GY 101 Chapter 18

Prairies and steppes:

Have grasses whose height is dependent upon humidity; contain vegetation that must be able to withstand harsh winters and long, hot summers; have trees that are largely confined to riparian zones

Which of the following are characteristics of desert regions?

Have sparse vegetation and receives less than 25 cm of precipitation per year

You are most likely to encounter grasslands:

In central Africa, in southern Russia, in the interior of continents

A biome is:

a distinctive collection of organisms adapted to regional environmental conditions

The nonliving components, such as climate and soil, that can influence terrestrial biomes are known as _____ factors.

abiotic

A slope that receives more direct sunlight is warmer, drier, and is called a ____ slope. The opposite slope is colder and wetter, and is called a _____ slope.

adret; ubac

Which of the following statements regarding therophyte plants are correct?

Often flourish only after wet seasons Contain seeds that lie dormant during the dry season

Which of the following are characteristics of the temperate forest biome?

Precipitation in temperate forests is well distributed throughout the year; temperate forests experience cool to cold winters and warm to hot summers

Identify the type of economic factor involved in rain forest deforestation from its description.

Ranching: last areas of forest are cleared to maintain herds of grazing animals Mining: open surface pits are created to extract precious metals Logging: trees in an area are clear-cut to be sold at market Construction: swaths of forest are removed to build roads that support other economic activities that damage the forest

Identify each type of desert survival strategy used by plants (that does not directly involve water) from its description.

Reproduction: desert plants germinate and flower rapidly following periods of significant precipitation Dispersal: plants contain seeds or segments that detach when animals brush up against them Allelopathy: plants release toxins into the surrounding soil that poison neighboring plants

Match the type of grassland on the left with its proper description on the right.

Savanna: this type occurs in the tropical regions Prairie: tall grasses dominate outside tropical regions Steppe: short grasses dominate outside of tropical regions

Which of the following are type of adaptations used by plants to survive in desert environments?

Special leaf coatings to minimize water loss by transpiration; strategic positioning of their leave to minimize water loss by evaporation; large root systems to exploit deeply held reservoirs of water

Match the type of desert with its proper description:

Subtropical desert: Atmospheric circulation delivers dry air near the Tropics Rainshadow: moisture is removed from the air as it passes over mountains Continental: air is generally lacking moisture in the interior of landmasses Coastal: upwelling ocean currents cool and stabilize the atmosphere.

Match the biome to the type of general physical conditions that create it.

Subtropical scrub and woodland: hot temps, commonly seasonal precipitation Grassland: not as hot and not quite as dry as a desert

Match the type of desert with its proper description.

Subtropical: atmospheric circulation delivers dry air near the Tropics Rainshadow: moisture is removed from the air as it passes over mountains Continental: air is generally lacking in moisture in the interior of landmasses Coastal: upwelling ocean currents cool and stabilize the atmosphere

What type of biome would you expect to find in an area with an annual precipitation rate of 200 cm and an average temperature of 10 C?

Temperate forest

Match the biome with the region where it is located.

Temperate forest: Eastern North America and Europe Desert: Western North America and northern Africa Tropical rain forest: central Africa, southeast Asia, Brazil, and central America Boreal forest: alaska, Canada, and Siberia Grassland: central US and Australia

Rank the following regions in order of increasing amount insolation.

1. polar 2. mid-latitude 3. subtropics 4. tropics

Most aquatic organisms require a dissolved oxygen content of a least ______ mg/L to avoid becoming stressed.

6

How does coloration of fauna help them survive in desert environments?

Camouflaged animals can blend into their environment, helping them avoid predators; light-colored animals reflect sunlight, helping keep them cool.

Which of the following factors contribute to the deforestation of tropical rain forests?

Commercial logging; subsistence farming; mining for natural resources

Identify the type of desert that each example represents.

Continental: Gobi Subtropical: Sahara Coastal: Atacama Rainshadow: Patagonia

A ____ region receives less precipitation than it could lose to evaporation and other processes.

arid

Tundra is located:

at higher elevations in the Southern Hemisphere; mainly in the Northern Hemisphere

Desert, grasslands, rain forests, and freshwater are different types of:

biomes

The living factors, such as flora and fauna, that influence biomes are known as ____ components.

biotic

Hibernation, migration, and having insulating fur are some of the adaptations animals use to survive in the ____ biome.

boreal forest

High albedo and camouflage are two examples of how _____ helps animals adapt to desert environments.

coloration

Desertification is defined as:

converting other lands to desert regions

______ is the process that converts other lands to desert regions.

desertification

The subtropical scrub and woodland biome:

does not receive enough seasonal moisture to support large forests; contains small patches of forests interspersed within woodlands; experiences hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters

The transitional zone between adjacent biomes is known as a:

ecotone

Broadleaf evergreens are most likely to be found in _____, whereas deciduous trees are more likely to be found in ____.

equatorial rain forests; non equatorial rain forests

_____ trees retain their leaves or needles year-round, although individual needles do die and are replaced by new growth.

evergreen

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the boreal forest biome?

extensive permafrost results in a treeless expanse

Chaparral vegetation benefits from periodic ____ events, which crack the seeds and allow germination to begin.

fire

Creating fuel breaks and performing prescribed burns are two ways that humans have altered natural ____ regimes in the scrub and woodland biome.

