal zone 165

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Front 121

benthic zone 165

Back 121

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Front 122

cultural eutrophication 166

Back 122

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Front 123

thermal stratification 166

Back 123

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Front 124

epilimnion 166

Back 124

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thermocline 166

Back 125

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Front 126

hypolimnion 166

Back 126

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Front 127

fall overturn 166

Back 127

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Front 128

spring overturn 166

Back 128

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Front 129

drainage basin 166

Back 129

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source zone 167

Back 130

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Front 131

transition zone 167

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floodplain zone 167

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Front 133

marshes 168

Back 133

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Front 134

swamps 168

Back 134

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Front 135

prairie potholes 168

Back 135

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Front 136

bogs 168

Back 136

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Front 137

fens 168

Back 137

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Front 138

wet arctic tundra 168

Back 138

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seasonal wetlands 168

Back 139

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