L9 Tropical and Sub-tropical Biomes Flashcards
What kind of canopy does a forest have
Closed canopy system
What can impact forest composition
Climate, soil and regional variation
What are the conditions in a broad-leaved evergreen forest
Continuous rain and high temperature
What kind of forests have a dry and wet season with high temperatures
Broad-leaved deciduous
What kind of forests are vulnerable to freezing
Broaf-leaved deciduous
What kind of forest is in a cold climate and has a short growing season
Needl-leaved evergreen
Where are tropical rainforests found
10 degrees to the N and S of the equator
Between the bands of Capricorn and Cancer
Roughly how many species are there per 0.1 ha of tropical rainforest
300
What are the climatic charateristics of a rainforest
High rainfall and warm temperature
What is the biodiversity and functional diversity like in rainforests
Both extremely high with many undiscovered species
What are some characteristics of the rainforest climate
Hot and humif
High rainfall
Remains frost free all year
What is the soil like in a tropical rainforest
Poor and infertile
Most nutrients obtained from very top layer of decaying leaf litter
Which soil has more organic matter: rainforest or temperate forest
Why
Temperate
Warm and humid conditions in rainforest encourage faster decay and recycling of nutrients
What are the layers of the rainforest
Emergent layer - tallest trees
Main canopy - eide
Intermediate layer - shade tolerant
Lianas layers - climbers and vines
Shrub layer
Ground layer
How do stranglers grow
Downwards and form roots then upwards and wider
Take over tree, host can die
What role can stranglers play in an ecosystem
Ecosystem engineers
How are roots adapted in rainforests
For anchorage, spread horizontally rather than depth