Rural Environments 5.1 Biomes and Their Global Distributions

Question 1

biosphere

Answer 1

contains all the worlds plants and animal life

Question 2

biodiversity

Answer 2

the number and variety of living species found in a given area or ecosystem

Question 3

biomes (2)

Answer 3

• biodiversity is broken down into major divisions known as biomes
• there are 11 biomes altogether

Question 4

examples of biomes (9)

Answer 4

• tropical rainforest
• savanna
• desert
• mediterranean
• deciduous forest
• temperate grassland
• boreal (coniferous) forest
• tundra
• highland

Question 5

the tropical rainforest biome (3)

Answer 5

• occurs along or close to the equator
• because of the constantly high temperatures and rainfall, vegetation grows more quickly than anywhere else here, producing the highest primary productivity
• the largest area occurs in the Amazon basin of South America

Question 6

the Savanna Biome (4)

Answer 6

• occurs along the equator and close to it, but where the climate is much drier
• due to this the primary productivity is much lower
• contain scattered bushes and grasses
• mainly in Africa

Question 7

the Desert Biome (4)

Answer 7

• lack of vegetation due to lack of rainfall
• extends over a wide range of latitudes
• some of it occurs in tropics (Sahara Desert in Africa), some outside of tropics (Asia)
• due to this, deserts experience a range of different temperature conditions

Question 8

the Mediterranean biome (2)

Answer 8

• distinctive climate of winter rain and summer drought

- the typical plants (mixture of small trees, low scrub and grassland) have adjusted to cope with the drought conditions

Question 9

the deciduous forest biome (2)

Answer 9

• because of low winter temperatures, the trees shed their leaves
• the three main areas are= North America, Europe and East Asia

Question 10

the Temperate Grassland biome (2)

Answer 10

• grasses are dominant because the climate is unsuitable for trees and shrubs
• main areas are= North American prairies and Eurasian steppes

Question 11

the Boreal (coniferous) forest (2)

Answer 11

• occurs in high latitudes, and stretches as a belt across North America and Eurasia
• the leaves of the trees are needle-like to withstand the cold and loss of moisture

Question 12

the Tundra biome (3)

Answer 12

• long and bitterly cold winters, short hours of winter sunshine, strong winds, small amount of precipitation
• due to this plant growth is difficult, and vegetation (grasses, mosses, lichens and dwarf trees) is usually stunted and grows close to the ground
• stretches around the north pole

Question 13

the Highland biome (4)

Answer 13

• occurs in the high mountains
• climatic conditions similar to those in tundra
• very cold because temperatures decrease with altitude
• the cold and strong winds mean that most of precipitation falls as snow