Exam 4: Biomes

What does "high mountain" mean in Latin?

"Alpes"

Taiga is Russian for what?

"Forest"

Boreal is Greek for what?

"Northwind"

Lakes are least stratified during what seasons? During what season does a lake have a thermocline? Why?

-Spring and Autumn -Summer, because the sun heats the surface

Where are example of Temperate Deciduous Forests?

Northeast US, Europe and easter China

Deserts cover how much of the earth?

One fifth

What are Hermatypic corals?

Reef building corals

Tropical Deciduous Forests are also called what? (2)

Seasonal Forests and Monsoon Forests

What do deciduous trees do?

Shed their leaves each years

Lakes and Ponds are what type of aquatic biome?

Standing water

What are the most important attributes of terrestrial biomes? (2) Why?

Temperature and precipitation because they influence soil type

What are the most important attributes of Aquatic biomes? (3)

Temperature, Salinity and water depth

What are the two basic types of biomes?

Terrestrial and Aquatic

Where is an example of Tropical Rain Forest? ?CHECK THIS?

The Amazon

What effect does altitude have on biomes?

The higher in altitude you go, you get the same change in biomes as if you were going up in latitude.

Where does Taiga (AKA Boreal Forest) occur?

To the south of tundra

Where is an an example of a desert?

Utah, USA

Where is an example of a Temperate Rain Forest?

Washington, USA

What is Dessication?

When water completely evaporate from an organism, many times killing it

What is an Estuarine Marsh? Advantages? (2) Disadvantages? (2)

Where salt water mixes with freshwater runoff from land Ads: Generally no wave shock; high availability of nutrients Dis: Varying salinities; strong currents associated with tides

Symbiotic relationship between corals and zooxanthellae: What do zooxanthellae provide? What do corals provide?

Zoo: Provide 90% of the coral's energy requirements -Photosynthesis -Absorb water products Corals: Provide shelter and a safe and stable environment

Of the following, which is not a biome? a) Taiga b) Mangrove c) Tundra d) Desert

b) Mangrove

What is an estuary? a) the land area that drains water in a a lake b) the area where a river meets the ocean, where fresh and salt water mix c) the underground water that provides for an area

b) The area where a river meets the ocean; fresh and salt water mix

Which of the following biomes receives the least amount of precipitation? a) Arid desert b) Monsoon forest c) Tree savanna d) Semiarid desert

a) Arid Desert

Temperate Forest include all of the following except a) Tundra b) Deciduous forest c) Evergreen forest d) Boreal forest

a) Tundra

Where do you find hot and dry deserts?

Near the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn

What do coniferous trees have?

Needle-like leaves that have little surface wear, thus minimizing surface evaporation

How have organisms adapted to survive the harsh conditions of intertidal zones? What are 4 examples of organisms that have adapted?

1. Attach themselves to rocky surfaces 2. Survive periodic drying out 3. Burrow in sad to escape breaking waves 1. Sand crab 2.Fast burrowing clams 3. Sturdy polychete worms 4. Interstitial animals

How do organisms combat the harsh life on the tide pools? (4)

1. Cling on tightly 2. Find cover in crevice 3. Strong shells 4. Prevent desiccation by closing up or staying under wet algae

Characteristics of Tropical Rain Forests (9)

1. Closed forests with an almost continuous canopy 2. Soils tend to be highly weathered and low in organic matter 3. Abundant decomposers like bacteria and fungi 4. Birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, epiphytes, orchids 5. When deforested tropical rain forest dries out and is easily eroded 6. Equatorial regions 7. Host and enormous diversity of organisms 8. Temperature and precipitation are big 9. Growing Season lasts all year

Characteristics of Alpine Biomes

1. Cold 2. High UV rays 3. Warm blooded animals that hibernate

Characteristics of Taiga

1. Cold winters 2. Short growing seasons 3. Low precipitation 4. Coniferous trees dominate 5. Large migratory animals like moose and caribou 6. Birds, insects (e.g. midges)

Characteristics of Tropical Deciduous Forest (4)

1. Equatorial 2. Main seasonal variation is precipitation 3. Very bio-diverse 4. Global carbon cycle

What are the 4 layers of a closed forest from the ground up?

