Biogeog Lecture 1, 2 & 3

Question 1

Out of the estimated 5-50 million species of plants, animals and microbes on the earth, how many have been described by scientists?

Answer 1

less than 2 million

Question 2

Estimates of total biodiversity is uncertain because?

Answer 2

1. Very few experts
2. Difficulty in defining what exactly a specie is

Question 3

…… refers to all variety of organisms.

Answer 3

biodiversity

Question 4

Which two concepts place the discipline in a geographical context?

Answer 4

Temporal and spatial

Question 5

What is biogeography?

Answer 5

It is the study of geographic distribution of plants and animals both living and fossil as a result of ecological and evolutionary processes.

Question 6

Biogeography applies knowledge from several fields of study to explain its subject matter. What does this mean?

Answer 6

it is a synthetic science

Question 7

Plant biogeography is also called?

Answer 7

phytogeography

Question 8

Animal biogeography is also called ….

Answer 8

zoogeography

Question 9

What’s the third systematic of geography that have been mentioned ?

Answer 9

Microbial biogeography

Question 10

Scientists studying ancient ecosystems and their interactions organisms and their environment in the past is called ?

Answer 10

paleoecology

Question 11

Why study biogeography?

Answer 11

To understand differences in spatial distribution of life and to provide logical explanations

Question 12

A group of species is

Answer 12

taxa

Question 13

Between plant and animal biogeography, which has gained more attention and is studies more by scientists ?

Answer 13

plant biogeography

Question 14

…………… states rage the survival of an organism is determined by it’s required environmental factor which occurs in minimum quantity.

Answer 14

Liebig’s law of minimum

Question 15

………….. states that there are limits of a required environmental factor for each organism.

Answer 15

Shelford’s law of tolerance

Question 16

Importance of light to organisms is swab in the context of ….

Answer 16

quality, intensity and duration

Question 17

Which portion of the solar spectrum is useful for photosynthesis?

Answer 17

the visible light portion

Question 18

On the basis of light intensity requirements, plants fall into two broad categories. what are they?

Answer 18

Heliophytes and Sciophytes

Question 19

Sun-loving plants are …..

Answer 19

Heliophytes

Question 20

Shade-loving plants are …..

Answer 20

Sciophytes

Question 21

Most plants like fungi and algae are ….

Answer 21

Sciophytic

Question 22

Most trees, grasses and herbaceous weeds are

Answer 22

Heliophytic

Question 23

The response of plants to duration of daylight is

Answer 23

photoperiodism

Question 24

Sugar cane is a …… plant.

Answer 24

Short day

Question 25

Lettuce, wheat and potato are ……. plants.

Answer 25

Long day

Question 26

Tomato is a ……

Answer 26

Day-neutral plant

Question 27

Plants growing permanently in freshwater environments are called ?

Answer 27

hydrophytes

Question 28

Plants growing in saline environments as salt mashes are?

Answer 28

Halophytes

Question 29

Plants adapted to arid conditions are

Answer 29

xerophytes

Question 30

Plants tolerant to moderate conditions between environmental extremes are …

Answer 30

mesophytes

Question 31

For every 10 degree celsius increase in temperature, rate of chemical reaction ….

Answer 31

decreases

Question 32

Most life in the biosphere functions within the temperature range of ….

Answer 32

0 and 50 degree celsius

Question 33

Individual species have minimum, maximum and optimum temperature requirements for their metabolic activities is called ?

Answer 33

cardinal temperatures

Question 34

What are the four basic provisions plants require from the soil on which they grow?

Answer 34

1. Soil air 2. Soil nutrient 3. Anchors roots firmly 4. Holds water in pore spaces

Question 35

Effects of topography on plants growth and development can be seen in two respects, name them.

Answer 35

The aspect or slope orientation and steepness or slope angle

Question 36

The aspect of a plant is

Answer 36

important in determining the amount of solar energy and heat received at the surface.

Question 37

The altitudinal zonation of vegetation types is called

Answer 37

Catena

Question 38

Some plants relying on larger plants for support not for food is ….

Answer 38

Epiphytism