Topic 7 - People And The Biosphere Flashcards
Questions to think about with biomes
What makes a biome different?
What is the vegitation like?
What animals live there?
What is the climate like?
What is a biome?
A large scale destinctive vegitation found in ecosystems globally
What is an ecosystem?
All living and non-living things in a region (Abiotic and biotic)
How does climate affect biomes
Climate determines possible vegitation and thus biome, along with constituents e.g rock minerals which also determine biome
Flora is:
Plants
Fauna is:
Animals
Abiotic is
Rock, soil, water
Biotic:
Flora and fauna
What is the general trends for climate?
Reikland (centre) Tropical forest
Talabecland(outer centre) Tropical grassland
Middenland(middle) Desert
Nordland(centre middle)Temperate forests
Norsca(middle) Temperate grassland
Chaos (out middle) Taiga
Chaos wastes (edge) Tundra
Decidious trees vs Carniferous trees
Lose trees in winter (dec) vs keep leaves in winter (car)
Distribution of climates (not WH)
Equator - rainforests
North + South - Tropical Grassland / Desert
Further north + south - Temperate forest + grassland
Poles - Tundra
Tropical rainforests
Hot all year (20 minimum, 27’c plus typically) with very high rainfall (200-3000mm precipitation)
Dense forests with several layers of leaves
Tropical grasslands
Hot all year (25-35’c) with very low rainfall
Has dry seasons, tall grass with drough adaptations
Deserts
Very hot all year (30’c+), Extremely low rainfall
Cold night, scarce plants with water saving adaptations
Temperate grasslands
Hot summer (25’c )
Very cold in swinter (-40’c)
500-900mm precipitation
Deciduous trees
Boreal forests
Mild summers (10-20’c) Sub 0 winters, less than 500mm precipitation Coniferious trees
Tundra
Below 0’c most of year (10’c summer)
Less than 250mm precipitation
Short daylight hours, few plants, trees rare and stunted
Local factors influencing biomes:
Rocks (geology) Soil Drainage basins / drainage Rainfall Temperatures Altitude
Altitude:
Temperature drops 0.5’c or 1’c per 100m
Mountains more exposed to wind and precipitation.
Steeper slopes mean thinner soil
Forest biomes decrease with altitude.
Rocks:
Rock durability
Permeability -> drainage
Also acidity / alkaline content may influence vegetation
Soils:
Comprised of rock, water and dead plants.
Differening plants grow in differing soils.
E.g
Sandy soil - drains easily
Clay soil - sticky, few air gaps. Water fails to drain
Chalky soil - light brown, water drains easy
Peat - composed of dead plants. Dark and rich in nutrients. Acidic
Drainage:
Impermeable rocks may lead to waterlogged surfaces.
Water logging prevents growth
—-> peat bog and marshlands form
Specific vegetation grows
What is an ecosystem equilibrium?
When everything within the ecosystem is in balance, and biotic biomass balances abiotic consumption. Regulates biotic life,
Repair is balanced with destruction
Gershmels cycle
Describes nutrient movement.
Precipitation Fallout Biomass Uptake path Weathering
\ / /
Litter ——> Decomposition ——> Soil
Just see book you doink
