Chapter 9 - Climate and Life: Biomes Flashcards
biome
an extensive geographic region with relatively uniform vegetation structure
vegetation structure
refers to the type of vegetation that dominates a region, such as closed-canopy forests (dense) or open grasslands (sparse)
Köppen climate classification system
system that categorizes climates based on the temperature and precipitation characteristics of a region
tropical rainforest biome
low-latitude biome found in the humid lowland tropics that has the highest primary productivity, the highest biomass (weight of dried vegetation), and the highest biodiversity of any biome
buttress roots
roots that stabilize tall tropical rainforests trees with a camera tripod-like structure
liana
a woody climbing vine
epiphytes
plants that grow on the surfaces of other plants for access to light but do not take nutrients from those plants
tropical seasonal rainforest biome
often mistaken for the tropical rainforest biome, this biome is distinguishable with a winter season and reduced precipitation
tropical savanna biome
low-latitude, woodland biome featuring widely spaced trees with a continuous cover of grass, characterized by wet summers and dry winters
temperate grassland biome
midlatitude (30-60 degrees) biome largely dominated by grasses, characterized by significant moisture deficits for most of the year, natural fires, and grazing herbivores
mediterranean biome
midlatitude biome characterized by hot, dry summers and winter rainfall, and is the smallest of the biomes
sclerophyllous leaves
hard, leathery, waxy leaves adapted to reduce water loss and herbivory
temperate deciduous forest biome
midlatitude biome dominated by trees that shed their leaves in winter in response to low temperatures
primary forest
forest that has never been significantly altered by people
secondary forest
forest that has been cleared/disturbed and regrown
temperate rainforest biome
midlatitude biome where annual precipitation is high and temperatures are mild, characterized by large trees that form a dense canopy
boreal forest biome
high latitude, cold, coniferous biome where low winter temperatures and a short summer growing season are typical
montane forest biome
multi-latitude biome where orographic lifting increases precipitation on the windward side of a mountain range, with needle-leaved vegetation in the northern hemisphere and broad-leaved vegetation in the southern hemisphere
tundra biome
a multi-latitude biome that is too cold for trees to grow due to elevation or latitude
alpine tundra
cold, treeles high-elevation biome whose vegetation consists mainly of shrubs and herbaceous perennials
northern tundra
cold, treeless high-latitude biome dominated by herbaceous perennials
northern tree line
the northern limit of the boreal forest
alpine tree line
the upper limit of the montane forest, also called timberline
desert biome
multi-latitude biome that covers nearly 30% of Earth’s surface and features chronic moisture deficits and sparse, dry-adapted vegetation
