Climate and Biomes

4. The part of a body of water where no sunlight penetrates
9. Microscopic organisms that float in water and are a key part of aquatic food chains.
10. A small area with slightly different climate conditions from the surrounding region.
11. Where a freshwater river meets the saltwater sea, rich in nutrients.
12. Permanently frozen layer of soil found in polar regions.
14. A measure of how hot or cold something is.
15. The long-term pattern of weather in a particular area.
17. Water that falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
18. The yearly cycle of temperature and weather changes caused by Earth’s axial tilt.
20. A process where deep, nutrient-rich water rises to the ocean surface.

1. A cold forest biome dominated by coniferous trees.
2. The short-term conditions of the atmosphere, such as rain, sunshine, or wind.
3. An imaginary line around the Earth equally distant from the poles, receiving direct sunlight.
5. The process by which green plants use sunlight to make food.
6. A large natural area with specific climate, plants, and animals.
7. The layer of gases that surrounds the Earth.
8. The effect where gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, keeping the planet warm.
13. A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.
16. Half of the Earth, usually divided into northern and southern by the equator.
19. RADIATION Energy from the sun that reaches Earth as light and heat.