Biomes 🌳

Question 1

Define Aibiotic

Answer 1

The physical, non-living parts of the ecosystem, including temperature, water and light.

Question 2

Define Biotic

Answer 2

All the living elements of the ecosystem including plants, animals and bacteria

Question 3

Define Biome

Answer 3

Large-scale ecosystems that are spread across continents and have plants and animals that are unique to them

Question 4

Define Carnivore

Answer 4

An animal that eats other animals

Question 5

Describe what the circumpolar winds are

Answer 5

Flows of air around the Earth’s poles. It keeps all the weather within the continent as they travel around it’s coastline

Question 6

What is a continental shelf

Answer 6

The area of seabed around a large land mass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean

Question 7

What is conventional rainfall

Answer 7

Conventional rainfall occurs frequently in the tropics where it is hot; hot air close to the ground rises, cools, and condenses to form rain; if the air is hot enough, it rises very quickly and this can lead to thunder storms

Question 8

What is deforestation

Answer 8

The cutting down of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land, for other uses such as building or growing crops.

Question 9

What is Evapotranspiration

Answer 9

The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from surfaces, e.g. lakes, and by transpiration from plants

Question 10

Define what Fauna is

Answer 10

Another term for the animals in an ecosystem

Question 11

Define what flora is

Answer 11

Another term for the plants in an ecosystem

Question 12

Define what a Herbivore is

Answer 12

An animal that feeds on plants

Question 13

Describe what interdependence is

Answer 13

The reliance of every form of life on other living things and on the natural resources in its environment, such as air, soil and water

Question 14

What is the definition of nutrient cycling

Answer 14

A set of processes whereby organisms extract minerals necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain, and ultimately back to the soil and water

Question 15

What is an Omnivore

Answer 15

An animal that eats both plants and animals

Question 16

Define sustainable

Answer 16

An approach that places emphasis on improving the current quality of life but still maintaining resources for the future; it is a balance of providing social, economic and environmental benefit long term

Question 17

Define Symbiotic

Answer 17

Organisms that live together;one or both of the organisms may benefit from this arrangement

Question 18

Define Temperate

Answer 18

A region or climate with typically mild temperatures

Question 19

Describe Transpiration

Answer 19

The process by which plants lose water vapour through their leaves

Question 20

Define a Tundra

Answer 20

A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia and North America in which the soil is permanently frozen

Question 21

Define Xerophytic

Answer 21

A type of plant that can survive on very little water

Question 22

What are the features of a Taiga/coniferous biome

Answer 22

• Found in Northern Hemisphere, 40-60 degrees above equator
• Found in Finland, Norway, Russia and Canada
• Hottest temps = 18
• A.v. Rainfall is 80mm
• Flora= Some coniferous trees (they have bark to keep warm), not much due to snow
• Fauna = Moose, Owl, lynx and Arctic fox

Question 23

Features of Temperate deciduous forest

Answer 23

• 25-20 degrees latitude, Southern Hemisphere
• Europe, East Coast of NA
• A.v. Temp= 15
• Annual Precipitation = 2000mm
• Flora= Maple oak, shrubs and tall trees
• Fauna = Fox, deer, bats and black bears (claws to climb up trees)

Question 24

Temperate grasslands

Answer 24

• 40-60 degrees N and S of the equator
• NAmerica, Africa, SAmerica and Eurasia
• Summer temp= 38
• winter temp = as low as -40
• A.v. Rainfall = around 250-750
• Flora = Depends on season, oak, willow
• Fauna= Rabbits, Kangaroos, wolves and eagles

Question 25

Features of Savanna/ Tropical grasslands

Answer 25

• 5-30 North and south of the equator
• Central: NAustrailia, Africa, venzuala, Brazilian highlands and Mexico
• Av temp and rainfall depends on the season
• Flora=tall grasses and baobab trees
• Fauna = elephants and lions

Question 26

Features of Hot desert

Answer 26

• 5-30 degrees south of the equator
• West coast of continents, Sahara and Arabian deserts
• Av temp in day = 36-50 degrees
• Av temp at nights = below -12 degrees
• Flora = xerphytic plants like cacti
• Fauna = Meerkats, Camels and rattle snakes

Question 27

Features of Tropical rainforest

Answer 27

• Broad belt through the tropics
• Central and SAmerica, Central Africa, SE Asia, and Northern parts of Austrailia
• Av temp = 27
• Av rainfall = 2000mm per year
• Fauna = frogs, monkeys, toucans
• flora = Liamas, Butress roots and epiphytes

Question 28

Features of polar

Answer 28

• above 60 degrees North of the equator
• NAmerica, NEurope
• Winter temps as low as= 46
• Short cool summers, long cold winters
• flora = thousands of moss species and plankton
• Fauna= Penguins, seals, whales, polar bears

Question 29

Define ecosystem

Answer 29

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.