Spheres of Earth
the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air.
atmospheres
nonliving factors of an ecosystem
abiotic
the assemblage of a specific type of organism living in a given area.
population
An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, non-indigenous species, or nonnative species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there by human activity, directly or indirectly.
foreign species
a forest found between the tropical and boreal regions, located in the temperate zone.
temperate forest
the solid portion of the earth; the crust and upper mantle of the earth.
lithosphere
living factors of an ecosystem
biotic
an assemblage of interacting populations occupying a given area.
community
a large open area of country covered with grass, especially one used for grazing.
grassland
hot, moist biome found near Earth's equator
Tropical rainforest
the ecosystem comprising the entire earth and the living organisms that inhabit it.
biosphere
any organism that exists by preying upon other organisms.
predator
the maximum, equilibrium number of organisms of a particular species that can be supported indefinitely in a given environment.
carrying capacity
a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.
savannah
a dry, barren area of land, especially one covered with sand, that is characteristically desolate, waterless, and without vegetation.
desert
the water on or surrounding the surface of the globe, including the water of the oceans and the water in the atmosphere.
hydrosphere
an animal hunted or seized for food, especially by a carnivorous animal.
prey
the probable number of years remaining in the life of an individual or class of persons determined statistically, affected by such factors as heredity, physical condition, nutrition, and occupation.
life expectancy
ecosystems that include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.
freshwater
a vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen.
tundra
a complex biotic community characterized by distinctive plant and animal species and maintained under the climatic conditions of the region, especially such a community that has developed to climax.
biome
plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm.
invasive species
Growth of a system in which the amount being added to the system is proportional to the amount already present: the bigger the system is, the greater the increase.
exponential growth
characterized by the presence of salt water.
marine
the sometimes swampy coniferous forest of high northern latitudes, especially that between the tundra and steppes of Siberia and North America.
taiga