Lecture 5 CM Flashcards
Do all biomes arise in the same way?
No
What biomes are defined by temperature and latitude?
- Tundra
- Boreal forest
- Temperate forest
- Tropical forest
Rainfall variation creates other biomes (and vegetation types) within each latitude
- grassland (>6 month dry season + soil type, fire)
- drought-hardy scrub (>6 month dry season + soil type)
- deciduous tropical forest (<6 month dry season + soil type)
- peatlands (cool/mild climate with excessive rain)
What are the boundaries between biomes where rainfall patterns change abruptly?
the boundaries are sharp, especially near mountain ranges
- east and west of the Rocky Mountains (North America)
- east and west of The Andres (South America)
- north and south of The Atlas (North Africa)
- north and south of The Himalayas (Central Asia)
- or where Monsoon winds bring seasonal rainfalls e.g. N&S of Gujarat, India
What are the boundaries between biomes where rainfall patterns change more gradually?
the boundaries tend to be gradual
- across the Sahel between Central Africa and the Sahara
- across the Cerrado between Amazonia and Temperate South America
- across the Southern border of the Eurasian Taiga
What are seasonal changes in climate a function of?
they are a function of the Earths annual orbit around the sun
The global distribution of these biomes reflects what?
variation in mean temperature and precipitation
What does each biome have a characteristic level of?
they have a characteristic level of biodiversity that is strongly correlated with net primary productivity
What is taxonomic diversity?
the total number of species
What is functional diversity?
the total number of ecological jobs (niches) wet > dry
What is phylogenetic diversity?
the total amount of evolutionary diversity (correlated with climate stability)
