Terrestrial Biomes

Terms:
biome, physiognomy, neotropics, mycorrhiza fungi, buttress roots, lianas, parallel evolution, temperate rain forest, nurse trees, stilt roots, true, semi-, and extreme deserts, Mohave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin Deserts, Atacama Desert

Atacama desert: A barren coastal desert in northern Chile and Peru that receives zero rainfall per year as a result of rainshadow effect from the Andes and cold ocean currents offshore..

biome: A widespread ecological region characterized by similar plant communities and climate.

buttress roots: A root morphology, typical in tropical forests, that has buttresses on the sides of the trunk to increase the structural support of shallow-rooted trees.

Chihuahuan desert: A desert ecosystem in southern New Mexico and Texas characterized by creosote bush and primarily summer precipitation of 15-20 cm per year.

extreme desert: A desert ecosystem characterized by < 7 cm of rain per year.

Great Basin Desert: A high-elevation, cold desert in Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho characterized by sagebrush and an annual precipitation of 15-20 cm.

lianas: Rooted vines that grow up trunks of trees and hang off limbs to reach light in the upper canopy.

Mohave desert: A desert ecosystem in southern California and Nevada characterized by Joshua trees and primarily winter precipitation of 5-12 cm per year.

mycorrhizae fungi:  Fungi found on roots, especially in tropical plants, that have thousands of tiny root hairs, or hyphae, that increase the surface area and absorptive capabilities of the roots to obtain limited nutrients in the soil.

neotropics: Tropical communities in the New World, or Central and South America.

nurse trees: A dead tree that supports growth of new vegetation from the nutrients stored within it.

parallel evolution: The development, through natural selection, of similar characteristics (morphology, behavior) in two unrelated species subjected to similar environmental conditions.

patch dynamics: Naturally disturbed areas within communities that support species undergoing succession that are not found in undisturbed sections of that community and add to the overall diversity of the system.

physiognomy: The overall appearance of a biome or community based on its dominant vegetation--includes the average height, density, and shape of the vegetation.

semi-desert: A desert ecosystem characterized by up to 40 cm of rain per year.

Sonoran desert:  The hottest, lowest desert in North America typified by saguaro cactus and winter and summer rainfall pattern of < 18 cm per year.

stilt roots: A root morphology in trees that extends the roots above the ground, especially in low-lying areas where flooding is common.

temperate rain forest: A high-latitude forest with mild climates, but with high annual rainfall that causes lush growth.

true desert: A desert ecosystem characterized by < 12 cm of rain per year.