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ESS > 2.4 - Biomes, Zonation And Succession > Flashcards

2.4 - Biomes, Zonation And Succession Flashcards

1
Q

Define biome

A

Biomes are large-scale ecological communities that are characterised by their dominant vegetation, climate, and other abiotic factors that shape their biotic communities

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2
Q

What are the 5 classes of biomes

A

Aquatic
Forest
Grassland
Desert
Tundra

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3
Q

What is a aquatic biome

A

Aquatic biomes are water-based ecosystems that are divided into freshwater and marine ecosystems, including lakes, rivers, oceans, and coral reefs

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4
Q

What is a forest biome

A

Forest biomes are dominated by trees and are categorised into tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, and boreal forests

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5
Q

What is a grassland biome

A

Grassland biomes are characterised by grasses and herbaceous plants and are categorised into savannas and temperate grasslands

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6
Q

What is a desert biome

A

Desert biomes are characterised by low rainfall and are dominated by cacti and other drought-resistant plants - they can be further divided into subcategories such as hot deserts, cold deserts, coastal deserts, and semi-arid deserts

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7
Q

What is a tundra biome

A

Tundra biomes are found in high latitudes and are characterised by low temperatures and permafrost - they can be further divided into subcategories such as arctic tundra and alpine tundra

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8
Q

What is a limiting factor

A

A limiting factor is anything (biotic and abiotic) that restricts, slows or stops organisms from growing. Examples include food, competition, temperature, altitude, and available sunlight.

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9
Q

What affects the productivity and biodiversity of a biome

A

Limiting factors

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10
Q

What is the limiting factor in a desert

A

Water as it affects plant growth, while in a tundra, low temps and permafrost limit plant growth

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11
Q

What is the location of a tropical rainforest

A
  • low latitudes
  • Within the Tropics 23.5° north and south of the equator
  • amazon in South America, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, Zaire basin
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12
Q

What is the annual precipitation in a tropical forest

A

Over 2000 mm

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13
Q

What is the temperature range in a tropical forest

A

26-28 degrees

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14
Q

What are the seasons in a tropical rainforest

A

No seasons: hot and wet all year round

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15
Q

What is the growing season in a tropical rainforest

A

All year round

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16
Q

What are the soil type in a tropical rainforest

A

Infertile due to leaching and rapid uptake of nutrients by plants

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17
Q

What is the biodeiversity in a tropical rainforest

A

Approx. 50% of the world’s plant and animal species live within the rainforest biome

Four layers of vegetation: mahogany, teak trees, lianas, orchids

Toucans, jaguars, frogs, snakes

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18
Q

Where is the savanna

A

North and south of the tropical and monsoon forest biomes 5° - 30° north and south of the equator

Central Africa - Tanzania, Kenya

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19
Q

What is the annual precipitation in the savanna

A

800-900 mm

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20
Q

What is the temperature range in the savanna

A

15 - 35 degrees

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21
Q

What are the seasons in the savanna

A

Wet and dry season

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22
Q

What is the growing season in the savanna

A

During the wet season

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23
Q

What are the soils like in the savanna

A

Free draining with a thin layer of humus

Not very fertile most nutrients near the surface

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24
Q

What is the biodiversity like in the savanna

A

Wide range of plant and animal species

Grasses, baobab and acacia trees

Zebras, elephants, giraffes

Greatest diversity of hoofed animal

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25
Q

What is the location of a hot desert

A

15 - 30 degrees north and south of the equator

North Africa - Sahara, Southern Africa - Kalahari and Namib, Australia, Middle East

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26
Q

What is the annual precipitation in a hot deseret

A

Bellow 250 mom

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27
Q

What is the temp range in a hot desert

A

Daytime temperatures can reach 50°C but average around 25°C

Night time temperatures below 0°C

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28
Q

What are the seasons in a hot desert

A

Summer and winter

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29
Q

What is the growing season in a hot desert

A

All year round

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30
Q

What are the soils like in a hot desert

A

Infertile

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31
Q

What is the biodiversity like in a hot desert

A

Low diversity
Cacti, yucca
Spiders, scorpions, camels, meerkats

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32
Q

What is the location of a tundra

A

North of the artic circle and antártica

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33
Q

What is the annual precipitation in a tundra

A

Less than 250 mm

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34
Q

What is the temp range in a tundra

A

Below 0°C for 6-10 months

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35
Q

What are the seasons for a tundra

A

Winter and summer

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36
Q

What is the growing season for a tundra

A

6-10 weeks

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37
Q

What are the soils like in a tundra

A

Thin infertile soil
Permafrost

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38
Q

What is the biodeiversity like in a tundra

A

Low biodiversity

Snowy owls, snow bunting and tundra swan

Arctic foxes, hares and wolves

Polar bears, musk ox and caribou

Small grasses, mosses, lichen

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39
Q

What impacts the distribution of biomes

A

Insolation, precipitation, and temperature are the main factors governing the distribution of biomes
- Insolation refers to the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface and affects temperature
- Precipitation affects the availability of water, which is a key limiting factor for many biomes
- Temperature determines the rate of photosynthesis and respiration in plants, as well as the metabolic rates of animals

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40
Q

DO QUESTION ON SAVE MY EXAMS

A
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41
Q

How is climate change affecting the distribution of biomes

A

As the global climate changes, the distribution of biomes is shifting, leading to significant impacts on ecosystems and the services they provide

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42
Q

What are the 2 ways biome shift can occur

A

Range shifts
Biome type changes

43
Q

What is a range shifts

A

when species move to new areas to find suitable conditions as their current habitats become less hospitable

44
Q

What is a biome type changes

A

when a biome transitions to a different type, such as a forest becoming a savanna or a tundra becoming a forest

45
Q

What determines the distribution of a biome

A

Temperature and precipitation

46
Q

What does changes in global temperature do to the size of biomes

A

This means that the warmer biomes, such as tropical rainforests and savannas, are expanding, while the colder biomes, such as tundra and boreal forests, are contracting

47
Q

What are the impacts of biome shifts

A
  • As species move to new areas or experience changes in their habitats, they may face new competition, predation, or disease
  • This can lead to declines in population numbers and even extinction in some cases
  • Biome shifts can also have impacts on the vital services that ecosystems provide to living organisms, especially humans, such as water regulation, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration
48
Q

What is the global atmospheric circulation

A

The global atmospheric circulation can be described as a worldwide system of winds moving solar heat energy from the equator to the poles to reach a balance in temperature

49
Q

How is wind formed

A

From areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure and this movement generates wind

50
Q

What causes a pressure difference

A

Due to the sun heating the earths surface unevenly

51
Q

Define isolation

A

Insolation is a contraction of the words INcoming SOLAr radiaTION. This is the incoming shortwave radiative energy received from the sun and varies at different times and places.

52
Q

Where is isolation greatest in the world

A

Insolation that reaches the Earth’s surface is greater at the equator than at the poles due to the Earth’s curvature and angle of the Earth’s tilt

53
Q

LOOK AT ANGLE OF ISOLATION DIAGRAM

A
54
Q

How are weather patterns generated

A
  • Hot air rises and cooler air sinks through the process of convection
  • This irregular heating of the Earth’s surface creates pressure cells
  • Each cell generates different weather patterns
55
Q

How are the three atmospheric cells created

A

Air movement within the cell is roughly circular and moves surplus heat from equatorial regions to other parts of the Earth
In both hemispheres, heat energy transfer occurs where 3 atmospheric circulation cells meet

56
Q

What are the names of three cells

A

Hadley, Ferrell and polar cells

57
Q

What is the Hadley cell

A
  • Hadley cell is the largest cell and extends from the equator to between 30° and 40° north and south
  • Trade winds blow from the tropical regions to the equator and travel in an easterly direction
  • Near the equator, the trade winds meet, and the hot air rises and forms thunderstorms (tropical rainstorms)
  • From the top of these storms, air flows towards higher latitudes, where it becomes cooler and sinks over subtropical regions
  • This brings dry, cloudless air, which is warmed by the Sun as it descends: the climate is warm and dry (hot deserts are usually found here)
58
Q

What is the Ferrell cell

A

The middle cell
- This is the most complicated cell as it moves in the opposite direction from the Hadley and Polar cells; similar to a cog in a machine
- Air in this cell joins the sinking air of the Hadley cell and travels at low heights to mid-latitudes where it rises along the border with the cold air of the Polar cell
- This occurs around the mid-latitudes and accounts for frequent unsettled weather

59
Q

What is the polar cell

A

The smallest cell

  • Air in these cells is cold and sinks creating high pressure over the highest latitudes
  • The cold air flows out towards the lower latitudes at the surface, where it is slightly warmed and rises to return at altitude to the poles
60
Q

