Biomes 40 Flashcards
Biomes
Large ecological area which contains plants and animals showing adaptation to their environment.
Biomes are defined by abiotic factors
Topography, Climate, Soil, Vegetation
Tundra
Coldest biome, least bio diversity capacity
Arctic Tundra
Located around the North Pole, northern hemisphere, canada, russia
Moss, lichen, grasses, and low growing shurbs
<10 inches of rain/year, very cold - permafrost = soil stays waterlogged. Treeless biome
Oxen, bears, wolves, artic foxes, cod and salmon.
-30 to 10
Alpine tundra
High altitudes on mountains tops, >11 000 feet
Lacks permafrost. Trees cant grow here, little vegetation. Birds, mountain goats, sheep, and elk.
The Alps, Himalayas, and Scandinavian
Plants are gasses and low woody shrubs. Plants are subject to high radiation, wind, cold, and snow.
~10inches of precipitation/year
Taiga or Coniferous Forest
Largest terrestrial biome, Boreal forest
Spruce, Fir, Hemlock, and Pine
NY, Alaska, Canada, Russa, Sweden
Bears, moose, lynx, fox, wolves, hawks- Fur for warmth
Temperate Deciduous Forest
South of Taiga. Relatively high amounts of rainfall.
50 inches of rain/year, 10 C average
Deciduous means falling off at a certain season.
Oak, maple, beech, elm trees, very fertile soil. Canopy appearance and disappearance.
Tropical Rain Forest
Central America, South America, Africa, Southeast Asian.
155 inches rainful year long. Mean time is same throughout the year.
Highest diversity of plants and animals inhabit this biome. Ideal environment for microorganism.
Produces 40% of O2 on Earth.
Epiphytes
Plants that nourishes itself but grows on the surface of another plant for support.
Desert
<10 inches of rainfall/year
Can be warm or cold. North American deserts are hot but cold deserts include areas of Antarctica and Greenland. 30 C temperature changes.
Very dry land. Rainshadow, area having little rainfall because it is sheltered by mountains or hills.
Succulents
Store water in their tisuses, cacti, woody shrubs.
Savanna
Found in Africa, Australia, India
Warm climate tropical
Mostly grasses with few scattered trees (grassland).
Elephants, zebras, horses, and giraffes
Transitional biome- intermediate of forest and desert
Wet Season: 6 months of rainfull, monsoon season
Dry: no rain for months
Ungulates
Hooves animals, elephants, zebras, hippos, and giraffes.
Chaparral
Very hot and dry, most rain comes in the winter.
Mainly grassland and desert. Trees and cacti
Lizards, rabbits, and coyotes. Many nocturnal animals.
West coast of US and South America.
Both forests and grasslands.
15 inches of rain/year 15 C mean temp.
Grasslands
Grasses, herbs, and many flowers with few trees
Called prairies with animals and birds.
Winters can be -20 F and summer over 100 F
25 inches rain/year. Richest soils in the world
Marine biome
Largest of all biomes, 70% of the planet
Ocean zones
Intertidal, pelagic, benthic zone, abyssal zone
Intertidal
Ocean meets land here to form shore. Littoral zone
Pelagic
Open ocean, many fish whales and dolphins. Primary plant is photoplankton.
a) euphotic: photosynthesis occurs, bright sunlight
b) dysphotic: some light, not enough for photosyn
c) aphotic: darkest area of the ocean, no photosynthesis
Bentic zone
Bottom of the sea and sea floor, made of sand and sediments. Major food there is for the detritus. Marine organisms living there are crabs and clams (also called bentos).
Abyssal Zone
Deep ocean, highly pressured and very cold. Invertebrates and fish live there.
Estuary
Where freshwater and saltwater merge, river meets an ocean.
Lake turnover
In spring/autumn lake waters are well supplied with O2 at all depths.
In winter/summer, O2 is highest at the top and lowest in deeper waters.
Eutrophication
Enrichment of a body of water with nutrients, usually in xs. N and P.
It leads to the growth of cyanobacteria and algae, usually for the worse. It is almost always induced when phosphate containing detergents is introduced to an aquatic environment. O2 levels become depleted. When algae die, microorganisms use O2 to decompose them.
