Happy
Which important group of organisms (like fungi and bacteria) is responsible for breaking down the fallen leaves and wood on the forest floor?
decomposer
The zone where a river meets the ocean is called
an estuary
Which massive marine mammal holds the record as the largest animal on Earth?
What is the name for the tiny, drifting plant-like organisms in the ocean's surface layer that produce most of the Earth's oxygen?
Phytoplankton
True or False: The longest known cave system in the world is Mammoth Cave in the US.
true
What is the most important factor that determines the make-up of a biome?
Climate
communities of living organisms within a specific environment that are interdependent is called by ...
ecosystem
What is the layer of permanently frozen soil found in the Tundra biome, and how does it impact plant life?
permafrost
What is the name for the adaptation used by desert animals (like the Fennec fox) where they remain inactive during the day and only emerge at night?
This behavior is called nocturnal activity.
What is the name for the massive, continuous layer of leaves and branches formed by the tops of trees in a forest?
Canopy
Which two IB learner profile attributes are highlighted for this unit?
Knowledgeable and Caring
A certain frog in the Tropical Rainforest has brightly colored skin. Is this often a sign that the frog is.....
Poisonous/Warning to predators
Mention three non-living (abiotic) component of a natural environment!
- - -
What is the name for the tiny, short plants found on the permafrost in the Tundra?
Mosses and Lichens
According to the "IB Lingo" slide, what is the Key Concept for unit 02?
System
What are the two main types of mineral formations that hang down from the ceiling and grow up from the floor of a limestone cave?
Stalactites (ceiling) and Stalagmites (floor)
In the Savanna biome, how do the large grazing animals (like zebras and wildebeest) prevent the grassland from turning into a dense forest?
Big plant-eaters keep the grass area open by eating and walking on small, new trees. This stops the trees from growing roots deep down, so the land stays open and mostly covered by grass.
What adaptation do many plants in the Desert biome, such as the cactus, use to survive the extremely low rainfall?
Desert plants have adaptations to conserve water. Examples include thick, waxy skin (cuticle), storing water in fleshy stems (succulents like cacti), and having deep or very spread-out root systems.
The Statement of Inquiry suggests that what can help environments last into the future?
Sustainability
The influence of large bodies of water on a region's climate, resulting in less extreme temperatures, higher humidity, and more precipitation compared to continental climates is called by...
maritime effect
What is the function of a producer (autotroph) in an ecosystem, and what is the primary source of energy for most producers?
A producer is an organism that creates its own food (chemical energy). For most producers, like plants and algae, the primary source of energy is sunlight, which they convert into food through photosynthesis.
What is the best reason biomes differ from each other?
They have different climates that shape life
What are biomes?
are very large areas in the world that have similar vegetation, climate and animal life.
What is the primary role of coral reefs in the coastal marine ecosystem, besides being visually beautiful?
They act as natural breakwaters, protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion, and provide a critical habitat for a quarter of all marine fish species.
What is a common epiphyte (a plant that grows on another plant for support) found in warm forests, and why can it survive without growing roots in the soil?
Orchids or mosses are common epiphytes. They get water and nutrients directly from the air and rainwater, not from the ground.