Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Forest Ecology > Global Forest Biomes > Flashcards

Global Forest Biomes Flashcards

1
Q

major forest biomes globally
distinguishing features of biomes
latitudinal gradients
biome composition and diversity
seasonality

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How many global terrestrial biomes are there?

A

14

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How many of the terrestrial biomes are forested?

A

8

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What defines a biome?

A

geography and biota

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What shapes a terrestrial biome?

A

climate and conditions (temperature, moisture, nutrients, nutrient cycling)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How many ecoregions are the biomes subdivided into?

A

867

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

T or F: biomes and ecoregions have distinct and clear boundaries

A

false! it’s usually more of a continuum/gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are 3 examples of non-forested biomes?

A

grassland
tundra
deserts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What 3 biome types can forests be found in?

A

boreal
temperate
tropical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the 2 major factors that influence and shape major vegetation communities and forest types globally?

A

mean annual temperature and precipitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What 4 factors influence the climate in a region?

A

latitude
elevation
continentality (coastal v interior)
ocean currents (moderate rainfall)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

On a local scale, what influences biomes?

A

geography
geology (parent rock)
soils
location (continentality, elevation, aspect)
historical disturbances (ex. glaciation, volcanoes, floods, fire, disease, forestry, urban development, climate change)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the global distribution of the MAT

A

a gradient from the equator, the warmest being at and around the equator and cools with increasing latitude toward the poles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe the global distribution of the MAP

A

generally more near the equator but seasonality exists and
generally more along coast lines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are Whittaker’s 8 biomes?

A

TR = tropical rain forests
TD = tropical dry forests
AR = arid lands
ME = Mediterranean type
TG = temperate grasslands
TB = temperate broadleaf forests
CF = coniferous forests
AA = Arctic and Alpine (includes TU tundra and AL alpine)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

When looking at Whittaker’s biome diagram, which biome has highest MAT + MAP?

A

Tropical rainforests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How does latitude influence climate?

A

the distance from the equator creates gradients of abiotic and biotic conditions (temp + ppt) and creates seasonality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How does elevation influence climate?

A

increasing altitude from sea level creates changes in growing conditions and what biota can grow

temperature and seasonality can differ greatly at different altitudes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How does continentality influence climate?

A

coastal vs inland temperatures and precipitation levels can vary greatly

ex. wet, moderate (little variation) in BC coastal forests vs. dry hot and very cold seasonality in south Okanagan

mountain rainshadows play a large role in this

generally, inland regions have more variability and coasts are more moderate

20
Q

How does ocean currents and temperature influence climate?

A

ocean currents moderate global weather patterns including ppt and temperature (Gulf Stream)

and can have a variable effect on weather depending on the El Nino or La Nina cycle

21
Q

What major components of a biome do precipitation and temperature act on?

A

composition
productivity
biodiversity

22
Q

What determines a forest type and extent of the forest?

A

seasonality of temperature and precipitation

23
Q

generally, how is species richness distributed globally?

A

a higher richness at equator with a decreasing gradients towards the poles

24
Q

Which biome is the most variable in terms of climate?

A

alpine

25
Q

where does the Tundra biome exist? what type of vegetation is here?

A

above 70d N

very limited vegetation due to very short growing season and poor soils and slow decomposition rates = low productivity

26
Q

What type of plant families are found in the Tundra?

A

Ericaceae, Vacciniaceae, Cyperaceae, some trees

27
Q

What 2 distinct regions are included in coniferous forests?

A

Temperate coniferous and Boreal

28
Q

Where do coniferous forests exist?

A

50-70d N

29
Q

Which ecosystem types do coniferous forests border on?

A

tundrat at northern edge
temperate grasslands at southern edge

30
Q

how much seasonality do coniferous forests experience?

A

temperate = moderate
Boreal = lots of seasonality in temperature

31
Q

Why does the Boreal forest have lower biodiversity than the temperate coniferous?

A

Boreal forests may have peat formations (saturated soils) with low decomposition rates or frozen soils (permafrost)

32
Q

Which major factor is limiting in coniferous forests?

A

temperature

33
Q

What tree species are found in temperate broadleaf forests?

A

deciduous and some coniferous

34
Q

Which major factor is limiting in T broadleaf forests?

A

temperature

35
Q

Where do TBLFs exist?

A

40-50 d N and S

36
Q

How is plant biodiversity related to latitude? explain why

A

plant biodiversity decreases with increasing latitude

latitudes away from the equator experience more seasonality and lower MAT and variations in precipitation = all these contribute to lower productivity

37
Q

How does animal biodiversity change with latitude? explain

A

richness and endemism decreases with increasing latitude

for the same reason as plants, if there’s lower PP then the region can’t support as much diversity in higher trophic levels

38
Q

How does fungal biodiversity vary with latitude? explain

A

less studied, but appears to be influenced by ecological function and host species and different roles have different patterns of diversity

39
Q

Temperate vs tropical biomes: where would you expect to find more ectomycorrhizal fungi? why?

A

temperate because ectomycorrhizal fungi have associations with tree roots, and most commonly, conifers and temperate forests have higher diversity of conifers than tropical

40
Q

Temperate vs tropical biomes: where would you expect to find more endophytic fungi? why?

A

tropical because endophytic fungi have associations WITHIN plant tissues and tropical biomes have higher density and diversity of plants

41
Q

Temperate vs tropical biomes: where would you expect to find more saprophytic/decomposer fungi? why?

A

tropical because decomposition rates in tropical&raquo_space;> temperate = for climatic reasons (warm, wet)

42
Q

Temperate vs tropical biomes: where would you expect to find more fungi from indoor air environments? why?

A

temperate = less clear why - maybe we spend more time inside because of colder climate?

43
Q

Define NPP

A

net primary productivity is the amount of carbon fixed from atmospheric CO2 (via photosynthesis) by plants minus the amount of carbon released by plants through respiration

NPP = photosynthesis - plant respiration

44
Q

Describe the global trends of NPP

A

Higher rates of NPP around the equator and decreasing gradient with latitude

45
Q

Which biome has the highest estimated NPP? lowest?

A

highest = tropical evergreen forests
lowest = desert/shrublands

46
Q

How does the seasonal variation in NPP in north temperate and boreal forests compare to that of tropical evergreen forests?

A

Temperate and boreal forests have peaks of NPP in northern hemisphere summers (April-August)

tropical evergreen forests are relatively stable and then have dips in southern winters (April-August)

47
Q

What two major factors have an effect on the NPP of a system?

A

latitude and seasonality

Forest Ecology (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions