Terrestrial Biomes Flashcards
what does a biome contain? why does it contain those things?
a biome contains characteristic communities of plants and animals that result from, and are adapted to, its climate
what are the major terrestrial biomes?
taiga, temperate rainforests, temperate seasonal forests, tropical rainforests, shrubland, temperate grassland, savanna, desert, and tundra
what varies among terrestrial biomes?
the global distribution of nonmineral terrestrial natural resources such as water and trees for lumber
why does the global distribution of nonmineral terrestrial resources vary?
because of some combination of climate, geography, latitude and altitude, nutrient availability, and soil
the worldwide distribution of biomes is:
dynamic
what does it mean that the worldwide distribution of biomes is dynamic?
the distribution has changed in the past and may again shift as a result of global climate changes
what is an example of the community of organisms in a biome being uniquely adapted to live in that biome?
camels and cacti have water preserving traits for the desert
shrubs and wildflowers store lots of energy in their roots to recover quickly from fire in grasslands
what can predict where biomes are found on earth?
a biome chart
why can a biome chart predict where biomes can be found?
because biomes are defined by annual temperature and precipitation averages
where are tundra and boreal biomes found and why?
at higher latitudes (over 60°) because they have low temperatures and little precipitation
- rainforests have _______ precipitation and _______ temperature
- deserts have _______ precipitation and _______ temperature
- taigas (aka boreal forests) have _______ precipitation and _______ temperature
- high, high
- low, high
- low, low
where are temperate biomes found and why?
at mid-range latitudes (30° to 60°) because of they have moderate temperatures and levels of precipitation
where are tropical biomes found and why?
near the equator because they have high temperatures and lots of precipitation
why do biomes exist in predictable patterns on earth?
latitude (distance from the equator) determines temperature and precipitation levels
what determines which plants can survive in a biome? why?
plants need soil nutrients to grow, so availability determines which plants can survive in a biome
what is an example of nutrient availability determining plant life in a biome?
the frozen soils of the tundra don’t allow nutrients in dead organic matter to be broken down by decomposers leading to low soil nutrients, low water availability, and few plants surviving there
what is nutrient availability like in tropical rainforests?
little nutrients in the soil because there is so much competition from many different plant species
what is nutrient availability like in taigas/boreal forests?
little nutrients in the soil because of the low temperatures and low decomposition rate of dead organic matter
what is nutrient availability like in temperate forests?
soil is rich in nutrients because there is lots of dead organic matter (leaves) and warm temperatures/moisture lead to a higher rate of decomposition
what effect does climate change have on biomes?
biomes shift in location on earth as the climate changes
what is an example of climate change shifting the location of biomes?
the warming climate will shift boreal forests further north as tundra permafrost soil melts and lower latitudes become too warm for aspen and spruce
