environmental gradients and biomes

Question 1

how does temperature affect plants?

Answer 1

cold temperature:
- decrease in metabolic rate
- freezing can cause damage if ice crystal forms inside cell
hot temperature:
- stress
- increase respiration -> increase water loss
- higher metabolic rates with physiological, biochemmical and molecular change in plant metabolism

Question 2

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics of desert

Answer 2

basic climate: hot and dry
soil characteristics: no moisture
vegetation characteristics: xerophytic plants that are spaced out, that take very long to grow and that may use allelopathy to discourage plants from growing near them and taking their water
- plants a very slow growing

Question 3

where is a desert on a map?

Answer 3

near to cold oceans, at 30 degrees latitude (end of Hadley cell)

Question 4

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics tropical rainforest

Answer 4

basic climate: hot and wet
vegetation: lots of trees, lianas and epiphytes
soil characteristics: very old soil, leached for a very long time, iron and aluminium oxides, cycling so rapid that nothing gets into soil

Question 5

where are tropical rainforests on a map?

Answer 5

at equator

Question 6

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics boreal forest

Answer 6

climate: cold and precipitation
soil: permafrost (thin active layer), slow decomposition
vegetation: needle-leaved trees, mosses and lichens on forest floor

Question 7

where are boreal forests on a map?

Answer 7

between temperate forests and tundra, just south of arctic circle

Question 8

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics of a mid-latitude broadlead and mixed forest

Answer 8

basic climate: seasonal fluctuations, average precipitation
soil characteristics: lots of litter (organic matter)
vegetation: shade-tolerant broadleaf deciduous trees

Question 9

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics of grasslands

Answer 9

basic climate of grasslands: seasonal fluctuations and low precipitation
soil characteristics: chernozem, very fertile because of lack of leaching due to precipitation. lots of organic matter and calcium carbonate
vegetation: tall and short grasses

Question 10

where are grasslands located on a map?

Answer 10

in continental areas in the 40 degree latitude area (midlatitude)

Question 11

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics of mediterranean shrubland

Answer 11

basic climate: less intense seasonal fluctuations, dry in summer, most rain in winter
vegetation: sclerophyll vegetation (hard leaves) arboriculture
soils: thin soils either due to erosion or historical use of land

Question 12

describe basic climate and vegetation and soil characteristics of tundra

Answer 12

basic climate: very cold
vegetation: tiny shrubs close to the ground
soil: permafrost, very slow decomposition

Question 13

can you describe the pattern of vegetation change on the North American continent from east to west at approximately 40 degrees N latitude?

Answer 13

midlatitude deciduous/temperate broadleaf forest -> oak savanna/woodland -> midlatitude grasslands with tall grass -> short grass prairie/short grass steppe -> desert

Question 14

How are transitions in vegetation communities with latitude and altitude similar? Why? Can you give examples of the vegetation changes?

Answer 14

they are similar because both get colder as you increase so the pattern of vegetations are similar. For example, at the top of some mountains you have tundra like you would at high latitude and both are needle-leaved forests after.