Vocabulary
biodiversity The number of species of plants, animals and other organisms within a par-
ticular habitat.
biome The living organisms that are found within a climate zone that make that zone
distinct, such as rainforests, arid deserts, tundra, and ice caps.
chaparral Scrubby woody plants and widely scattered trees typical of the Mediterranean
climate.
desert Areas receiving very little precipitation, less than 25 cm (10”) per year; found in
arid climates; plants are infrequent.
Douglas fir Aconiferous, evergreentreefoundinenormousforestsinwesternNorthAmer-
ica.
ice cap Permanent ice that is found mostly around Greenland and Antarctica.
permafrost Permanently frozen ground that is found in the polar regions, where temper-
atures do not rise above freezing most months.
rainforest Thetropicalwetbiomewheretemperaturesarewarmandrainfallsnearlyevery
day.
savanna The tropical wet and dry biome, typified by grasses and widely scattered decid-
uous trees.
steppe The biome found in semi-arid deserts, typified by bunch grasses, scattered low
bushes and sagebrush.
taiga Vast, boreal forests of small, more widely spaced trees that are typicalof the subpolar
climate.
tundra Thetreelessareaofthearcticwithverycold, harshwinters. Theonlypolarclimate
that contains living organisms.