a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life

covers about one-fifth of Earth's surface; can either be sandy, gravelly, or stony; extremely dry area of land with sparse vegetation

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

can be described as a tall, dense jungle; high amount of rainfall it gets per year; is very hot and humid so the animals and plants that exist there must learn to adapt to this climate

shows how each living thing gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature

the natural science that studies life and living organisms

also known as the ecosphere, is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems

organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms

the organisms that eat the producers and are herbivores

a collection of plants and animals that have common characteristics for the environment they exist in

organisms that eat primary consumers for energy; can either be carnivores or omnivores

environments with high levels of dissolved salt; includes the open ocean, the deep-sea ocean, and coastal ecosystem