Biomes
Characteristics of tropical rainforest
Wet most of the time, but some dry seasons
Characteristics of Savanna
Warm and dry for much of the year, but significant amounts of rainfall for a few months
Ecological Niche
Role the organism plays in the ecosystem:
-how it interacts w/ others
-where it lives
-resources it needs
-trophic level + food it eats
Definition of Primary Succession
establishment in a community in an area of bare rock w/ no topsoil
Order of trophic levels
producers, primary consumers, secondary, consumers, tertiary consumers, decomposers
Characteristics of Temperate Grasslands
Cold winters and warm Summers with some rain
Characteristics of Taiga/Boreal forest
Long, dry and cold winters, short warm, moist Summers
Symbiotic relationships
Partnerships between species, where at least one benefits
Definition of secondary succession
Change that takes place after a community of organisms has been removed but the soil remains
Only 10% of the energy goes to the next person, most of it is lost via, heat, movement, and cellular processes
Characteristics of Tropical Dry Forests
Consistent wet and dry seasons throughout the year
Characteristics of NW coniferous forest
4 seasons: Long winters, short summers
Mutalistic relationships
Benefit both species in the partnership
Pioneer Species
First lichens and mosses to appear in the soil
Examples of producers
algae, bacteria, plants, etc.
Characteristics of Chaparral
Cool and wet winters, dry springs, wet Summers, and dry falls
Characteristics of Temperate Forest
4 seasons, with below freezing winters, and hot/humid summers
Commensalistic relationship
One species benefits, other species is unaffected
Biotic and Abiotic factors
Biotic: living factors
Abiotic: nonliving factors
Examples of primary consumers (herbivores)
rabbits, deer, caterpillar, etc.
Characteristics of Tundra
Long, cold winters, and high winds
Taiga forests location
Russia, Canada, Scandinavia, northern
Parasitic relationships
One species benefits and the other is harmed
Carrying Capacity
The amount of organisms that a certain ecosystem can sustain, can vary.
Function of decomposers
Turn organic wastes into inorganic materials, such as nutrient rich soil