14.2.1 Land Biomes: An Overview Flashcards
1
Q
Land Biomes: An Overview
A
• Biomes are correlated to latitude and climate. • A biome is a major ecosystem characterized by a predominant plant community and animals adapted to these plants. • Five of the nine biomes are: · polar and high mountain ice · tundra · taiga · temperate deciduous forests · tropical forests
2
Q
Climate
A
- composed of abiotic factors— predominantly
temperature, precipitation, and wind. Latitude is a measure of distance north or south of the equator that is expressed in degrees. Generally the closer a landmass is to the equator, the warmer it is. - The illustration to the left shows the nine basic biomes of the earth.
3
Q
Antarctica
A
- located about the South Pole, and is covered by an ice cap averaging 1.6 kilometers (one mile) in thickness. There are communities of bacteria associated with polar ice. Along the coastline of Antarctica are aquatic biomes that support a range of organisms that include penguins and fish.
4
Q
Tundra
A
- includes the vast treeless plains of the arctic region. Extremely cold temperatures and permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil) characterize the climate. The predominant vegetation consists of shrubby plants with shallow root systems. Tundra mammals include caribou, musk oxen, arctic hares, wolves, arctic foxes, and occasionally grizzly or polar bears.
5
Q
Taiga
A
- occurs in the mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. No permafrost is present and the regions typically receive heavy snowfall during the winter. Coniferous forests characterize the biome, the trees of which are adapted to reduce water loss by having narrow, tough leaves. Squirrels, beavers, deer, moose, lynxes, bears, chipmunks, snowshoe hares, and numerous species of birds inhabit taiga.
6
Q
Temperate deciduous forest
A
- so-named for the deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves seasonally) that occur there. The soils are rich in microbiota. White-tailed deer, black bear, squirrels, raccoons, and shrews inhabit deciduous forest. Wild turkeys, owls, hawks, woodpeckers, and warblers are also common. Snakes, frogs, and salamanders are present, but lizards are typically not
7
Q
Tropical forests (specifically tropical rain forests)
A
- comprise the most species-rich of the land biomes. The forests occur along the equator. They comprise less than 2% of the earth’s surface yet are home to nearly half of its species. Some attribute the unusually high number of species to the climate. There are only two seasons—wet and dry. Plant growth can occur throughout the year. High amounts of rainfall may
also contribute to the diversity. The forests are structurally complex and the occurrence of trees of many heights forms several layers. This vertical stratification increases the niches available to the fauna that live there. Many species of insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds are found in tropical rain forests
8
Q
True or false?
Even excluding Antarctica, there is much more land mass in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.
A
- false
9
Q
Which statement regarding biomes is true?
A
- There are latitudinal patterns of biome distribution.
10
Q
What are epiphytes?
A
- Epiphytes are plants that grow on top of other plants
11
Q
Which biome is characterized by permafrost?
A
- Tundra
12
Q
Which of the following biomes is best characterized as being vertically stratified?
A
- Tropical Forest
13
Q
Which two characteristics most strongly influence the distribution of biomes?
A
- temperature and rainfall
14
Q
__________________ is composed of abiotic factors predominantly temperature, precipitation and wind.
A
- Climate
15
Q
Moose, owls, hares, squirrels and wolves are typical fauna of which biome?
A
- Taiga
