Ecosystems Basics
A community of living and nonliving things interacting in one area is called this.
Ecosystem
This describes the long-term weather patterns of a region.
Climate
An organism’s role or job in an ecosystem is called this.
Niche
Plants growing beneath taller trees in a forest make up this layer.
Understory
A pond ecosystem includes both living and nonliving components such as fish and this.
Sunlight
All living things in an ecosystem are called this.
Large regions with similar climate and organisms are called this.
Biomes
The place where an organism lives is called this.
Habitat
Very little sunlight reaches this part of a dense rainforest.
Forest floor
Algae and fish in a pond are examples of this type of factor.
Biotic factors
Water, sunlight, and temperature are examples of this.
This biome is known for extremely low rainfall, not necessarily extreme heat.
Desert
A fish eating smaller organisms is an example of this ecological role.
Niche
This imaginary line marks where trees stop growing on a mountain.
Tree line
Oxygen in the water is an example of this type of factor.
A pond, forest, or desert can each be considered this type of system.
Ecosystem
This frozen ground layer is found in tundra regions.
Permafrost
This field of science studies interactions between organisms and their environment.
Ecology
This aquatic environment may have zones based on depth and light availability.
Lake/ocean ecosystem
Grasslands and savannas are known for supporting many of these animals.
Grazing animals
The largest level of ecological organization that includes all ecosystems is this.
Biosphere
In forests, this layer is made up of tall trees forming a “roof.”
Canopy
This describes how ecosystems can be divided into regions based on factors like depth or elevation.
Zonation
These regions in ecosystems are shaped by abiotic factors like sunlight and temperature.
Zones/zonation areas
Scientists divide the biosphere into smaller regions to make it easier to study. These are called this.
Biomes