Biodiversity 2 - Biomes Flashcards
1
Q
Where is Taiga located
A
- AKA boreal / forest, is located south of the tundra in the Northern Hemisphere
- Just below tundra
- No landmasses at similar latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere
- Found in Eurasia and North America
- 11% of land
2
Q
What influences where biomes are found
A
- Latitude
- Global circulation
- Altitude
- Temperature
-Rainfall
3
Q
Where is scrublands biome found
A
- Coastal regions
4
Q
Explain shrubland weather
A
- Dry summers and winter rainfall
- Winters rainy and mild; summers hot and dry
- Periodic, seasonal fires (some plants produce seeds that will germinate only after they’ve been through a fire)
5
Q
What is the name for shrubland in South West Africa
A
Fybos
6
Q
Explain the adaptations of Fynbos
A
- Plants with a woody stem, small, thick evergreen leaves, and thick underground roots
- No trees
- Fragrent waxy layer to deter herbivores
7
Q
Explain fynbos fully
A
- Nutrient poor soil
- High diversity for such a small area
- Fauna = Typical vertebrates include deer, rodents, lizards, snakes, migratory birds
8
Q
Explain desert weather
A
- Usually found at latitudes of about 30° in both North and South hemispheres
- Extremely arid – Annual rainfall <25 cm
- Can be hot or cold
- Large temperature differential between day and night, due to lack of cloud cover
- 30% of land
9
Q
Explain desert plant life
A
- Vegetation is typically sparse
- Plants are xeriphytic – evolved
adaptations to store and retain water - Plants include succulents and shrubs with small leaves
- Nutrient poor soil
- Low species diversity
10
Q
Explain desert fauna
A
- Animals living in deserts have adaptations for water conservation
eg ) behaviour - feeding at night, burrowing
physiology - very efficient kidneys
11
Q
Explain the Taiga fuana
A
- More animals than Tundra bc its warmer
- Higher species diversity than tundra
-Typical fauna include:
deer, moose, beavers,
rabbits, squirrels, birds wolves, bears
- More species in one trophic structure.
- More species with similar ecological roles
12
Q
Explain Taiga plant life
A
- Soils are acidic, with a thick humus layer due to slow decomposition of
pine needles - Moderate precipitation; many lakes and streams
- Summers are short, but with long days
13
Q
Eplain coniferous trees and Taiga
A
- Dominated by coniferous (evergreen) trees, such as fir, pine and spruce
- Trees well adapted to the cold by having
- Leaves and bark have a thick covering
- Needle-like leaves can withstand the weight of heavy snowfall
- Mosses, lichens and ferns on forest floor
14
Q
Explain Grassland location
A
- Temperate grasslands occur where annual rainfall is greater than 25 cm, but still insufficient to support trees
- Cover about 30% of the land
- Occur in North America (prairie), South America (pampas), Russia (steppes), South Africa (veld), Hungary (puszta) and Australia
15
Q
Explain Grassland seasons
A
- Distinct seasonal changes
(hot summers, cold winters) - Moderate rainfall, which occurs during the summer months,
- Extremely fertile soil
- Dominated by annual grasses, but also have many non-grass plant species
16
Q
Explain Grassland and fires
A
- Fire is an important element of grasslands
- Combination of fire and moderate rainfall prevents trees from establishing
- Many grasslands have been converted to farmland because of their fertile soil
16
Q
Explain Savanna locations
A
- Savannas are large expanses of grass interspersed with widely scattered trees
- Typically found in tropical and subtropical areas, where there is a cool, dry season followed by a hot, rainy season
- Largest are in Africa
17
Q
Explain Savanna characteristics
A
- Share many of the same characteristics as grasslands:
- Distinct seasonal changes
- Summer rainfall
- Extremely fertile soil
- Prone to fire
18
Q
Explain Savanna plant life
A
- Adapted to withstand drought and fire
- Trees have high canopies due to herbivory by large animals such as elephants and giraffes
- Lush grass and shrubbery growth in the rainy season provides ample food for large animals, but most animals migrate away during the harsh dry season
19
Q
Explain African Savannas
A
- Herbivores support large numbers of big carnivores
- Greatest number and diversity of large herbivores
20
Q
Explain Tropical Rain Forest location
A
- Occur at or near the equator
- Found in Africa, Central and South America, southeast Asia and Australia
- Warm temperatures and plenty of rain
- Annual temperatures do not vary much, but
there are distinct wet and dry seasons - In the dry season trees may lose their leaves
21
Q
Explain Tropical Rain Forest fauna
A
- The most diverse biome
- One of the richest biomes in terms of both species diversity and abundance
- More than 50% of all the Earth’s terrestrial animal species are found here
- Most animals live in the trees
- Huge abundance of insects
22
Q
Explain Tropical Rain Forest plant life
A
- Soils are nutrient-poor due to rapid recycling of nutrients and heavy rains
- Large trees have shallow root systems evolved to quickly absorb nutrients as soon as they become available,
before the rains wash
them away - Dense plant growth and a high level of productivity
- Epiphytes are plants that live on trees, but obtain their own water and nutrients
- Lianas are woody vines that climb trees
23
Q
Explain Temperature Deciduous Forests
A
- Occur south of the taiga in the Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia)
- Climate is moderate, with fairly high precipitation year round
- Four seasons are well defined; summers are hot and winters cold
- Soils nutrient-rich
24
Q
Explain Temperature Deciduous Forests trees and fauna
A
- Broad-leaved deciduous trees :
- Deciduous = Trees lose their leaves in autumn to reduce water loss during winter
- Tree species include oak, maple, beech, ash, and sycamore
- Lush layer of herbaceous plants on forest floor that flower in spring before the trees have their new leaves
25
Q
Explain Temperature Deciduous Forests fauna
A
- Amphibians and reptiles
are present - The forest is also home to many mammals, birds and insects
26
Q
What are the biomes
A
- Grasslands
- Savannas
- Tropical Rain Forest
- Shrublands / Fynbos
- Forests : Evergreen ; Deciduous; Confierous
- Taiga
- Tundra
