Ch1

Question 1

Temporal Scale

Answer 1

time

• fine scale = millisecond
• course scale = centuries
• fine and course scale need different methods of study

Question 2

MacArthur Study

Answer 2

Studied Warblers in zones of conifer trees

• predicted species with the same ecological requirements can’t coexist due to competition
• identified warblers have specific feeding areas on trees

Question 3

Schlindler’s Study

Answer 3

Large scale study on eutrophication in lakes

Eutrophication = too much nutrients in aquatic lands due to pollution, causing a lack of O2

Added phosphorus in Lake Erie to stimulate nutrient pollution

Found water quality in phosphorus lakes was poor dur to surplus of algae harming ecosystem

Question 4

Vegetation pollen records

Answer 4

• Pollen near lakes falls into water, becoming trapped in sediment and eventually a historic record
• Large temporal change
• Pollen displays history of vegetation
• As climate changes, plants change geographical distributions and undergo evolutionary adaptations

Question 5

Spatial Pattern Detection

Answer 5

Used to study large marine environments with spectral analysis

Also used on land

Question 6

Effects of tilt of Earth, temperature, and precipitation patterns on Atmospheric circulation

Answer 6

• Earth is unevenly heated due to its tilt, this causes predictable latitudinal/seasonal variation in climate
• The equator is warmest

1. warm air rises
2. cools and condenses
3. cooler, dry air falls back to surface

Question 7

Coriolis Effect

Answer 7

1. Earth’s rotation affects movement of objects across it’s surface
2. Earth turn’s W>E and the equator moves the fastest
3. Northern hemisphere = objects deflected right
   Southern hemisphere = objects deflected left

Deflection is stronger at poles

Question 8

Soil type

Answer 8

Horizon O
- Composed of organic material

Horizon A
- Composed of mineral material (clay, slit, sand) incorporated with organic material
- Burrowing animals
- Lots of nutrients
- Fe, Al, silicates, humus

Horizon B
- Contains clay, slit, humus and other materials transported from A
- Decomposition of material gives B a distinct colour

Horizon C
- Deepest layer
- Weathered plant material from frost/water but less weathered than other soils

Question 9

Microclimates

Answer 9

Dramatic influences on biome distribution

Question 10

Rain shadow effect

Answer 10

Dry microclimate caused by mountain terrain near oceans

• warm/moist air from water loses moisture by the time it reaches the leeward side

Question 11

Why biodiversity is important for soil

Answer 11

1. Carbon nutrients cycle
2. Soil respiration
3. Nutrient transfer
4. Climate change
5. Invasive species

biodiversity = micro/macro fauna, fungi, bacteria, byrophytes

Question 12

Biomes

Answer 12

• Tundra
• Taiga
• Temporal Forest
• Temporal Grassland
• Woodland and Shrubland
• Desert
• Tropical Savanna
• Tropical Dry Forest
• Tropical Rain Forest

Question 13

Tundra

Answer 13

• N of artic circle = 66 degrees
• 200-600mm rain
• Low decomp rates = poor soil

Climate:
Cold and dry with short summers.
Precipitation>Evaporation rate due to low temp
Summers = short and soggy

Soil:
Soil building slow due to slow decomp of organic matter
Surface soils thaw in summer, permafrost layer stays below
Soilification: Annual freezing/thawing on surface soil along with gravity causes slow soil movement in tundra

Biology:
Dominated by herbaceous plants, eaten by reindeer

Human Influence;
Oil, airborn pesticides, Hg accumalation

Question 14

Taiga

Answer 14

• 50-60 degrees latitude
• 200-600mm precip

Climate:
- low evaporation bc long winters

Soil:
- thin and acidic soil = low fertility

Biology:
- dominated by conifers
- trees pollinate via wind

Question 15

Temperate Forests

Answer 15

• 40-50 latitude
• 650-3000mm precip
• fertile soil

Climate:
- temperatures not extreme
- precip mostly in winter
- winter = 3-4 months
- summer dry and drought

