Vocabulary
Q: What is the process where water turns into vapor and rises into the air?
A: Evaporation
What is condensation?
Water vapor cools and changes back into liquid droplets, forming clouds.
What does it mean if a species is extinct?
The species no longer exists anywhere on Earth.
What kind of biome is characterized by very little rainfall and extreme temperatures?
Desert.
What are plankton?
Tiny organisms that float in the water and form the base of many aquatic food chains.
What term describes the movement of water that flows over the ground into rivers or lakes?
Runoff.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The movement of nitrogen through the environment, including the air, soil, and living organisms.
What is primary succession?
The process of ecosystem development in an area where no previous ecosystem existed, starting with pioneer species.
Which biome is known for its cold, treeless environment with permafrost?
Tundra.
What are nekton?
Aquatic animals that can swim, like fish and whales.
What happens during precipitation?
Water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
What is a climax community?
A stable community that has reached the final stage of ecological succession.
What type of forest biome is found along coastlines with cooler, wetter conditions?
Temperate Rainforest.
What organisms live on the bottom of water bodies?
Benthos.
What is groundwater?
Water stored beneath the Earth’s surface.
What are 2 non-renewable resources??
There are four major types of nonrenewable resources: oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy.
What is secondary succession?
The process of ecosystem recovery in areas where an ecosystem has been disturbed but soil remains.
Which biome has four distinct seasons and trees that shed their leaves in the fall?
Deciduous Forest.
What is the intertidal zone?
The area where the ocean meets the land, between high and low tide.
What is compost, and how is it used in ecosystems?
Compost is organic material that has decomposed and can be used to enrich soil.
How does the carbon cycle affect living organisms?
Plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, and animals release it during respiration, cycling carbon through the ecosystem.
What is the difference between endangered and threatened species?
Endangered species are at immediate risk of extinction, while threatened species are likely to become endangered if not protected.
What biome is dominated by grasses and has few trees, with rich soil for plant growth?
Grassland.
What is an estuary, and why is it important?
An estuary is a water ecosystem where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean,
It creates rich habitats for many species.
It filters water entering the ocean