Define zonation

A

Zonation in ecology refers to the gradual change in the composition of species and communities across a landscape, based on a gradient of environmental factors

61
Q

What factors affect zonation

A
  • altitude
  • latitude
  • temperature
  • moisture
  • light
62
Q

What happens as the enviromental factors change. How does the impact zonation

A

As these factors change, the species present in an ecosystem also change, leading to distinct zones or bands of organisms that can be observed in the ecosystem
- This process occurs due to the interactions between the physical environment and the biological components of an ecosystem

63
Q

Use the example of a rocky intertidal zone to explain zonation

A
  • At the highest point (sometimes referred to as the spray zone), the zone is usually dry and dominated by lichen and other hardy plants that can withstand long periods of exposure to air and sunlight
  • In the high tide zone, the environment becomes more hospitable for other organisms such as barnacles, mussels, chitons, limpets and sea snails that can attach themselves to the rocks and withstand waves
  • Further down towards the low tide zone, the environment becomes even more favourable for marine organisms such as sea stars, anemones, and sea urchins that require the constant presence of water
64
Q

What is succession

A

The process of a ecosystem changing from being simple to compete

65
Q

What happens during succession

A

The biotic conditions and abiotic conditions change over time

66
Q

What happens to the species numbers during succession

A

Succession is the process that occurs when newly formed or newly exposed land (with no species present) is gradually colonised (inhabited) by an increasing number of species

67
Q

How can uninhabited land be created

A
  • The magma from erupting volcanoes cools and often leads to the formation of new rock surfaces or even new rocky islands in the sea
  • Another way new land can be exposed is by sea-level dropping or the drying up of a lake, leaving areas of bare rock
68
Q

What are some examples of where succession can occur

A
  • Sand dunes in coastal areas
  • Marram grasses are the pioneer species in these environments as they have deep roots to access water that other plants can’t reach and they are also able to tolerate the salty environment i.e. the high concentrations of sodium and calcium ions caused by sea spray
69
Q

Describe the first stage of succession

A

seeds and spores that are carried by the wind land on the exposed rock and begin to grow
- These first species to colonise the new land (often moss and lichens) are known as pioneer species
- As these pioneer species die and decompose, the dead organic matter (humus) forms a basic soil

70
Q

What is the second stage of succession

A

Seeds of small plants and grasses, sometimes also carried in the wind or sometimes transported other ways (e.g. in bird faeces) land on this basic soil and begin to grow (these smaller plants are adapted to survive in shallow, relatively nutrient-poor soils)
- As these small plants and shrubs die and decompose, the new soil becomes deeper and more nutrient-rich
- The roots of these small plants and shrubs also form a network that helps to hold the soil in place and prevent it from being washed away

71
Q

What is the third stage of succession

A

Larger plants and shrubs, as well as small trees, that require deeper, more nutrient-rich soil, can now begin to grow
- These larger plants and small trees also require more water, which can be stored in deeper soils

72
Q

What is the final stage of succession

A

Finally, the soil is sufficiently deep, contains enough nutrients and can hold enough water to support the growth of large trees
- These final species to colonise the new land become the dominant species of the now relatively complex ecosystem
- The final community formed, containing all the different plant and animal species that have now colonised the new land, is known as the climax community

73
Q

Define climax community

A

The stable, final community that exists in a balanced equilibrium and that makes up the final stage of succession. Abiotic factors are more or less constant over time.

74
Q

What factors change as the structure and species composition changes during succession

A

patterns of energy flow, productivity, diversity, and mineral cycling that ecosystem

75
Q

How does energy flow change during succession

A
  • During the early stages of succession, the energy flow in the ecosystem is relatively low
  • This is because there are only a few species present, and most of the energy is used to build biomass
  • As the ecosystem becomes more complex, energy flow increases
76
Q

How does gross and net productivity change during succession

A
  • During the early stages of succession, gross productivity and net productivity is low because there are only a few species present so the ecosystem’s overall gain in energy and biomass per unit area per unit time is relatively small
  • As the ecosystem becomes more complex, gross productivity and net productivity increase
77
Q

How does diversity change during succession

A
  • Diversity refers to the number of species present in an ecosystem
  • During the early stages of succession, diversity is low because there are only a few species present
  • As the ecosystem becomes more complex, diversity increases because there are more niches available, and more species are able to coexist within the same habitats in the ecosystem
78
Q

