Biomes

Question 1

What is a biome?

Answer 1

a large community characterized by its climate and unique assemblage of plants and animals

Question 2

What do Hadley cells explain?

Answer 2

explain why deserts are located at about 30 degrees N and S

Question 3

Explain the large-scale air circulation patterns and biomes in 4 steps:

Answer 3

1. at the ITCZ, the sun heats the moist tropical air, causing it to rise
2. the rising air begins to cool, which causes water vapor to condense into rain and fall back to earth
3. after rising more than 10 km into the atmosphere, the now cool, dry air circulates back to earth at 30 degrees N and S
4. the cool dry air sinks and begins to warm. it reaches earth’s surface as warm dry air and flows back toward the equator

Question 4

Why does the cool dry air fall down at 30 degrees N or S rather than back down at 0?

Answer 4

think of a water fountain, or leaf blower blowing leaves into the air, they don’t come straight back down because there is a continuous force driving them up so they fall at an angle

Question 5

Do Hadley cells stay at the same location throughout the year?

Answer 5

Yes and no…

They always converge at the ITCZ HOWEVER their exact location changes throughout the year due to the ITCZ moving throughout the year

Question 6

What happens when the precipitation line is above the temperature line?

Answer 6

plant growth is limited by temperature

i.e. the temp. is the limiting factor

Question 7

What happens when the temperature line is above the precipitation line?

Answer 7

plant growth is limited by precipitation

i.e. precipitation is the limiting factor

Question 8

What is the biome/location:

-limited solar radiation and rainfall 6-10” per year (most precipitation is snow, and unusable to plants
-permafrost (frozen layer of subsoil)
-growing months April-August

Answer 8

TUNDRA 60 degrees N (no land at 60 degrees S)

-has twice as much C stored here than the whole atmosphere

Question 9

What is the biome/location:

-hot and lots of rain
-hi speed nutrient and energy cycles
-plenty of water, light
-race for light
-highest species diversity (plants & animals)
-growing season all year
- constant temp

Answer 9

TROPICAL RAINFOREST 0 degrees N/S (could be slightly N or S)

Question 10

What is the biome/location:

-warm-climate grassland, scattered trees
-wet and dry seasons
-woodlands/forests when wetter
-grazers (wild and domestic)
-temperature pretty constant
-growing season all year
-precipitation fluctuates… increases in March decreases in May increases again in September decreases in November

Answer 10

TROPICAL SAVANNA 0 degrees N/S (due to the peaks in precipitation)

Question 11

What is the biome/location:

-plants and animals have adaptations to deal with extreme climate
-constant lack of precipitation
-temperature is constant
-growing season is year round

Answer 11

DESERT 30 degrees N/S (< 25 cm of rain)