| 1. wetlands |
one of the most biologically diverse biomes, characterized by standing water such as marshes, bogs, and swamps; high precipitation; and usually humid conditions |
| 2. tundra |
the coldest biome on earth, characterized by no trees, a layer of permafrost under the top layer of soil, and low precipitation |
| 3. savanna |
one of the sub-categories of the grassland biome characterized by a wet and dry season with moderate to significant tree growth but where the trees are too sparse to form a canopy |
| 4. rainforest |
a biome characterized by dense tree growth with a thick, multilayered canopy, high amounts of precipitation, and an average temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit that doesn't vary more than about 5 degrees all year |
| 5. precipitation |
the term used to refer to moisture that falls to the earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, or sleet |
| 6. permafrost |
a term used to describe land or soil that is permanently frozen thus unable to support vegetation growth |
| 7. ocean |
the largest body of water on earth covering more than 70% of the surface with a salt content of 3% or greater |
| 8. grassland |
the most widespread land-based biome on earth that contains mostly grass like vegetation with few to no trees, experiences seasonal changes in weather, and receives average amounts of rainfall |
| 9. equator |
the line that divides the earth into two equal parts, the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere, and over the course of a year receives the most amount of heat from the sun causing seasonal changes in weather to be less dramatic and almost non-exist |
| 10. drought |
a long period of time with little to no rainfall |
| 11. desert |
a biome characterized by extremely dry conditions, usually sandy with little to no vegetation |
| 12. competition |
the struggle between the organisms of an ecosystem to obtain the resources needed for survival |
| 13. canopy |
the natural, continuous cover provided by the branches and leaves of trees blocking out sunshine to ground level plants |
| 14. biome |
a large environmental area characterized by similar vegetation, temperature, or other environmental characteristics |
| 15. adaptation |
the ability of an organism to change in response to its environmental surroundings in order to survive |
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