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{  Biome-large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community

{   Photic Zone-portion of the marine biome that is shallow enough for sunlight to go through

{     Aphotic Zone-portion of the marine biome that is too deep to receive sunlight

{     Estuary- coastal body of water in which fresh water and salt water mix

{     Intertidal Zone-part of the shoreline between the high and low tide lines

{     Plankton-microscopic organisms that float in the waters of the photic zone

{     Biomes on land-terrestrial biomes

{     Biomes in the water-aquatic biomes

{     75% of the Earth is covered with water.

{     Oceans contain the largest amount of biomass (living material) of any biomes.

{      All rivers reach a sea or ocean.

{     The amount of salt (salinity) in the estuary changes with the tide.

{     The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon causes the rise and fall of the ocean tides.

{     Unicellular algae, like diatoms are the producers of the plankton.

{     Consumers of plankton----jellyfishes, worms, young stage of crabs, snails, jellyfish, and marine worms.

{     Almost 90% of the ocean is more than a mile deep!

{     Light is an abiotic factor that limits life in deep lakes

{     Temperature and precipitation influence the kind of climax community that will develop.

{      There are 6 major terrestrial biomes.

{     TUNDRA-treeless land with long summer days and short periods of winter light

{             Permafrost-layer of permanently frozen ground underneath the topmost layer of soil

{            Only allows short-rooted grasses and small plants

{     TAIGA-south of the tundra; called the northern coniferous forest

{           Taiga communities are warmer and wetter than tundra.

{           Long, severe winters and short, mild summers

{     DESERT-arid region with very little plant life

{            Less than 25 cm. of precipitation annually

{            Plants adapted to live in deserts; spines, photosynthetic stems, thick waxy coats prevents from water loss

{            Some even have thorns or are poisonous.

{            Only small herbivores that need little water live there

{            Foxes, coyotes, hawks, owls, roadrunners, snakes, lizards, scorpions

{     GRASSLAND-large areas covered with grasses and plants.

{            Soils have humus content; decaying products help soil

{            Growing: Oats, ryes, wheat

{            Bison, buffalo, wolves, coyotes, prairie dogs, birds, reptiles,

{     TEMPERATE FOREST-even amount of precipitation falls annually.

{             Deciduous Forest---squirrels, mice, rabbits, deer, bears, birds

{     TROPICAL RAIN FOREST-uniformly warm, wet weather

{           Lush plant growth---Equatorial regions

{           200-400 cm of rain per year---25° C

{           Sloths, birds, mammals, monkeys, snakes, lizards, reptiles amphibians, cougars, gorillas, insects

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