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Organisms and environment: Mini modules > From Biomes to Populations > Flashcards

From Biomes to Populations Flashcards

1
Q

What is a biome?

A

General term embracing each region with its characteristic climate, day length, topography, flora and fauna
Distinct biological communities the have formed in response to a shared physical climate

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2
Q

What two abiotic factors did Robert Whittaker use to classify biomes?

A

Precipitation (average precipitation)

Temperature (average annual temperature)

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3
Q

Describe a tropical rainforest biome.

A

No dry season: all months have average precipitation of at least 60 mm
Mean monthly temp: over 10 degrees every month
Poor soils due to high levels of precipitation
High levels of biodiversity

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4
Q

What is a true rainforest?

A

True rainforests are typically found between 10 degrees North and 10 degrees South of the Equator

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5
Q

What percentage of biotic species are indigenous to rainforests?

A

40-75%

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6
Q

What percentage of all living plants and animal species live in tropical rainforests?

A

50%

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7
Q

Why are tropical rainforests among the most threatened biomes globally?

A

Large-scale habitat fragmentation caused by geological processes, climate change and human actions
Species extinction

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8
Q

What is habitat fragmentation?

A

Process by which habitat loss results in division of large, continuous habitats into a greater number of smaller patches of lower total area that are isolated from each other by matrix of dissimilar habitats

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9
Q

What does patch isolation (of habitats) reduce?

A

Population connectivity

Probability of population persistence

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10
Q

How much of the world is boreal forest/ taiga?

A

World’s largest biome aside from the oceans

29% of world’s forest cover

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11
Q

Describe where boreal forests are found and what they are characterised by.

A

Found through the high northern latitudes, about 50 degrees N to 70 degrees N
Characterised by coniferous forests: mostly pines, spruces and larches

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12
Q

What are temperatures and seasons like in boreal forests?

A

Low average temp (only tundra and permanent ice caps are colder)
Sub-Arctic climate: large temperature range between seasons
Long, cold winter: 5-8 months
Short summer: 1-3 months

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13
Q

What are the two major types of boreal forest/ taiga?

A

Southern: closed canopy forest
Northern: lichen woodland or sparse taiga

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14
Q

Describe Southern boreal forests.

A

Closed canopy forest
Many closely spaced trees with mossy ground cover
Clearings with shrubs and wildflowers common

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15
Q

Describe Northern boreal forests.

A

Lichen woodland or sparse taiga
Trees are more spaced and lichen ground cover
Forest cover often stunted in growth form
In North America, ice-pruned and asymmetric with diminished foliage on the windward side

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16
Q

What are temperate deciduous forests?

A

Dominated by trees that lose their leaves each year

Found in areas with warm moist summers and mild winters

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17
Q

What are the three major areas of temperate deciduous forests in the Northern Hemisphere?

A

North America: mainly Eastern
East Asia
Europe

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18
Q

Where are some smaller areas of temperate deciduous forests?

A

Australasia
North America (Western)
Southern South America

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19
Q

What are some typical trees in temperate deciduous forests?

A 
Oak
Maple
Beech
Elm
Southern beech
20
Q

Where is the diversity of tree species higher in temperate deciduous forests?

A

Where winters are milder

Mountainous regions that provide an array of soil types

21
Q

Why have humans colonised temperate deciduous forests?

A

To harvest wood for timber and charcoal

22
Q

What has been the impact of humans’ use of temperate deciduous forests?

A

Many forests became fragmented by fields and roads
Introduction of exotic diseases threatening forest trees
Animals like deer expand range and proliferate

23
Q

Describe what a desert biome is like.

A

Barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs
Little precipitation, sometimes none
Living conditions hostile to plant and animal life
Lack of vegetation exposes ground to denudation

24
Q

What are the three types of desert climates?

A

Hot: between 30 degrees S and 30 degrees N
Mild: west coasts of continents, near tropical locations
Cold: polar climates

25
Q

How does the Stenocara gracilipes beetle survive in the Namib Desert in Southern Africa?

A

Survives by collecting water on rough back surface from early morning fogs and humid air

26
Q

How could deserts be useful for energy?

A

Solar energy to provide electricity

27
Q

What is an anthrome/ human biome?

A

Globally significant ecological patterns created by sustained interactions between humans and biomes
Examples: urban, village, cropland, rangeland, semi natural anthromes

28
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

Whole community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living components of their environment (like air, water, mineral soil)

29
Q

What do ecosystems normally include?

A 
Primary producers
Decomposers and detritivores 
Pool of dead organic matter 
Herbivores, carnivores and parasites 
Physical environment
30
Q

What is the primary productivity of an ecosystem?

A

Rate biomass produced per unit area by plants, the primary producers

31
Q

What is the gross primary productivity (GPP)?

A

Total fixation of energy by photosynthesis

32
Q

What is autotrophic respiration productivity? (RA)

A

Proportion energy fixed by photosynthesis that is lost by respiration

33
Q

What is net primary productivity?

A

Difference between GPP and RA, which represents the actual rate of production of new biomass available for consumption by heterotrophic organisms

34
Q

What is secondary productivity?

A

Rate production of biomass by heterotrophs

35
Q

What does autochthonous mean?

A

Organic matter produced by photosynthesis within an ecosystem’s boundaries

36
Q

What does allochthonous mean?

A

Organic matter imported from elsewhere

37
Q

What is consumption efficiency?

A

Energy consumed/ Energy available

38
Q

What is assimilation efficiency?

A

Energy assimilated/ energy consumed

39
Q

Why do organisms along the food chain have higher assimilation efficiencies?

A

Due to diet quality
Herbivores have plentiful supply but a lot of their food is non-digestible cellulose
Carnivores, eat proteins and fats which are richer and more readily digestible

40
Q

What is growth (production) efficiency?

A

Energy iced in tissues/ energy assimilated

41
Q

What are endotherms?

A

Warm blooded animals
High metabolic costs
>90% of energy income may be spent maintaining body temp

42
Q

What are ectotherms?

A

Cold blooded animals
Rely on external heat sources
Can devote more energy to production

43
Q

What is a community?

A

Naturally occurring group of plants, animals and other organisms interacting in a unique habitat

44
Q

What is mutualism?

A

The way 2 organisms of different species exist in a relationship in which each individual benefits from the activity of the other

45
Q

Example of mutualistic protectors?

A

Cleaner and client fish
Cleaning station where larger fish get ectoparasites removed
Food for the cleaning fish (eats the ectoparasites)

Organisms and environment: Mini modules (8 decks)

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