Lecture 19 - Chapter 23: Terrestrial Biomes

Question 1

What is biogeography?

Answer 1

the study of organisms spatial distribution with the goal of examining how these distribution patterns came to be

Question 2

What are biomes?

Answer 2

large, distinct terrestrial region with similar climate, soils, plants, and animals - regardless of where it occurs in the world

Question 3

What two factors specifically determine the distribution of biomes?

Answer 3

Temperature
Precipitation

Question 4

What are life forms?

Answer 4

Trees, shrubs, and grasses

Question 5

List the 9 predominant biomes

Answer 5

1. tropical rain forest
2. tropical savanna
3. temperate grassland
4. desert
5. chaparral
6. temperate deciduous forest
7. temperate rain forest
8. boreal forest
9. tundra

Question 6

How do the life forms move?

Answer 6

across a moisture gradient

Question 7

Define deciduous leaves

Answer 7

• die every season
• an adaptation to survive cold winters or dry seasons - strong presence of strong seasonality
• can be broadleaf (most common) or needleleaf

Question 8

Define Evergreen leaves

Answer 8

• retained year round
• two types of leaves:
  1. broadleaf - found in regions with year-round growing seasons
  2. Needleleaf - found in regions with short growing seasons (higher latitude) & often where soils are nutrient poor

Question 9

In terms of moisture describe where a tropical rain forest would fall:

Answer 9

warm, wet, and no seasonality

Question 10

In terms of moisture describe where a tropical savanna would fall:

Answer 10

warm, wet, dry seasons

Question 11

In terms of moisture, describe where a desert would fall:

Answer 11

Arid (dry) conditions year round

Question 12

In terms of latitude & moisture, describe where a tropical rain forest would fall:

Answer 12

-low latitude (equator) - warm tropics
-wettest at of all 9 biomes
- evergreen broadleaf trees found here

Question 13

What biomes would fall under mid-latitude, cooler, and seasonal areas ?

Answer 13

1. temperate forest
2. temperate rainforest
3. temperate grass land
4. chaparral

Question 14

What biomes would fall under high latitude, cold, and short growing season?

Answer 14

1. Boreal forest
2. tundra

Question 15

What is the smallest biome?

Answer 15

Chaparral - Mediterranean area

Question 16

List the characteristics of a Tropical Rain Forest

Answer 16

1. tree dominated
2. hot all year round - 64.4F average
3. rainy season - at least 60mm(2 inches) rain/month
4. Fast decomposition
5. Deep soils
6. High NPP
7. High diversity with a complex forest structural complexity

Question 17

What is NPP?

Question 18

What vegetation is in a tropical rain forest?

Answer 18

Trees
vines
palms
orchids
herbs
shrubs
mosses

Question 19

What animals live in a tropical rain forest?

Answer 19

Monkeys, sloths, jaguars, frogs, birds, ocelots

Question 20

List the characteristics of the Tropical Savanna

Answer 20

1. Periodic fires (lightning strikes)
2. adopted to frequent fires
3. low rainfall, highly seasonal
4. nutrient poor-soils
5. Low NPP
6. High temperatures 64.4F

Question 21

What vegetation is in a tropical savanna?

Answer 21

1. grasses
2. trees
3. shrubs

Question 22

List the animals in a tropical savanna

Answer 22

1. Grazers
2. zebras
3. elephants
4. wildebeest
5. lions

Question 23

List the characteristics of Temperate Grasslands

Answer 23

1. grass - dominated
2. hot summers - cold winters
3. rich soils with lots of organic material
4. fairly high NPP
5. Periodic fires (adapted to this)

Question 24

List the vegetation in Temperate grasslands

Answer 24

1. grasses
2. wildflowers
3. occasional deciduous shrubs

Question 25

List the animals in a temperate grasslands

Answer 25

bison, foxes, prairie dogs, wolves, birds

Question 26

List the characteristics of the Desert

Answer 26

1. Hot and dry but gets cold at night 2. cool, dry deserts do exist 3. poor soils, low NPP 4. sparse plant cover, exposed soils 5. drought evasion or resistance is critical for survival

Question 27

List the vegetation in the Desert

Answer 27

1. cactus, yucca, sagebrush 2. trees & shrubs with thick stems and/or deep roots

Question 28

List the animals in the desert

Answer 28

snakes, birds, rodents, spiders scorpions

Question 29

List the characteristics of Chaparral (temperature shrublands)

Answer 29

1. Mediterranean climate - mild and moist winter - dry and hot summer 2. small evergreen - shrubs and trees 3. thin and not very nutrient soils, low NPP 4. fires

Question 30

list the vegetation in Chaparral

Answer 30

fire and drought adapted trees & shrubs - oaks, pines, sagebrush sclerophyllous leaves

Question 31

What does sclerophyllous mean?

Answer 31

leaves that are adapted to long periods of dryness and heat

Question 32

list the animals of Chaparral

Answer 32

mule deer coyote, birds, rodents

Question 33

List the characteristics of Temperate deciduous forest

Answer 33

1. mostly deciduous broadleaf trees, some evergreen needleleaf trees 2. hot summers, cold winters, moderately wet 3. deep, rich soils, relatively high NPP 4. fairly complex forest

Question 34

List the vegetation in Temperate deciduous forest

Answer 34

1. deciduous trees like oak, maple, beech 2. conifers (pine and hemlock) 3. dense understory - shrubs and herbs

Question 35

List the animals in the Temperate Deciduous Forest

Answer 35

deer, bears, foxes, squirrels, insects, amphibians

Question 36

List the characteristics in the Temperate rain forest

Answer 36

1. evergreen, needleleaf trees 2. high precipitation, dense fog 3. cool temperature 4. mild winters 5. fairly nutrient-rich soils, high NPP

Question 37

list the vegetation in Temperate rain forest

Answer 37

1. mostly coniferous trees like hemlock, cedar, fir, mosses, lichens, and ferns

Question 38

List the animals in temperature rain forest

Answer 38

elk, deer, amphibians, owl, reptiles

Question 39

List the characteristics of Boreal Forest

Answer 39

1. evergreen, needleleaf trees dominant 2. long, cold winters, short summers 3. fairly dry, permafrost often present 4. poor soils, slow decomposition (cold), low NPP 5. Fire is common

Question 40

What is permafrost? and where it is found?

Answer 40

A wet active layer 1. Boreal forest 2. Tundra

Question 41

List the vegetation in Boreal forest

Answer 41

1. mostly coniferous trees (pine, fir, spruce) 2. little understory vegetation (very dark) 3. fire adapted trees

Question 42

List the animals in Boreal forest

Answer 42

1. bears, moose, caribou, wolves, rabbits, squirrels, owls

Question 43

List the animals in the Tunda

Answer 43

weasels artic foxes snowshoe fares polar birds insects

Question 44

List the vegetation in the tundra

Answer 44

mosses, lichens, grasses, sedges, dwarf shrubs

Question 45

List the characteristics in Tundra

Answer 45

1. northern latitudes 2. no trees 3. permafrost 4. little precipitation 5. short growing season 6. soils rich in organic matter, wet active layer, low NPP (cold)