Lecture 30. Global Climates and Biomes Flashcards

1
Q

What is ecology ?

A

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment

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2
Q

What is the biosphere ?

A

The entire proportion of Earth that is inhabited by life

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3
Q

What are the abiotic factors that determine the distribution of organisms ?

A
  1. Temperature
  2. Water
  3. Sunlight
  4. Wind
  5. Rocks and soil
  6. Periodic disturbance
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4
Q

What are the soil horizons ?

A
  1. O layer
  2. A layer
  3. B layer
  4. C layer
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5
Q

What is the O layer ?

A

Litter layer

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6
Q

What is the A layer ?

A

Mineral soil mixed with organic matter

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7
Q

What is the B layer ?

A

Depositional horizon containing materials leached from A horizon

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8
Q

What is the C layer ?

A

Weathered parent material

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9
Q

What affects soil ?

A
  1. Parent material
  2. Climate
  3. Biotic factors
  4. Topography
  5. Time
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10
Q

What is a biome ?

A

A characteristic assemblage of plants and animals that develops upon a defined climatic template that is typical of broad geographic regions

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11
Q

What are the biomes ?

A
  1. Tropical forest
  2. Desert
  3. Grassland
  4. Temperate forest
  5. Coniferous forest
  6. Tundra
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12
Q

What is climograph ?

A

Relationship of climate to biomes

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13
Q

What is global climate determined by ?

A

Mainly the input of solar energy

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14
Q

What does global climate vary with ?

A

Latitude

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15
Q

What are the two reasons why global climate varies with latitude ?

A
  1. Spherical shape of the earth results in an uneven distribution of solar energy with respect to latitude
  2. Pattern of movement of air masses
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16
Q

What does the movement of heated air create ?

A

Three major air circulation cells on either side of the equator

17
Q

What does rising air release ?

A

Moisture as precipitation

18
Q

What does descending air absorb ?

A

Moisture creating arid conditions

19
Q

What happens in low pressure areas ?

A

Air rises and releases moisture as precipitation

20
Q

What happens in high pressure areas ?

A

Air descends absorbing moisture creating arid conditions

21
Q

What is primary productivity ?

A

Rate at which biomass is produced per unit area by plants

22
Q

What is net primary productivity ?

A

What is left after some primary productivity has been respires away by plants themselves

23
Q

What does net primary productivity represent ?

A

The actual rate of production of the new biomass

24
Q

What is Raunkiaer plant life forms ?

A

A diagram showing how five categories of plants grow in thriving conditions and the black represents how a plant grows under stress

25
What are the five categories of Raunkiaer plant life forms ?
1. Phanerophytes 2. Chamaephytes 3. Hemicryptophytes 4. Cryptophytes 5. Thermophytes
26
What are phanerophytes ?
Trees
27
What are chamaephytes ?
Small plants/bushes
28
What are hemicryptophytes ?
Contain stolons and rhizones
29
What are crytophytes ?
Not visible when dormant
30
What are thermophytes ?
Seeds