Terrestrial Flora

Question 1

Net primary productivity

Answer 1

amount of biomass produced by a plant, so it’s amount produced in photosynthesis - amount consumed in respiration

Question 2

annual net primary productivity

Answer 2

amount of biomass fixed by a community of plants
- varies widely depending on ecosystem i.e. very high in tropics, much lower in polar areas

Question 3

soil respiration

Answer 3

micro-organisms in soil performing cellular respiration on decaying matter

Question 4

Limiting factors

Answer 4

anything that LIMITS population bc essential for survival
ex: light, moisture, and temperature

Question 5

Light as limiting factor

Answer 5

photoperiodism - amount of light received in 24 hours, tends to increase as you go higher in latitude
in dense forest, gonna have tall but narrow trees to get sunlight + smaller trees below may die

Question 6

Moisture

Answer 6

adaptation to moisture excess or deficiency

Question 7

temperature

Answer 7

fewer plants/animals can survive in cold region
plants have limited cold tolerance bc theyre ALWAYS exposed to cold, can’t seek shelter like animals

Question 8

wind

Answer 8

in places w. extreme wind –> wind causes excessive drying bc of increased evaporation

Question 9

wildfires

Answer 9

can be useful in clearing away dead vegetation for new plants + animals to come
sometimes needed for plants to germinate

Question 10

Biome

Answer 10

collection of plants
and animals over a large area that have broadly similar adaptations and relationships with the environment and climate

Question 11

10 major biomes

Answer 11

1. Tropical rainforest
2. Tropical deciduous forest
3. Tropical scrub
4. Tropical savanna
5. Desert
6. Mediterranean woodland and shrub
7. Midlatitude grassland
8. Midlatitude deciduous forest
9. Boreal forest
10. Tundra

Question 12

ecotone

Answer 12

transition zones of competition between biozones

Question 13

xerophytes

Answer 13

plants that are built to withstand extremely dry conditions
examples:
-taproots = very deep thin roots to get water
-stems = spongy structures that store moisture
-hard, waxy leaves to inhibit evaporation
-can lie dormant for years till rain comes

Question 14

hydrophytic adaptations

Answer 14

plants suited for wet terrestrial environments
hydrophyte = in water, hygrophyte = moisture loving
many have extensive root systems to anchor to ground, while some that grow in standing/moving water have weak/pliable stems that withstand current

Question 15

Vertical zonation

Answer 15

significant changes in elevation over short distance –> cause diff plant to exist in relatively narrow zones
due to effects of temperature + precip

Question 16

tree line

Answer 16

elevation above which trees cannot survive

Question 17

Biome: Tropical rainforest

Answer 17

HIGH RAINFALL HIGH TEMPS
Climate: Af
1) greatest biodiversity
2) tall, broadleaf evergreens
3) layered structure (tallest trees - emergents, 2nd layer that provides shade, erratic 3rd layer)
4) Lots of available nutrients + stuff decomposes very quickly + majority of food in canopy
5) Limiting factors = none* (but canopy system means plants at bottom don’t get much light)
6) NPP = HIGH

Question 18

Biome: Tropical Deciduous Forest

Answer 18

Found in transition btwn Af + Aw climates
1) High temperatures BUT lesser (seasonal) rainfall than tropical rainforest
2) Less dense canopy –> lesser rain
3) More light reaches ground –> many trees shed leaves at same time in response to lack of rain
4) Less tree diversity, more shrubs/smaller plant diversity
5) Limiting factor = water
6) NPP = High to moderate

Question 19

Biome: Tropical Scrub

Answer 19

Found in Aw climate + BSh climate
1) dominated by low-growing, scraggly trees
2) lesser diversity
3) mainly evergreen in wetter portions of scrub, everywhere else it’s decidious
4) many ground-dwelling mammals, reptiles, birds, insects
5) Limiting factor = water

Question 20

Biome: Tropical Savanna

Answer 20

Located in ITCZ area (doesn’t fully overlap with Aw climate)
1) dominated by tall grasses + park savanna (scattering of trees)
2) vegetation altered by humans –> many biomes (trop. decidious, scrub) converted into savanna
3) pronounced seasons –> wet seasons –> tall green grass, dry season –> dead, brown, wildfire season
4) big game animals –> lions, giraffes, zebras

Question 21

Biome: Desert

Answer 21

midlatitude locations of Eurasia, NA, SA
closely correleated with BWh (subtrop. desert) and BWk (midlatitude desert) climates
1) variable vegetation –> mainly zerophytic plants
2) limited variety of large mammals –> appearance of stillness
3) IF is heavy rain –> transform desert, triggering germination of dormant wildflowers
4) limiting factor - water

Question 22

Biome: Mediterranean Woodland + Shrub

Answer 22

Found in midlatitudes in Cs climates
1) dominated by chapparal + grassy woodland + flowering plants
2) chapparal = small hard leaves to prevent moisture loss
3) mainly broadleaf evergreens + deep roots
4) rainless summers + summer fires –> plants adapted to rapid recovery
5) limiting factor = water
6) Climate = Cs (30-45 degree latitude)
7) NPP = medium

Question 23

Biome: Midlatitude Grassland

Answer 23

Occurs in midlatitude climates (BSh BSk)
1) tall grasses in wetter regions –> called praries, shorter grasses in dry region –> steppe
2) most plants perennials
3) fires common –> lack of shrubs
4) animals like bison BUT humans took over much of prarie
5) limiting factor = water

Question 24

Biome: Midlatitude Deciduous Forest

Answer 24

Located in Northern hemisphere
1) mainly broadleaf, deciduous trees
2) majority of it cleared for agriculture + human use
3) Full canopy in summer, beautiful fall colors winter
4) huge variety of plants, birds, animals
5) Climate = C
6) Limiting = Temperature, Light
7) NPP = medium to high

Question 25

Biome: Boreal Forest (Taiga)

Answer 25

Northern North America + Eurasia, follows subartic
1) simple assemblage plants –> mainly needleleaf conifers
2) trees taller + more densely populated in southern part of taiga –> longer summers there
3) deciduous shrubs common
4) bogs + swamps common –> caused by poor drainage bc of permafrost
5) Limiting factor - Temperature, light
6) Climate - D

Question 26

Biome: Tundra

Answer 26

Northern edge of Northern hemisphere, closely correlated w. Tundra (ET) climate
1) cold, arid grassland w. short, cool summers + limited moisture
2) many dwarf plants –> arranged in dense, ground-hugging arrangement (grasses, mosses, shrubs, lichens)
3) summer - water logging bc of permafrost
4) lots of birds + insects in summer
5) Limiting factor - temperature, light, water (bc of polar high)
6) NPP = low

Question 27

Forest vs woodland

Answer 27

forest = trees more densely together –> produces canopy
woodland = trees more spread apart

Question 28

as water becomes limiting what happens

Answer 28

forest, woodlands, scrubs, grasslands, deserts
**first to go are large trees, then scrubs, then grasses*