How does the mineral cycle change during succession

A
  • Mineral cycling refers to the movement of nutrients through an ecosystem
  • During the early stages of succession, mineral cycling is relatively simple as there are only a few species present and nutrient cycling is largely driven by abiotic processes
  • As the ecosystem becomes more complex, nutrient cycling becomes more complex because there are more species present and each species has unique nutrient requirements and cycling processes
79
Q

What is a pioneer community

A
  • In pioneer communities (i.e. in the early stages of succession), gross productivity is low due to the unfavourable initial conditions and low density of producers (low gross primary productivity)
  • However, the proportion of energy lost through community respiration is also relatively low
  • This means that net productivity in pioneer communities is relatively high
  • This allows the pioneer community system to grow and accumulate biomass
80
Q

What is a climax community’s productivity

A

In climax communities (i.e. in the later stages of succession), gross productivity may be relatively high, due to a high density of producers (high gross primary productivity) and consumers (high gross secondary productivity)

81
Q

What is the energy loos like in a climax community

A

relatively high gross productivity is balanced by the large amounts of energy lost from the climax community system through respiration

82
Q

What is the net productivity of a climax community

A

Approaching 0 this happens as the P:R ration approach’s 1. This ratio is reached when the biomass and energy is being produced by a system at the same rate it is being used

83
Q

Is there one climax community

A

There is no one cl­­imax community, but rather a set of alternative stable states for a given ecosystem
- What the climax community eventually looks like depends on a large variety of factors, including climate, the local soil properties, and a range of random events that can occur over time (e.g. extreme weather events, human interventions)

84
Q

What is the early stage of succession like

A

The GPP is low (due to the density of producers) but NPP as a percentage of GPP is relatively high, resulting in a an increase in overall biomass

85
Q

What is the middle stage of succession like

A

GPP increases due to increased photosynthesis (as density of producers increases). As biomass continues to increase, NPP as a percentage of GPP reaches a peak and then starts to fall due to increase in respiration rates

86
Q

What is the last stage of succession like

A

The productivity - respiration ratio approaches 1, as biomass and energy is being produced at the same rate it is being used by the system (through respiration and growth). At this point, there is no net productivity - the community has reached a stable state (the climax community)

87
Q

What is population growth and regulation influenced by

A

A range of biotic and abiotic factors

88
Q

What does density dependant factors include

A

Competition, predation, parasitism and disease

89
Q

What happens the density depend and factors as population density increases

A

Factors become more significant, resulting in a decline in population growth rate. These ascot as a negative feedback mechanism leading the stability and regulation of populations

90
Q

What does desinty independent factors include

A

factors include natural phenomena such as floods, fires, hurricanes, and droughts, as well as anthropogenic activities like pollution, deforestation, and climate change

91
Q

How do density dependant factors affect growth rate

A

These factors affect the population growth rate irrespective of the population density, so their impact is similar across all populations regardless of their density

92
Q

What is a r strategist

A

are characterised by having a high reproductive rate, small body size, early maturity, and short lifespan

93
Q

What environments are r strategist species adapted to

A

unstable and unpredictable environments and tend to be found in pioneer communities

94
Q

What is the growth rate and reproduction rate of r strategists

A

These species tend to have a high growth rate and reproduce quickly, producing large numbers of offspring with little investment in each

95
Q

What is the survival rate of a r strategist species

A

They have a lower survival rate, but their high reproductive rate enables them to quickly recolonize and establish themselves after disturbances

96
Q

What are some examples of r strategisits

A

Cockroaches, flies and small mammal species

97
Q

How are populations of r strategists controlled

A

Density in dependant factors

98
Q

How are k strategists species characterised

A

By having low reproductive rates, large body sizes, late maturity, and lingering lifespan

99
Q

What are k strategists adapted to

A

Stable and predictable environments and tend to be found in climax communities

100
Q

what is the growth rate and reproductive rate of a k species

A

Lower growth rates by invest more in each offspring, resulting in higher survival rates

101
Q

What enviroment do they live in

A

They are better able to withstand disturbances, allowing them to persist in stable environments

102
Q

What are some examples of k species

A

Large mammals

103
Q

How can human activities affect the progression of succession

A

Human activities can divert the progression of succession to an alternative stable state by modifying the ecosystem through various activities,

104
Q

What factors can alter the process of succession

A

Burning
Agriculture
Grazing pressure
Resource use

ESS (17 decks)

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