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Abi Biology 2017 > Biomes > Flashcards

Biomes Flashcards

1
Q

What is a biome?

A

Any area with a particular climate, together with all of the living organisms occurring in the area

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2
Q

How is the name of a biome derived?

A

From the dominant type of vegetation

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3
Q

What are the two types of biome?

A

Terrestrial

Aquatic

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4
Q

What is a terrestrial biome?

A

Occurring on land

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5
Q

What is an aquatic biome?

A

Occurring under water

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6
Q

How many terrestrial biomes does South Africa have?

A

Seven

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7
Q

What are the seven South African terrestrial biomes?

A 
Savannah
Grassland
Nama Karoo
Succulent Karoo
Fynbos
Forests
Thicket
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8
Q

What is the size of the savannah?

A

Largest in South Africa

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9
Q

How much of SA is covered by the savannah biome?

A

34,3%

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10
Q

Where does the savannah occur?

A

From the Kalahari to the low veld (NW to NE)

Kwa-Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape (S)

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11
Q

What is the climate of the savannah?

A

Warm wet summers

Cold dry winters

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12
Q

What kind of soil occurs in the savannah?

A

Sandy soil

Lacking in nutrients

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13
Q

What types of vegetation occur in the savannah?

A

Predominantly grasses and a few trees

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14
Q

Why aren’t trees predominant in the savannah biome?

A

Frequent veld fires prevent this

They also encourage the germination of seeds

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15
Q

What are examples of plants that occur in the savannah?

A 
Red grass
Baobab
Mopane
Camel thorn
Monkey thorn (apiesdoring)
Knob thorn
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16
Q

What is the Bushveld?

A

A specific part of the savannah biome

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17
Q

What kind of animals occur in the savannah?

A

The Big Five

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18
Q

What are the Big Five animals?

A 
Lion
Elephant
Leopard
Rhinoceros
Buffalo
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19
Q

Where do grasslands occur?

A

On the high central plateau of South Africa
The interior of KZN
Mountainous areas in EC

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20
Q

What is the climate of the grassland like?

A

Hot summers with high rainfall (thunder storms)

Cold winters with heavy frost

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21
Q

What kind of soil occurs in the grassland?

A

Sandy

Acidic due to leaching

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22
Q

What kind of vegetation occurs in the grassland?

A

Mainly grasses

Very few trees

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23
Q

Why aren’t there many trees in the grassland?

A

Veld fires happen every year

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24
Q

What two kinds of grasses occur in the grassland?

A

Sweet grass

Sour grass

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25
What is sweet grass like?
Has a high nutritional value | Serve as an important food source
26
Where does sweet grass grow?
Less acidic, more fertile soil
27
What is sour grass like?
Has little nutritional value
28
Where does sour grass grow?
In the less fertile, more acidic soil
29
What kinds of animals occur in the grassland?
Animals on game farms and nature reserves | Birds, mainly seed eaters
30
What kind of animals live in the game farms and nature reserves?
Black wildebeest Blesbok Eland
31
What are examples of seed eaters that occur in the grasslands?
Black bustard (korhaan) Blue crane Helmeted guinea fowl
32
Where does he Nama Karoo occur?
Wide western plateau of SA
33
What is the climate of the Nama Karoo like?
Very hot summer Cold winters with regular frost Very little rain (semi-desert)
34
What type of soil occurs in the Nama Karoo?
Rich in lime | Forms a thin layer over rocks
35
What kinds of vegetation occur in the Nama Karoo?
Mostly grasses | Small shrubs
36
What are examples of plants in the Nama Karoo?
Christmas berry (wild gentian) Sweet thorn Blue Karoo daisies
37
What kinds of animals occur in the Nama Karoo?
``` Sheep and goats Bat-eared foxes Ostriches Spring hares Tortoises ```
38
Why do sheep and goats live in the Nama Karoo?
The vegetation offers good grazing
39
What animal is endemic to the Nama Karoo?
The riverine rabbit
40
Where does the succulent Karoo occur?
Arid western part of SA Namaqualand Richtersveld
41
What is the climate of the succulent Karoo?
Very hot, dry summers Cold winters Very low winter rainfall
42
What is the soil of the succulent Karoo like?
Rich in lime | Forms a thin layer over rocks
43
What kinds of plants occur in the succulent Karoo?
Xerophytes | Mostly small succulents, with thick, fleshy leaves that store water
44
Where does the largest number of succulents in the world occur?
In the succulent Karoo
45
What are examples of plants that occur in the succulent Karoo?
Small vygies Stone plants (toontjies) Quiver trees
46
Why are tourists interested in the succulent Karoo?
In springtime this biome is covered with flowers
47
What kinds of animals occur in the succulent Karoo?
Nocturnal | They hide in holes during the day to escape the hot, dry conditions
48
What are examples of animals that occur in the succulent Karoo?
Bat-eared fox Suricate (meerkat) Barking gecko
49
Where does Fynbos occur?
Exclusively in the Southwestern and Southern parts of the Western Cape
50
What is the climate of Fynbos like?
Cool wet winters | Hot dry summers
51
What kind of soil occurs in Fynbos?
Sandy | Acidic due to leaching
52
What kind of vegetation occurs in Fynbos?
Evergreen shrubs with hard leaves | Few trees and grasses
53
What are examples of these evergreen Fynbos shrubs?
Proteas Ericas Restios
54
What is special about the vegetation in Fynbos?
Has approx. 8600 flowering plant species One of the richest floral regions in the world Approx. 68% of the plant species are endemic
55
What role does fire play in Fynbos?
It is an important factor in the germination of seeds
56
What are examples of animals that occur in Fynbos?
``` Grysbok Steenbok Bontebok Geometric tortoise Porcupine Leopard Cape baboon ```
57
What kinds of birds occur in Fynbos?
Nectar and seed-eating birds
58
What is the size of the forest biome?
Smallest | Only covers 0,1% of SA
59
Where does the forest biome occur?
Mostly Knysna and Tsitsikamma in the Southern Cape | Isolated forests occur in KZN (dune forests in KZN and mountain forests in Drakensberg)
60
What is the climate like in a forest?
High rainfall | No frost
61
What kind of soil occurs in a forest?
Fertile soil | Thin layer of humus
62
What is the vegetation like in a forest?
``` Trees that form a closed canopy of leaves Several strata (layers) of vegetation under the roof of foliage ```
63
What are examples of forest vegetation?
``` Yellowwood Stinkwood Ironwood Creepers (vines) Epiphytes Mosses Ferns ```
64
What are epiphytes?
Non-parasitic plants that grow on the branches of trees for mechanical support
65
What is an example of an epiphyte?
An orchid
66
What are examples of animals that live in forests?
``` Bushpigs Bushbuck Monkeys Knysna loeries Pigeons Eagles ```
67
Where does the thicket occur?
Stretches from the west coast of SA to KZN | Mostly in EC
68
What is the climate of the thicket biome?
It varies because it is so spread out
69
What type of soil occurs in the thicket?
Often shallow | Varies from sandy loam to sandy clay that is rich in lime
70
What kind of vegetation occurs in the thicket?
``` Varies Shrub land Low forests with evergreen and succulent trees Shrubs Many plants have thorns ```
71
What are examples of plants that occur in the thicket?
Spekboom (elephant bush) Euphorbia Cape honeysuckle Plumbago
72
What are examples of animals that live in the thicket biome?
African elephant Kudu Vervet monkey Bushbuck

Abi Biology 2017 (57 decks)

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