Key Words Unit 3 Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is a biome?
A biome is an area with a distinctive climate and vegetation.
What characterizes chaparral?
Chaparral is a type of woodland characterized by dry soil, warm weather, and short, hardy shrubs. It receives between 10 and 17 inches of rainfall a year.
What are the temperature conditions in chaparral?
Winter temperatures rarely get below freezing, while summer temperatures are much warmer.
Describe the tropical forest biome.
A tropical forest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long, known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers.
How much rainfall does a tropical forest receive?
A typical year sees 2,000-10,000mm of rain per year.
What are the average daily temperatures in a tropical forest?
The average daily temperatures range from 20°C to 25°C.
What defines a desert biome?
Deserts usually get at most 50cm of rainfall a year, and the organisms that live there are adapted to an extremely dry climate.
What is a savanna?
A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome.
What are the seasonal characteristics of a savanna?
Savannas have warm temperatures year-round with a very long dry season and a very wet season. During the dry season, only about 4 inches of rain falls.
What are the altitude and temperature conditions in mountainous regions?
Mountains usually lie between an altitude of about 3,000m and the snow line. In summer, average temperatures range from 4.5 to 15.5°C, while in winter, temperatures are well below freezing.
What are the temperature and rainfall characteristics of temperate forests?
Temperatures vary from -30°C to 30°C, with rainfall (75-150 cm) distributed evenly throughout the year. The soil is fertile.
What is the canopy like in temperate forests?
The canopy is moderately dense and allows light to penetrate, resulting in well-developed understory vegetation.
Describe grasslands.
Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass.
What are the temperature and rainfall conditions in grasslands?
Average temperatures are about -20°C to 30°C, with grasslands receiving around 500-900mm of rain per year.
