Editing Biome (section)

==== Key definitions for understanding Whittaker's scheme ====
* [[Physiognomy]]: sometimes referring to the plants' appearance; or the biome's apparent characteristics, outward features, or appearance of ecological communities or species – including plants.
* Biome: a grouping of terrestrial ecosystems on a given continent that is similar in vegetation structure, physiognomy, features of the environment and characteristics of their animal communities.
* [[Formation (vegetation)|Formation]]: a major kind of community of plants on a given continent.
* Biome-type: grouping of convergent biomes or formations of different continents, defined by physiognomy.
* Formation-type: a grouping of convergent formations.

Whittaker's distinction between biome and formation can be simplified: formation is used when applied to [[plant communities]] only, while biome is used when concerned with both plants and animals. Whittaker's convention of biome-type or formation-type is a broader method to categorize similar communities.<ref name="Whittaker1975">{{cite book|last1=Whittaker |first1=Robert H. |title=Communities and Ecosystems |location=New York |publisher=[[MacMillan Publishing]] |date=1975}}</ref> <!---The world biome-types, as displayed on a world map, can be viewed at the following link: [http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/biomemap.html here] (This link is now dead.)--->