Different biomes, lecture 32

Question 1

Types of tropical forests

3

Answer 1

tropical rainforest
subtropical forest
monsoon forest

Question 2

Why are there several types of forest in the tropics?

Answer 2

varying climate

Question 3

Effects of varying climate on types of forest biomes in the tropics

Answer 3

seasonality

diversity - species and structure

Question 4

Climatic aspects of tropical rainforest

Answer 4

high and constant temp. and humidity

Question 5

Seasonality of tropical rainforest

Answer 5

not very seasonal
so
dry and wet season - last roughly 6 months each

Question 6

Flora characteristics of tropical rainforest

Answer 6

• tall tress with buttress bases
• 2 understory levels typically smaller trees
• shrub and herb layers not well developed
• epiphytes and lianas (vines) are common and climb trees for light access
• high tree species diversity

Question 7

In a tropical forest biome are plants evergreen or deciduous?
how does this affect leaf loss

Answer 7

nearly all are evergreen,

therefore leaf loss is at irregular intervals and not connected to climatic fluctuations

Question 8

Subtropical forest biome

Answer 8

Humid tropical areas characterised by a moderate difference between summer and winter.

Question 9

Seasonality in subtropical forest biome

Answer 9

a wet-dry type rather than hot-cold type

Question 10

Subtropical forest biome distribution

Answer 10

outside the equatorial zone but are within or border the tropical zone

Question 11

Stratification of sub tropical forest compared rainforests

Answer 11

simpler stratification in subtropical, only one understory layer

Question 12

In a subtropical forest biome are plants evergreen or deciduous?
how does this affect leaf loss

Answer 12

plants tend to be evergreen,
but
may lose their leaves during dry season

Question 13

Monsoon forest biome

Answer 13

Occurs in regions in the tropics, whose total annual rainfall is high (higher than tropical forest)

Question 14

Seasonality in monsoon forest biome

Answer 14

pronounced wet and dry periods,

inc. the monsoon

Question 15

Stratification of monsoon forests

Answer 15

simple,

single understory tree layer

Question 16

In a monsoon forest biome are plants evergreen or deciduous?

Answer 16

canopy is deciduous

understory is evergreen

Question 17

Temperate rainforest

Answer 17

Located between the poles and the tropics, in the temperate region, the coldest of the rainforests.

Question 18

Seasonality of the temperate rainforest biome

Answer 18

definite seasonality in temp. and rainfall

Question 19

Rainfall in temperate rainforest biome

Answer 19

high rainfall but very heavy fog which is possibly a more important water source for vegetation

Question 20

Species diversity of temperate rainforests

Answer 20

lower than other rainforests but higher than other temperate forests

Question 21

Temperate rainforest biome canopies

Answer 21

canopies include tallest trees in the world such as the sequoia family (giant redwoods)

Question 22

Tropical savanna

Answer 22

intermediate between forest and grassland found in the tropics

Question 23

Rainfall in the tropical savanna

Answer 23

very non-uniform

Question 24

Vegetation/ fauna in the tropical savanna

Answer 24

• small trees are present but sparsely distributed, no continuous canopy
• Grasses are most common plants and may reach 2m

Question 25

Some tropical savanna's have the same climatic regimes as forests, why are savanna's found?

Answer 25

- Fire and grazing of animals is widespread | - This gives grasses competitive advantage over tree species and maintains the savanna biome

Question 26

Deserts (desert shrub)

Answer 26

Desert biomes exist in the driest environments

Question 27

Desert biome climate

Answer 27

- temperature range across different deserts from very hot to very cold - dry

Question 28

Desert biome vegetation

Answer 28

- Shrubs and cacti, well adapted to conserving water | - Rapidly growing annuals, entire life cycle on water from one rainy spell

