Ecosystems

3. a complex web of interconnected ecosystems.
5. regions of Earth surrounding the Equator.
9. a tree or shrub) shedding its leaves annually.
12. any kind of water that falls from clouds.
14. small, one-celled organisms that can be found in all natural environments.
15. a grassland with scattered trees. They are also called tropical grasslands.
16. area of land found in the cold, northern parts of the world characterized by the absence of trees,
17. any plant or other living thing.
18. chemical elements stored in both the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
19. depend on two key things: the one-way movement of energy and the cyclic movement of nutrients.
20. a region of Earth that has a certain climate and certain types of living things.

1. the process by which green plants transform light energy into chemical energy.
2. organisms that live mainly in the water and make their food through photosynthesis.
3. the sphere of life that extends from the depths of the ocean all the way up to 8 kms above Earth.
4. scientist that studies the relationships between living things and their environment.
6. number of different plants & animals in an ecosystem.
7. The top layer of branches and leaves.
8. bacteria are capable of converting light energy (from the sun) into chemical energy.
10. absorb the Sun's energy during photosynthesis.
11. distance from the equator.
13. communities of living organisms in an area interacting with their environment.
14. region of the earth just south of the Arctic.