Biogeography and Macroecology

Question 1

Biogeography

Answer 1

the distribution of various species and ecosystems geologically and throughout geological time and space (which species are found where and when and how it is affected dby geology)

Question 2

macroecology

Answer 2

Distangles local and regional drivers of ecological entities or processes by exploring how these entities vary at a large scale (focuses on how local factors differ)

Question 3

global scale drivers of vegetation structure and composition

Answer 3

climate (temp, precipitation, seasonality)
soil parent matter
biogeography (major evolutionary events and species movements)

Question 4

Tropical forest

Answer 4

temp - 18-20 C
precipitation - 2m
rapid nutrient cycling
high diversity and complex canopy structure

Question 5

savannah

Answer 5

co-dominant trees and grasses
fire disturbance common
ectonal biome between grassland and forest
generally support large ungulate herbivores

Question 6

Grasslands

Answer 6

temperate region biome
precipitation- 250-1000mm
dominated by grass family

Question 7

how are grasslands typically maintained?

Answer 7

fire
grazing
periodic drought
human activity

Question 8

Desert

Answer 8

lack of moisture
hot, cool, and artic deserts

Question 9

Desert stress tolerance

Answer 9

avoidance (grow only in good conditions)
resistance (traits to maximize water capture/storage and to minimize water use)

Question 10

Mediterranean Shrubland

Answer 10

dominated by short woody plants
hot dry summer and cool wet winter
fire resistant traits common because fire is common in summer

Question 11

temperate forest

Answer 11

mid-latitude forests with mean annual temp of 3 C
deciduous and coniferous types

Question 12

boreal forest

Answer 12

high latitude forests
temp - 3 C
conifer dominated
underlainwith permafrost

Question 13

world’s largest biome by area

Answer 13

boreal forest

Question 14

the _______________ is a critical global carbon sink

Answer 14

boreal forest

Question 15

Tundra

Answer 15

arctic-alpine ecosystems
temp- -5 C
underlaid with permafrost
slow decomposition and turnover rate

Question 16

growing season in the tundra

Answer 16

3 months; 6 weeks in high arctic

Question 17

wetlands

Answer 17

transitional zone between terrestrial and aquatic enviroments

Question 18

types of wetlands

Answer 18

marsh
swamp
peatland (bog/fen)

Question 19

marsh

Answer 19

dominated by emergent non-woody vegetation

Question 20

swamp

Answer 20

forested wetland

Question 21

peatland (bog/fen)

Answer 21

wetland with large accumulations of organic material

Question 22

Most important area for storing carbon

Answer 22

peatland

Question 23

Biogeographal events

Answer 23

extinction/speciation
continental drift
continental/global scale disturbance
isolation and connectivity
(basically any event that greatly affect species and where they are)

Question 24

_______ drives presence of annuals.

Answer 24

aridity.

Question 25

Aridity

Answer 25

avaliable water

Question 26

Where are annuals more common?

Answer 26

desert