L11 - Biogeography and Biomes

Question 1

Who was the first person to attempt to define global bioregions?

Answer 1

Philip Lutley Sclater - 1858

- Expert on tropical birds from Americas

Question 2

Who can be considered the ‘founding father’ of biogeography?

Answer 2

Alfred Russel Wallace - 1878

-

Question 3

What are the modern biographic provinces

Answer 3

Nearctic
Neotropical
Palearctic
Afrotropical
Indo-Malay
Australasian

(newer)
Oceanic
Antarctic

Question 4

What are the two main types of Historical Biogeography?

Answer 4

Vicariance Biogeography - The geography of barriers

Dispersal Biogeography - The geography of dispersal

Question 5

Give an example of historical biogeography?

Answer 5

Arid vegetation separated by tropical rainforest.

Question 6

List key barriers

Answer 6

• Continental drift
• Ecosystem change leaving species isolated
• Impassible areas; mountains, deserts, oceans…etc
• Rising and falling sea level

Question 7

List key dispersal mechanisms

Answer 7

• Continental drift
• Wind
• High mobility as a species e.g. Flight

Question 8

Main Cenozoic ‘docking events’

Answer 8

50 mya - India-Southern Asia
20 mya - Africa-Southwestern Asia
8 mya - Africa-Southern Europe
3.5 mya - South America-North America

Question 9

Define a biome

Answer 9

“A biological subdivision that reflects the ecological and physiognomic character of the vegetation. Biomes are the largest geographic biotic community that is convenient to recognize”

• Defined by dominant type of natural vegetation
• Many controlling factors
• Independent from biogeographic realms

Question 10

Name key controls effecting biome distribution

Answer 10

• Latitude
  
  • Insolation
  • Seasonality
    
    • Length of growing season
• Altitude and topography
• Continentally
• Soil Fertility
  Influence Climate
  
  • Precipitation
  • Temperature
  • Wind Patterns

Question 11

Why are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn at 23.5o?

Answer 11

• Reflects tilt of the Earth

- Limit of when the Sun may appear directly overhead

Question 12

Name the 14 biomes

Answer 12

Tropical & Subtropical
   - T & S Moist broadleaf forest
   - T & S Dry broadleaf forest
   - T & S Coniferous forests  
   - T & S Savannah
   - Mangroves
   - Deserts
 Temperate
   - Temperate grassland
   - Alpine grassland
   - Temperate coniferous
   - Temperate broadleaf
   - Mediterranean
   - Flooded grassland
Polar
   - Boreal Forest
   - Tundra

Question 13

How many freshwater biomes are there

Answer 13

12 - Split into ‘lentic’ (still) and ‘lotic’ (flowing)

Question 14

What is an endolithic biome?

Answer 14

The microscopic biomes within rock

Question 15

How many marine biomes are there

Answer 15

14

Question 16

Give an example of a diffuse biome transition?

Answer 16

Elevation

Question 17

Give an example of a sharp biome transition

Answer 17

Temperature-controlled divide between Boreal Forest and Tundra - permafrost

Question 18

What % of the Earth surface was covered in ice 10,000 years ago?

Answer 18

30%

Today - 10%

Question 19

What impact does glaciation have on desert size?

Answer 19

Expansionary

Question 20

What does the IPCC predict will be the effect of climate change on precipitation?

Answer 20

Increase it.