Lecture 19 - Chapter 23: Terrestrial Biomes Flashcards
What is biogeography?
the study of organisms spatial distribution with the goal of examining how these distribution patterns came to be
What are biomes?
large, distinct terrestrial region with similar climate, soils, plants, and animals - regardless of where it occurs in the world
What two factors specifically determine the distribution of biomes?
Temperature
Precipitation
What are life forms?
Trees, shrubs, and grasses
List the 9 predominant biomes
- tropical rain forest
- tropical savanna
- temperate grassland
- desert
- chaparral
- temperate deciduous forest
- temperate rain forest
- boreal forest
- tundra
How do the life forms move?
across a moisture gradient
Define deciduous leaves
- die every season
- an adaptation to survive cold winters or dry seasons - strong presence of strong seasonality
- can be broadleaf (most common) or needleleaf
Define Evergreen leaves
- retained year round
- two types of leaves:
1. broadleaf - found in regions with year-round growing seasons
2. Needleleaf - found in regions with short growing seasons (higher latitude) & often where soils are nutrient poor
In terms of moisture describe where a tropical rain forest would fall:
warm, wet, and no seasonality
In terms of moisture describe where a tropical savanna would fall:
warm, wet, dry seasons
In terms of moisture, describe where a desert would fall:
Arid (dry) conditions year round
In terms of latitude & moisture, describe where a tropical rain forest would fall:
-low latitude (equator) - warm tropics
-wettest at of all 9 biomes
- evergreen broadleaf trees found here
What biomes would fall under mid-latitude, cooler, and seasonal areas ?
- temperate forest
- temperate rainforest
- temperate grass land
- chaparral
What biomes would fall under high latitude, cold, and short growing season?
- Boreal forest
- tundra
What is the smallest biome?
Chaparral - Mediterranean area
List the characteristics of a Tropical Rain Forest
- tree dominated
- hot all year round - 64.4F average
- rainy season - at least 60mm(2 inches) rain/month
- Fast decomposition
- Deep soils
- High NPP
- High diversity with a complex forest structural complexity
What is NPP?
What vegetation is in a tropical rain forest?
Trees
vines
palms
orchids
herbs
shrubs
mosses
What animals live in a tropical rain forest?
Monkeys, sloths, jaguars, frogs, birds, ocelots
List the characteristics of the Tropical Savanna
- Periodic fires (lightning strikes)
- adopted to frequent fires
- low rainfall, highly seasonal
- nutrient poor-soils
- Low NPP
- High temperatures 64.4F
What vegetation is in a tropical savanna?
- grasses
- trees
- shrubs
List the animals in a tropical savanna
- Grazers
- zebras
- elephants
- wildebeest
- lions
List the characteristics of Temperate Grasslands
- grass - dominated
- hot summers - cold winters
- rich soils with lots of organic material
- fairly high NPP
- Periodic fires (adapted to this)
List the vegetation in Temperate grasslands
- grasses
- wildflowers
- occasional deciduous shrubs
List the animals in a temperate grasslands
bison, foxes, prairie dogs, wolves, birds
List the characteristics of the Desert
- Hot and dry but gets cold at night
- cool, dry deserts do exist
- poor soils, low NPP
- sparse plant cover, exposed soils
- drought evasion or resistance is critical for survival
List the vegetation in the Desert
- cactus, yucca, sagebrush
- trees & shrubs with thick stems and/or deep roots
List the animals in the desert
snakes, birds,
rodents,
spiders
scorpions
List the characteristics of Chaparral (temperature shrublands)
- Mediterranean climate - mild and moist winter - dry and hot summer
- small evergreen - shrubs and trees
- thin and not very nutrient soils, low NPP
- fires
list the vegetation in Chaparral
fire and drought adapted trees & shrubs - oaks, pines, sagebrush
sclerophyllous leaves
What does sclerophyllous mean?
leaves that are adapted to long periods of dryness and heat
list the animals of Chaparral
mule
deer
coyote, birds, rodents
List the characteristics of Temperate deciduous forest
- mostly deciduous broadleaf trees, some evergreen needleleaf trees
- hot summers, cold winters, moderately wet
- deep, rich soils, relatively high NPP
- fairly complex forest
List the vegetation in Temperate deciduous forest
- deciduous trees like oak, maple, beech
- conifers (pine and hemlock)
- dense understory - shrubs and herbs
List the animals in the Temperate Deciduous Forest
deer, bears, foxes, squirrels, insects, amphibians
List the characteristics in the Temperate rain forest
- evergreen, needleleaf trees
- high precipitation, dense fog
- cool temperature
- mild winters
- fairly nutrient-rich soils, high NPP
list the vegetation in Temperate rain forest
- mostly coniferous trees like hemlock, cedar, fir, mosses, lichens, and ferns
List the animals in temperature rain forest
elk, deer, amphibians, owl, reptiles
List the characteristics of Boreal Forest
- evergreen, needleleaf trees dominant
- long, cold winters, short summers
- fairly dry, permafrost often present
- poor soils, slow decomposition (cold), low NPP
- Fire is common
What is permafrost? and where it is found?
A wet active layer
1. Boreal forest
2. Tundra
List the vegetation in Boreal forest
- mostly coniferous trees (pine, fir, spruce)
- little understory vegetation (very dark)
- fire adapted trees
List the animals in Boreal forest
- bears, moose, caribou, wolves, rabbits, squirrels, owls
List the animals in the Tunda
weasels
artic foxes
snowshoe fares
polar birds
insects
List the vegetation in the tundra
mosses, lichens, grasses, sedges, dwarf shrubs
List the characteristics in Tundra
- northern latitudes
- no trees
- permafrost
- little precipitation
- short growing season
- soils rich in organic matter, wet active layer, low NPP (cold)
