Land Biomes Flashcards
The living parts of an environment, plants and animals are _____ factors
Biotic
Features of an environment that are not alive such as soil, water, and climate are _____ factors
Abiotic
A large area characterized by its climate and the plants and animals that live there is a(n) _____
Biome
Name the three main types of forest biomes
Temperate deciduous, coniferous and tropical rain forests
Why do deciduous trees shed their leaves
To save water during the winter or dry season
What are two traits of conifers
They produce seeds in cones, and have leaves shaped like needles
What are three functions of the waxy coating on conifer leaves
It keeps the leaves from drying out
It keeps the needles from being damaged by cold temperatures
It allows the tree to keep most of its leaves year round
What are two reasons that few large plants grow beneath the trees of a conifer forest
The ground beneath conifers is often covered in thick layers of needles. Also very little light reaches the ground.
Why do tropical rain forests have more biological diversity than other places on earth
Rain forests have more different kinds of plants and animals than any other land biome.
Where do most animals live in the rain forest
In the canopy
Where are most of the nutrients in a tropical rain forest
The nutrients are in the plants
Which of the following is NOT a name for a grassland? Streppe Prairie Canopy pampa
canopy
What prevents temperate grasslands from having trees
- too much rain - grazing animals
- deep roots -rolling hills
grazing animals
a biome with clumps of trees and seasonal rains is a
- temperate grassland -desert
- savanna -tropical rain forest
savanna
Which animal is NOT an example of a large herbivore that lives on the african savanna
- Zebra -horse
- wildebeest -elephant
horse
A region with few plants, little rain, and extreme temperatures is called a
- prairie -desert
- grassland -savanna
desert
name four adaptations of desert plants
- plants grow far apart so they don’t compete for water
- some plants have shallow, wide spread roots that grow under the surface
- some have fleshy stems and leaves
- some plants leaves have a waxy coating for no water loss
stores water from plants under its shell
desert tortoise
recycles water from foods it eats
kangaroo rat
uses huge ears to get rid of body heat
jackrabbit
buries self in ground during dry season
spadefoot toad
a biome with very cold temperatures and little rainfall is called a
tundra
the layer of soil in polar tundra that is always frozen is called
perma frost
why are shallow rooted plants, such as grasses and small shrubs common in polar tundra
the thawed soil is too shallow for deep rooted plants
what is the main way alpine tundra differs from arctic tundra
it is found at the top of tall mountains
define the term tree lines
an elevation where trees cannot grown on a mountain
ecosystems in the ocean are called
marine ecosystems
what are the largest animals on earth
blue whales
tiny organisms that float near the surface of freshwater and marine environments are called
plankton
how do plankton use their food
they use photosynthesis to make food
what ocean temperature zone has the warmest water
surface zone
how does ocean temperature affect whales
they migrate from cold to warm areas to reproduce
name three ways life on earth depends on the ocean
- it provides precipitation through evaporation
- ocean temperatures affect worldly climate
- we depend on the ocean for food
name three kinds of intertidal areas
- mud flats
- sandy beaches
- rocky shores
name two ways certain organisms have adapted to living on rocky shores
they attach themselves to rocks, use glue and some hold fasts
name three marine organisms that live on coral reefs
algae, sponges, sea stars
a place where fresh water from rivers mixes with salty ocean water is an
estuary
estuaries are rich in nutrients so large numbers of ______ live there
plankton
how do animals in Sargasso Sea hide from predators
they are the same color as sargassums
why are fishes, birds and mammals able to survive in the polar ice ecosystem
they all rely on the large population of plankton
water in rivers, brooks and streams may flow from which three sources
melting ice
a spring
melting snow
a strong wide stream is called a
river
a stream of water joining a larger stream is called a
tributary
what is one important abiotic factor in freshwater ecosystems
how quickly water moves
attach to rocks
algae and moss
live under rocks
insects
use suction disks
tadpoles
zone that goes as dee as sunlight can reach; home to many photosynthetic plankton
open water zone
zone where no sunlight reaches; organisms feed on dead organisms from above
deep water zone
zone closest to the edge of a lake or pond; sunlight reaches the bottom
littoral zone
What makes it possible for Algae and plants to grow in the Littoral zone
The sunlight makes it possible
Name three organisms that live in the deep water zone
Catfish carp worms
Hey that wetlands are valuable
Supports many animals
helps with flood Central
and helps replenish underground water supplies
Where are freshwater marshes often found
In shallow areas along the shores of lakes ponds rivers and streams
Where are swamps found
In low-lying areas and beside slow-moving rivers
What happens when plants and animals at the bottom of the lake decompose
Oxygen is lost affecting the animals that live in the lake
How does a late start to become a forest
Sediment and leaves settle at the bottom of the lake
A wetland ecosystem with trees and vines is a
Swamp
An area of land that is sometimes underwater or has very moist soil is say
Wetland
A wetland ecosystem that has no trees but has other plans is a
Marsh
