Lecture 30. Global Climates and Biomes

Question 1

What is ecology ?

Answer 1

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 2

What is the biosphere ?

Answer 2

The entire proportion of Earth that is inhabited by life

Question 3

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

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What are the soil horizons ?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What is the O layer ?

Answer 5

Litter layer

Question 6

What is the A layer ?

Answer 6

Mineral soil mixed with organic matter

Question 7

What is the B layer ?

Answer 7

Depositional horizon containing materials leached from A horizon

Question 8

What is the C layer ?

Answer 8

Weathered parent material

Question 9

What affects soil ?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What is a biome ?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What are the biomes ?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What is climograph ?

Answer 12

Relationship of climate to biomes

Question 13

What is global climate determined by ?

Answer 13

Mainly the input of solar energy

Question 14

What does global climate vary with ?

Answer 14

Latitude

Question 15

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

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What does the movement of heated air create ?

Answer 16

Three major air circulation cells on either side of the equator

Question 17

What does rising air release ?

Answer 17

Moisture as precipitation

Question 18

What does descending air absorb ?

Answer 18

Moisture creating arid conditions

Question 19

What happens in low pressure areas ?

Answer 19

Air rises and releases moisture as precipitation

Question 20

What happens in high pressure areas ?

Answer 20

Air descends absorbing moisture creating arid conditions

Question 21

What is primary productivity ?

Answer 21

Rate at which biomass is produced per unit area by plants

Question 22

What is net primary productivity ?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What does net primary productivity represent ?

Answer 23

The actual rate of production of the new biomass

Question 24

What is Raunkiaer plant life forms ?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What are the five categories of Raunkiaer plant life forms ?

Answer 25

1. Phanerophytes
2. Chamaephytes
3. Hemicryptophytes
4. Cryptophytes
5. Thermophytes

Question 26

What are phanerophytes ?

Answer 26

Trees

Question 27

What are chamaephytes ?

Answer 27

Small plants/bushes

Question 28

What are hemicryptophytes ?

Answer 28

Contain stolons and rhizones

Question 29

What are crytophytes ?

Answer 29

Not visible when dormant

Question 30

What are thermophytes ?

Answer 30

Seeds