Soil:
- fertile
- slow/conservative nutrient movement
neutral/slightly acidic
- rich in organic and inorganic material

Biology:
- high biodiversity
- lots of fungi, bacteria, etc consuming forest floor

Question 16

Temperate Grassland

Answer 16

• 30-50 latitude
• 300-1000m precip
• periodic drought

Climate:
- cold winters hot summers
- periodic drought = prone to fires

Soil:
- lots of organic matter
- fertile
- lots of parent material

Biology:
- fires exclude woody vegetation
- many herbavoura

Question 17

Woodland/Shrubland

Answer 17

• 30-40 latitude
• occurs on all continents

Climate:
- fall/winter/spring = moist
- summer hot and dry
- ideal condition for intense fires due to dense vegetation and dryness

Soil:
- moderate fertility
- erosion can be severe

Biology:
- Diverse and show adaptions to drought
- Trees/shrubs have tough leaves to resist water evaporation
- nitrogen fixing mutualistic microbes
- decomp slows in summer
- fire resistant bark on trees
- herbaceous plants die in summer

Question 18

Desert

Answer 18

• 30 latitude
• waterloss>precip
• low organic material
• animal abundance low, diversity high

Climate:
- waterloss due to evaporation/transpiration by plants exceeds precip
- drought for all months

Soil:
- low fertility
- Lithosols - stone/mineral soil low in organic matter
- salt conditions high in poorly drained valleys = high aridity making it hard for plants to extract water
- Caliche - calcium-carbonate-rich hard pan horizon forms in aged soils

Biology:
- Plants protect photosynthetic surfaces from excessive sunlight w/ hairs
- small or no leaves
- some plants remain dormant until wet periods

Question 19

Tropical Savanna

Answer 19

• 10-20 latitude N and S of tropical dry forest
• Climate = wet/dry
• wildfires from drought

Climate:
- alternates dry and wet seasons
- rain in beginning of wet season
causes lightning = fires
- fires maintain scattered tree landscape

Soil:
- layers w/ low permeability to help savannas persist in wet areas
- Keeps soil waterlogged in wet seasons

Biology:
- lots of activity, particularly in ground level

Question 20

Tropical Dry Forest

Answer 20

• 10-25 latitude
• more seasonal than rainforest
• heavy agriculture due to high soil nutrients and prone to erosion

Climate:
- dry season=6-7 months
- rainfal=5-6 months

Soils:
- tends to be very aged and slightly acidic
- nutrient dense
- vulnerable to erosion due to rain quantity

Biology
- forest height correlated w/ precip rate
- tall trees in wet areas
- plants pollinate w/ fruit and wind

Question 21

Tropical Rain Forest

Answer 21

• 10 latitude
• little temp variation
• 2000-4000mm precip
• organisms add vertical dimensions
• harbor medicine and food

Climate:
- year-round warm temp = 25-27C
- lots of rain

Soil:
- Heavy rains cause soil nutrients
- organic matter low bc or rapid decomp
- soil nutrient poor and acidic

Biology:
- tree domination
- primary production highest of all biomes
- plants rely on micorrhizae

Question 22

Soilification

Answer 22

Annual freezing/thawing on surface soil along with gravity causes slow soil movement in tundra

Question 23

Lithosols

Answer 23

• Lithosols - stone/mineral soil low in organic matter
• in deserts

Question 24

Caliche

Answer 24

• Caliche - calcium-carbonate-rich hard pan horizon forms in aged soils
• in desers

Question 25

Ecozones, ecoregions, ecodistrict

Answer 25

Ecozones (largest) - encompass broad climate zones and species distributions. Ecoregions - divide ecozones into smaller regions with shared climate, soil, and vegetation. Ecodistricts (smallest) - focus on local ecosystems with unique landforms, soils, and habitats.