fire

Biomes are identified by:

geography, vegetation, climatic conditions

In an effort to conserve limited water resources, most desert plants until after a significant rainfall event to:

germinate and reproduce

Which of the following nutrients limit productivity in aquatic systems?

iron, phosphorus, nitrogen

Despite its destructive nature, fire has numerous benefits to biomes, including:

killing diseases and harmful insects; returning nutrients to the soil; allowing for new successional cycles to begin

This words means "crooked wood" in German and is the name for deformed trees that grow near the tree line.

krummhoiz

The net primary productivity (NPP) of a terrestrial biome is controlled by four facts, which include:

length of growing season, average yearly temperature, precipitation, and nutrient availability

Animals common in savannas include:

lions, gazelles, and giraffes

In order to survive the harsh tundra environment, organisms can:

migrate, hibernate, or develop layers of fat and fur

The scrub and woodland biome is found in:

most of India, coastal southern California, parts of the Mediterranean basin

The depth to ____ varies in different types of tundra, so the thickness of the active later also varies.

permafrost

_____ is permanently frozen soil that occurs in colder regions.

permafrost

A ____ is a type of plant that utilizes a deep taproot system to gain access to groundwater.

phreatophyte

Animals with smaller body sizes tend to _____ more easily.

radiate (lose) body heat

Rain forests have a number of identifying characteristics, including:

rapid rates of nutrient recycling, abundant precipitation, a great diversity of plants, animals, insects, and microbes

While evergreen trees _____ year-round, deciduous tree ____ as daylight hours and temperatures decrease.

retain their leaves; drop their leaves

The ____ biome is the largest on Earth.

saltwater

A ____ is a subtype of the grassland biome located in tropical settings with year-round warm temperatures.

savanna

A _____ organism is tolerant to drought and fire.

schlerophyllic

______ regions, such as the Sahel, are those that are intermediate between true deserts and more humid regions.

semiarid

Thawing permafrost can results in:

slope failure that can damage structures; loss of support for buildings, airports, and roads

Wildfires can destroy wood and food resources and "bake" ____ particles, which can lead to increased flooding and erosion of the ground surface.

soil

_____ and ______ are the two most important factors that affect the global distribution of terrestrial biomes.

temperature; moisture

A number of abiotic factors influence aquatic biomes, including:

temperature; saltwater concentration; sunlight

A riparian zone is:

the collection of trees, shrubs, and grasses that forms along streams

Riparian zones are important because:

the combination of water and vegetation attracts a great diversity of animals; they create habitat for birds and vegetations that are not common in other parts of the environment

Xerophytic organisms are:

tolerant to arid environments

____ is a type of seasonal nomadism in which people move to optimal elevations to experience the best temperatures and animal fodder at a particular time of year.

transhumance

During the 1990s, the Brazil, central Africa, and Indonesia had the highest rates of ______ in the world, though rates have slowed since then.

tropical rain forest deforestation

The deforestation of _____ are a serious concern because the biome is a major storehouse for biodiversity, an important reservoir for carbon, and a major producer of atmospheric oxygen.

tropical rain forests

Biomes are usually identified based upon _____, although sometimes geographic or climatic considerations are also used.

vegetation

Orographic precipitation occurs on the _____ side of mountains, when air is forced upslope of mountainous areas and condenses.

windward

Which of the following sets of conditions has the potential to support the greatest amount of vegetation?

Abundant insolation, abundant rainfall, above-freezing temperatures, occasional wildfires

The ____ is the largest and most diverse rain forest.

Amazon

Environments on opposite sides of mountains can vary because differences in ______.

Elevation, slope orientation, wind intensity, precipitation

Match each vertical layer of the rain forest to its proper description.

Emergent: the tall trees of this layer have access to ample sunlight but must deal with high temperatures Canopy: this is the "roof" of the rain forest where most animal species live Shrub and understory: plants in this shaded layer have broad leaves to capture sunlight Forest floor: this is a dark, humid environment where organic matter decomposes

True or false: Environmental conditions on mountain sides change gradually with changes in elevation.

False

Most boreal forests are found in the ______ Hemisphere. They are lacking in the ______ Hemisphere because there aren't landmasses at the appropriate latitudes or elevations to support boreal forests.

Northern; Southern

______ experience four distinct seasons, and exhibit a well-developed understory that supports mosses, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Mid-latitude deciduous forsts

Desert animals have several ways to avoid excessive heat, including:

Nocturnal (night) activity; summer dormancy

In which of the following locations would you not find large evergreen temperate forests?

The Great Plains

The tundra biome does not have trees because:

The freezing/thawing cycle of the active soil layer prevents tree growth

What is the tree line?

Trees do not grow above this transition on a mountainside

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the tundra biome?

Trees restricted to riparian zones

Which of the following plants are characteristic of the scrub and woodland biome?

Trees with thick bank to protect against fire; drought-resistant plants; grasses with deep root systems

Place the following terrestrial biomes in order of their productivity, placing the biome with the highest productivity at the top and the lowest productivity at the bottom.

Tropical rain forest Temperate forest Boreal forest Grassland Tundra

Match the biome with the dominant vegetation type:

Tundra: low=lying brushes, shrubs, and lichens Temperate forests: deciduous and evergreen trees Grassland: tall and short grasses Rain forest: evergreens that require substantial precipitation Desert: vegetation adapted to dry conditions

Arrange the following terrestrial biomes in order of the amount of carbon stored in the soil.

Wetlands Boreal forests Temperate grasslands Tundra Croplands