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geography > biomes - characteristics of biomes > Flashcards

biomes - characteristics of biomes Flashcards

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1
Q

where is the tropical rainforest biome found

A

23*C north and south of the equator

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2
Q

what type of climate

A

tropical climate that is hot and humid

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3
Q

what is the average temperature

A

27*C

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4
Q

what is the humidity

A

88%

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5
Q

what are these conditions of heat and humidity due to

A

position of the biome across the equatorial region

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6
Q

what is the equatorial zone

A

the region of maximum solar heating on the earths surface

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7
Q

what happens at these latitudes

A

the suns rays are directly overheard and hit the earth at a high angle causing intense heating of the surface and high levels of evaporation

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8
Q

what does the high rate of evaporation cause

A

heavy convectional rain

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9
Q

what is the total rainfall per year

A

6,600 mm

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10
Q

although there are no seasons in the rainforest biome, what happens to the areas that receive the most rain and high temperatures

A

slight drying and cooling at the edges of the rainforest biome region in June and December

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11
Q

what conditions are in the tropical climate

A

warmth, moisture and sunlight

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12
Q

what are these perfect for the growth of

A

living things

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13
Q

what has the climate led to

A

high biodiversity in the tropical rainforest biome

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14
Q

Vegetation

A
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15
Q

what is the natural vegetation in the tropical rainforest biome

A

jungle or rainforest

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16
Q

what do rainforests contain

A

highly specialised pants and trees such as mahogany

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17
Q

what does every rainforest contain

A

four layers of vegetation

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18
Q

what is the layering of rainforests

A

an adoption by plants to reduce competition for water, sunlight and nutrients

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19
Q

what does the forest floor occupy

A

the lowest 2 metres of the rainforest

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20
Q

why is it very dark

A

as only 1% of the sunligt that falls on the forest actually reaches the ground

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21
Q

what happens as a result of this

A

few plants grow here unless a tree falls, creating a clearing where sunlight encourages rapid growth of vegetation

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22
Q

what’s does the understory later reach to

A

2 to 20 metres above the forest floor

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23
Q

what does it consist of

A

tall, non flowering shrubs, ferns, small trees and vines

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24
Q

what is this area also

A

very shaded but trees receive more sunlight here and have large leaves to trap the sunlight

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25
Q

what does the canopy layer extend to

A

20 to 40 meters above the forest floor

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26
Q

what grows here

A

vines grow on the trees and other tree living plants called epiphytes(mosses or orchids)

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27
Q

what do the leaves do

A

leaves are large to trap sunlight

28
Q

what do canopy trees have

A

shallow buttress roots

29
Q

what do butters roots do

A

capture nutrients in the O horizon of the soil and support the tree

30
Q

what is the emergent layer

A

highest layer of forest vegetation

31
Q

what does this contain

A

tallest trees in the forest e.g. mahogany

32
Q

how high is mahogany

A

70 metres

33
Q

why do they have smaller leaves

A

emergents trees are exposed to sunlight and breezes which decrease the humidity

34
Q

Latosol

A
35
Q

what soil is associated with this biome

A

latosol

36
Q

what does this soil have

A

thin O horizon (humus layer)

37
Q

what is this due to

A

intense bacterial activity which rapidly decomposes dead organic matter

38
Q

what does the A horizon contain

A

aluminium and iron oxides

39
Q

what is the B horizon

A

very deep and uniform in texture

40
Q

what is this due to

A

intense leaching in high temperatures

41
Q

what colour is the soil

A

red/orange or yellow

42
Q

what is that colour a result of

A

laterisation process

43
Q

what is latersiation

A

a form of intense chemical weathering and leaching that occurs in hot climates

44
Q

what are all the soluble minerals

A

washed out of the soil and only insoluble iron and aluminium oxides remainwh

45
Q

what do latosols have

A

low humus content

46
Q

what is this due to

A

rapid composition of dead organic matter which is quickly absorbed by plant roots or washed from the soil by heavy rain

47
Q

what do fast foreign plants do

A

rapidly use the humus so that it does not get much chance to be leached into the soil

48
Q

what does this short nutrient cycle do

A

gives the impression. that latosol is very fertile

49
Q

what happens once the forest is removed

A

the latest have very little fertility and crops fail after two or three years

50
Q

Specialist and camouflaged animals

A
51
Q

why are tropical rainforests unique

A

they contain a great variety of living thing found in different layers the forest

52
Q

what is this due to

A

availability of warmth, water and sunlight and therefore plants

53
Q

what does one hectare of the forest contain

A

up to 42,000 species

54
Q

what does the variety of life differ from

A

asian, African and South American forests

55
Q

where are orang-utans only found in

A

asian rainforests

56
Q

where are gorillas located

A

African forests

57
Q

why have animals become very specialised

A

in order to avoid competition for food and living space among other living things

58
Q

where may the live

A

in only one forest layer

59
Q

for example, where are found in the canopy ayer od the rainforest

A

mammas such as spider monkeys as well as snakes antbirds such as parrots

60
Q

what may animals be

A

nocturnal

61
Q

what do some forest animals and plant do

A

live in association with each other - they depend on each other for food and reproduction

62
Q

what is a good example of this

A

swordbill hummingbird which feeds only from datura flowers, its bill cannot reach nectar in any other plant

63
Q

what does it do in turn

A

the birds passes pollen from one datura flower to another, ensuring its reproduction

64
Q

what have many plants and animals done

A

adapted to the rainforest by using camouflage to hide form predators

65
Q

what do insects do

A

disguise themselves to look like twigs(stick insects) or leaves

geography (17 decks)

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