Lecture 9: Biomes and Nutrient Cycles Flashcards
What are the 4 types of terrestrial biomes?
- Arctic Tundra
- Taiga coniferous forest
- Temperate deciduous forest
- Desert
How do climatic factors influence the origin and distribution of the Arctic (and alpine) Tundra?
Where is the tundra? What is the climate? What vegetation dominates?
The Tundra biome covers the expanse of the Arctic, including the Alpine Tundra. The cold temperatures and general lack of precipitation restricts the vegetation growth here to mostly mosses, lichen, grasses, and some dwarf trees.
How do climatic factors influence the origin and distribution of the Taiga (northern coniferous forest)?
The Taiga is the coniferous forest that stretches around North America and Eurasia to the edge of the Tundra.
There is little rain here with periodic droughts, and very cold winters with warm summers. This climate allows coniferous plants to dominate such as pine, spruce, and fir trees.
How do climatic factors influence the origin and distribution of the temperate deciduous forest?
The Temperate Deciduous Forest covers the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (and some areas of the southern hemisphere). The large amounts of precipitation and mild winters and warm-hot summers allow for vast diversity of vegetation. Mostly dominated by deciduous trees such as oak and maple trees.
How do climatic factors influence the origin and distribution of the desert?
The Desert covers areas that are 30 degrees north or south in latitude (and sometimes the interior of continents). The harsh climate conditions here of temperatures ranging daily from extreme heat to extreme cold and little amounts of precipitation restrict the vegetation growth here to primarily scattered succulents and some deep rooted shrubs.
Compare and contrast organic and inorganic compounds
Organic compounds are carbon-containing molecules that originated from a living organism. Whereas, inorganic compounds are molecules that originated from abiotic sources such as the atmosphere.
Carbon can be both inorganic (CO2 from the atmosphere) and it can be organic (from organisms).
What are 2 major functions of organic compounds? What are the sources of these compounds for autotrophs vs. heterotrophs?
The 2 major functions of organic compounds are:
- to provide an energy source (such as sugars) to living beings
- to provide a carbon source for essential molecules in living beings (such as carbohydrates).
The sources of these compounds for autotrophs are sunlight for energy source and inorganic carbon source from atmospheric CO2.
VS. the sources for these compounds for heterotrophs are chemical energy source and an organic carbon source from consuming organic compounds from other organisms
Define the biogeochemical cycle. What are the main components?
The biogeochemical cycle is all of the chemical cycling that occurs in an ecosystem that involves both biotic and abiotic components.
The main components are: biotic and abiotic.
What is an example of a molecule within animals that is built from nitrogen?
The amino acids and proteins that create DNA are all built by nitrogen
What is an example of a molecule within animals that is built with nitrogen?
The amino acids and proteins that create DNA are all built with nitrogen
What is the major nitrogen reservoir on earth?
The atmosphere contains 78% of the free Nitrogen gas (N2).
What are the two forms of nitrogen that plants can use? are they organic or inorganic compounds?
Ammonium (NH3+) and Nitrate (NO3-).
These are both inorganic compounds
What are the two forms of nitrogen that plants can use? are they organic or inorganic compounds?
Ammonium (NH3+) and Nitrate (NO3-).
These are both inorganic compounds
T or F: Animals can only obtain organic forms of nitrogen?
TRUE.
Animals cannot obtain inorganic nitrogen or convert inorganic nitrogen.
T or F: Animals can only obtain organic forms of nitrogen?
TRUE.
Animals cannot obtain inorganic nitrogen or convert inorganic nitrogen, they must consume organisms like plants that have nitrogen in them.