Question 29

Variety in the desert biome

Answer 29

great variety as found in both subtropical areas and arctic

Question 30

Mediterranean woodland and shrubland | climate

Answer 30

warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters

Question 31

Where is the Mediterranean woodland and shrubland found

Answer 31

Europe, California, Australasia

Question 32

Vegetation/ flora in the Mediterranean woodland and shrubland

Answer 32

- Low evergreen trees/ tall shrubs (3-4m high) with small hard needles or slightly broader leaves - Matorral (chaparral, maquis) results form degradation of evergreen woodland

Question 33

Species diversity in the Mediterranean woodland and shrubland biome

Answer 33

Species diversity lower than temperate deciduous forest and higher than dryer grassland

Question 34

What is an important factor in the Mediterranean woodland and shrubland biome

Answer 34

fire

Question 35

How are plants adapted to fire in the Mediterranean woodland and shrubland biome

Answer 35

regeneration

Question 36

Temperate grasslands seasonality

Answer 36

Seasonality is pronounced for temperature and rainfall, rainfall concentrated in summer

Question 37

Temperate grasslands stratification and species diversity

Answer 37

Stratification reduced to single story, but species diversity may be high as a deciduous forest

Question 38

Vegetation/ flora in temperate grasslands

Answer 38

- Trees form ‘gallery forests’ - strip close to stream - Two basic groups of grasses: Moister areas - tall grasses over 1m Drier regions - short grasses <1m

Question 39

How are the grasses in temperate grassland maintained?

Answer 39

grazing

Question 40

Seasonality and rainfall in the temperate deciduous forest biome

Answer 40

Seasonality is extremely well marked, hot-cold type Precipitation can be uniform throughout the year

Question 41

Stratification in the temperate deciduous forest biome

Answer 41

Tree canopy is diverse but dominated by two or three species Understory tree layer patchy but quite well developed

Question 42

Flora other than trees in the temperate deciduous forest

Answer 42

- Shrubs are common and species diverse - Often two separate herb assemblage: Spring flowers, bloom before trees come into leaf and gone by summer Plants adapted to low light levels of forest floor and last until autumn

Question 43

Boreal coniferous forest

Answer 43

Found only in the northern hemisphere, a forest made up of coniferous trees

Question 44

Climate for the boreal coniferous forest

Answer 44

Cold regions with high rainfall and strongly seasonal climates - long winters, fairly short summers

Question 45

Species diversity for the boreal coniferous forest

Answer 45

low (as not many species can survive) and pure stands of trees and shrubs common

Question 46

Stratification in the boreal coniferous forest

Answer 46

Understory tree uncommon, but the shrubs layer rich and mosses and lichens

Question 47

Productivity and resilience of the boreal coniferous forest

Answer 47

- Productivity and community stability lower than in any other forest biome - Sensitive to pests, low resilience of the systems a result of climate

Question 48

Tundra

Answer 48

The coldest biome which mostly found north of the arctic circle (arctic tundra) or above where trees grow in the mountainous regions (alpine tundra)

Question 49

Tundra soil

Answer 49

Very cold ecosystems - water permanently frozen in subsoil - permafrost

Question 50

Flora in the tundra

Answer 50

Plant adapted to very short growing season and extreme cold Trees are absent except near rivers Where permafrost melted deeply: scrub and heath Mostly just a herb layer, grasses and sedges Lichens cover exposed rocks

Question 51

Species diversity and vulnerability in the tundra

Answer 51

Diversity is very low, as are growth rates, thus community is extremely vulnerable/ fragile

Question 52

Aquatic biomes are less subject to .. than terrestrial biomes

Answer 52

climate

Question 53

Freshwater aquatic biomes classified by

Answer 53

(<1% salt concentration) Rivers Lakes Estuaries

Question 54

Marine biomes classified by

Answer 54

(>1% salt concentration) Difference in depth and light availability: - Intertidal zones - Coral reefs - Oceanic pelagic - Abyssal zones (no light)

Question 55

Marine biome covers how much of the Earth's surface

Answer 55

75%