Terrestrial Biomes Ecology Exam 3

Question 1

What are the 10 biomes?

Answer 1

Tropical rainforest
Tropical deciduous forest
Tropical grassland (savanna)
Temperate rainforest
Temperate deciduous forest
Temperate grasslands (prairie)
Temperate coniferous forest (taiga)
Hot desert
Cold desert
Tundra

Question 2

Tropical Rainforest Temperature

Answer 2

Occur in the warm, moist belt along the equator
Rain exceeds 230 cm/year
Temperature hot year round

Question 3

Tropical Rainforest soil

Answer 3

Soils are shallow and nutrient poor because many nutrients leached by heavy rainfall

Question 4

Tropical Rainforest litter

Answer 4

high rates of Net Primary Production and rates of litter input to forest floor
Little litter accumulates because decomposers consume the dead organic matter almost as rapidly as it falls to the forest floor

Question 5

Tropical Rainforest animals

Answer 5

high diversity of plant and animal life
Only 6% of land surface, but >50% of all species
A 10 km^2 area of tropical rainforest may contain 1500 species of flowering plants and up to 750 species of trees

Question 6

Tropical Rainforest Plant adaptations

Answer 6

Drip tips so water can drain easily
Dense growing, broadleaf trees
Vertically layered
Epiphytes→ as little light penetrates we find epiphytes attached to other plant

Question 7

Tropical Deforestation

Answer 7

Because of the low nutrient content in the soil→ does not support agriculture for extended periods of time
In addition to conserving biodiversity, the Amazon rainforest also produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen and many important crops
Some sites are cleared to create grasslands for cattle

Question 8

Tropical Deciduous Forest temp

Answer 8

Closer to the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer
2-3 months of the year for dry season

Question 9

Tropical Deciduous Forest animals

Answer 9

High plant and animal diversity but less than tropical rainforest
Roaming animals

Question 10

Tropical Deciduous Forest plants

Answer 10

thorn plants
Shed their leaves and allow for an understory of herbs and grasses to grow

Question 11

Tropical Deciduous Forest litter

Answer 11

The litter layer of dead and decaying leaves is much thicker here compared to tropical rainforest

Question 12

Tropical Deciduous Forest soil

Answer 12

More prone to logging and clearing because the soil is of better quality than tropical rainforest

Question 13

Hot Desert Temp

Answer 13

20-30 N and S of the equator
Below freezing at night to over 50 C over the day
Less than 30cm per year and occurs in short periods of winter and summer

Question 14

Hot desert soils

Answer 14

soils are poor and nutrient limited

Question 15

Hot Desert plants

Answer 15

Range from lacking vegetation to deserts with dwarf cherubs and succulents
Some areas have favorable moisture and have cacti and other plants

Question 16

Hot Desert plant adaptations

Answer 16

Reduction of leaves
Stem is the major photosynthetic structure and used for water storage
Not to the leaves but the stem
Development of defense structure (spines and chemicals)
To protect against water seeking herbivores
Thick waxy cuticle to reduce water loss
A dense coating of hairs (trichomes)
Trying to avoid water evaporation
Extensive underground root systems

Question 17

Hot desert animals

Answer 17

Camel (hump to store fat)
Cheetah
Jackrabbits

Question 18

Hot desert animal adaptations

Answer 18

Nocturnal lifestyle
Life in a burrow
Modified body shape
Eyes protected from the sun
Adaptations for reducing water loss
Specialized snouts, waxy body coatings and efficient kidneys
Reptiles excrete toxins in the form of uric acid
Wastes very little water in the process
Dry excretion

Question 19

Cold Deserts temp (nevada)

Answer 19

In the rain shadow of mountain
21-26 C and then freezing in the winter
<25cm of rain usually in the form of snow

Question 20

Cold Desert animals

Answer 20

Arctic fox
Kangaroo rat

Question 21

Cold deserts plants

Answer 21

Deciduous and spiny
No succulents because they are prone to freezing

Question 22

Tropical Grassland (Savanna) temp

Answer 22

Are hot, tropical areas with low or season a rainfall

Question 23

Tropical Grassland (Savanna) soil

Answer 23

Soils are poor in nutrients due to leaching and prone to fires
Micro environments of higher soil nutrients and moisture are found under tree canopies

Question 24

Tropical Grassland (Savanna) animals

Answer 24

Savannas support a large diversity of herbivores (invertebrate and vertebrate) that graze or browse the vegetation
A large number of insects, carnivores (e.g., lions), and scavengers (e.g., vultures) are also supported

Question 25

Tropical Grassland (Savanna) pants

Answer 25

Limit tree establishment along with fires

Question 26

Temperate Rainforest temp

Answer 26

Mild winters but abundant rainfall Dense coastal fog A small area Thin strip in northwest coast of North AMerica and Canada and southwest South America

Question 27

Temperate Rainforest litter

Answer 27

Litter layer is thick and spongy DECOMPOSITION IS SLOW because of the cold weather

Question 28

Temperate Rainforest plants

Answer 28

Vegetation→ evergreens, coniferous, spruces, redwoods Epiphytes are supported

Question 29

Temperate Deciduous Forest temp

Answer 29

30 and 60C Cold winters and warm, moist summers

Question 30

Temperate Deciduous Forest soils

Answer 30

soils are rich and fertile

Question 31

Temperate Deciduous Forest plants

Answer 31

Temperate deciduous forests grow where there is sufficient moisture to support the growth of large trees Oaks Hickories Maples Lose leaves in winter and then get new leaves

Question 32

Temperate Deciduous Forest animals

Answer 32

Species diversity is lower

Question 33

Temperate Deciduous Forest layers

Answer 33

4 vertical layers Upper canopy = All the dominant tree species Lower tree canopy Shrub layer Ground layer = Mosses

Question 34

Biomass TDF> TF

Answer 34

True

Question 35

Temperate Grassland (Prairie) temp

Answer 35

Summers are hot and winters are below freezing Not enough rainfall to support a forest, higher than a desert Lightning induced fires are frequent, and limit tree development

Question 36

Temperate Grassland soils

Answer 36

Soil is one of the richest in the world

Question 37

Temperate Grassland threats

Answer 37

Most prairies are converted for agriculture Hunting is also a threat

Question 38

Taiga temp

Answer 38

A very cold biome and below freezing for a long periods of time precipitation= snow

Question 39

Taiga soils

Answer 39

Short growing season and poor soils (acidify)

Question 40

Taiga Plants

Answer 40

Cone shaped trees

Question 41

Taiga plant adaptations

Answer 41

Reduced branches that will break

Question 42

Taiga animals

Answer 42

Caribou, snowshoe hare

Question 43

Tundra temp

Answer 43

Northern hemisphere North of taiga Low precipitation and permafrost and snow Water draining is limited

Question 44

Tundra soil

Answer 44

permafrost: Permanently frozen subsoil

Question 45

Tundra animals

Answer 45

Caribou, lemmings, Arctic hares, musk oxen

Question 46

Tundra plants

Answer 46

“treeless” Mosses Lichen

Question 47

Tundra plant adaptations

Answer 47

developing the ability to grow under a layer of snow to carry out photosynthesis in extremely cold temperatures Short roots to retain moisture

Question 48

Tundra plants continued

Answer 48

Tundra plants are photosynthetically active about three months out of the year they maximize use of the growing season and light by photosynthesizing during the 24-hour daylight period Erect leaves allow for almost complete interception of solar radiation