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climax community a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time limiting factor any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms. primary succession the colonization of barren land by pioneer organisms secondary succession sequence of changes that take place after a community is disrupted by natural disasters or human actions. succession orderly, natural changes, and species replacements that take place in ecosystem communities over time. tolerance the ability of an organism to withstand fluctuations in biotic and abiotic environmental factors aphotic zone deeper water that never receives sunlight biome group of ecosystems with the same climax communities desert arid region with sparse to almost nonexistent plant life estuary A coastal body of water, partially surrounded by land, in which freshwater and saltwater mix grassland biome composed of large communities covered with rich soil, grasses, and similar small plants intertidal zone the portion of the shoreline that lies between the high and low tide lines photic zone Portion of the marine biome that is shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate. plankton small organisms that drift and float in the waters of the photic zone taiga biome just south of the tundra; characterized by a northern coniferous forest composed of pine, fir, hemlock, and spruce tree and acidic, mineral-poor topsoils temperate/deciduous forest biome composed of forests of broad-leaved hardwood trees that lose their foliage annually tropical rain forest biome near the equator with warm temperatures, wet weather, and lush plant growth tundra Biome that surrounds the north and south poles; treeless land with long summer days and short periods of winter sunlight, beneath the topsoil is a layer of permafrost.