Biome
Regions of similar climate and dominant plant types (i.e. a type of ecosystem).
Climax community
A community composed of species that represents the final stage of colonization of a habitat.
Climograph
A graphical representation of basic climatic parameters (e.g. monthly average temperature and precipitation) at a certain location.
Desert
A dry ecosystem characterised by little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation.
Ecological succession
describes the process by which a sequence of increasingly complex communities develop over time.
Food conversion ratio
is a measure of an animal's efficiency in converting feed mass into the mass of desired output.
Food web
A diagram showing feeding relationships of organisms within an ecosystem or community. It consists of multiple interlinked food chains.
Gersmehl diagrams
Diagrams showing the inter-relationships between nutrient stores and flows in an ecosystem.
Gross production
The amount of organic matter (biomass) produced by plants, expressed as energy per unit area per unit time period.
Net production
The amount of organic matter produced by plants minus what is needed for plant respiration, expressed as energy per unit area per unit time period.
Primary succession
Ecological succession on entirely new land without any established soil (due events such as s volcanic eruptions or glacier retreat).
Secondary succession
Occurs when succession starts on existing soil following a natural or artificial disturbance.
Taiga
Moist subartic forest ecosystem dominated by conifer trees.
Tropical rainforest
A forest ecosystem with high rate of precipitation and high humidity, usually located near the equator.