1. Forest floor 2. Understory 3. Canopy 4. Emergent layer

Characteristics of Chaparral

1. Hot, dry summer; cool, wet winter 2. Low scrubby evergreen bushes short trees 3. Most of the plants have small, hard leaves which hold moisture

Characteristics of Deserts

1. Low-precipitation extreme 2. Arid 3. Many nocturnal animals 4. Plant cover is sparse e.g. cacti, succulents

Characteristics of Lakes/Ponds

1. Occupies a depression in the land, filled with freshwater 2. Contain several zones defined by depth, temperature and distance from the shore 3. Warmer zones tend to be more biologically productive 4. Seasonally stratified

Characteristics of Tundra (7)

1. Permafrost 2. Winters are long, cold and harsh; summers are short an cool 3. Treeless 4. Small Plants; short growing seasons; examples are mosses, lichen, dwarf shrubs 5. Small mammals like voles and marmots 6. Migratory animals 7. Sensitive environment; hard to regenerate if disturbed

Oceans can be divided in what 2 ways?

1. Proximity to shore 2. By depth and penetration of light

What do mangroves do?

1. Root system traps and hold sediment, thus protecting against erosion and extreme weather 2. Stabilizing effect and expansion of delta and coastal wetlands 3. Root system is a safe haven for organisms (often called "nature's nursery"

Characteristics of Temperate Deciduous Forest

1. Seasonal changes 2. Consist of broad-leaved deciduous trees like maple, oak, birch and elm 3. Soils rich in organic material and well-suited to agriculture 4. Deer and bears, where the forest has not been cleared for agriculture and urban development

Where are are examples of Chaparral? (5)

1. Surrounding the Mediterranean Sea 2.South West US 3. Parts of Australia 4. Africa 5. South America

Why are estuaries important to our environment? (3)

1. They provide homes for many series of wildlife 2. They are important nursery areas for a variety of marine life 3. They help filter pollutants from the water

Characteristics of coastal environments (4)

1. Transitional environments between fresh and saltwater 2. Estuaries, salt marshes, mangrove forests 3. Water level, salinity and temperature fluctuate with tides 4. Organisms are adapted to tolerate these variations

Characteristics of Grasslands (6)

1. Two real seasons: growing and dormant 2. Huge temperate prairies 3. Grasses have interconnected root systems 4. Well-suited to agriculture due to rich soils 5. Temperate moist grasslands have tall grass 6. Shortgrass priories are drier and more drought-resistant

Characteristics of Rivers (4)

1. Vary dramatically from source to mouth 2. Vary from small, cold and swift to wide, deep cloudy and warmer 3. Change seasonally 4. Organisms are adapted to survive in strong currents

Characteristics of Rocky Intertidal Communities

1. Wave Shock 2. Rapid temperature changes 3. Desiccation 4. Many food sources 5. Nutrient rich 6. Both sessile and motile organisms

Characteristics of Temperate Rain Forest (5)

1. Winters are milder than in the north 2. High precipitation, so forests are thick and tall 3. Coniferous forest e.g. pine, fir, redwoods 4. Epiphytes (ferns, vines, mosses that grow attached to branches of trees) 5. Bear, mountain lions, wolves, elk, small rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians

Characteristics of Savannas

1.Broad, rolling grassland 2. Scattered with shrubs and isolated trees 3. Have tropical and subtropical open forests 4. High temperature 5. Low rainfall 6. Long dry season 7. When overstressed they can quickly into desert 8. Host huge herds of migratory mammals like zebra, elephants and lions

Where are examples of Alpine Biomes?

Andes mountains, Cascade Range?

Where are Savannas found?

Between a tropical rainforest and a desert biome

What is the difference between a closed forest and an open forest?

Closed forest has an almost continuous canopy; Open forests get more light and rainfall through to the floor

What is an example of the Benthic zone?

Coral reefs

What are zooxanthellae?

Dinoflagelate

Intertidal zones can be... which poses problems like...(4)...for small organisms.

Dynamic and high energy 1. Sharp, pointy, abrasive sand 2. Burrowing is difficult in swirling sand 3. Exposed to predators 4. Tides

Rivers are what type of aquatic biome?

Flowing-water environments

Where is an example of Tropical Rain Forest?

Georgia, USA

What 3 organisms are connected in a food chain?

Giant kelp, sea urchins and sea otters

Where does Tundra occur?

High latitudes; except for Alpine Tundra which occurs at high altitudes at low latitudes

Where can Grassland Biomes be found? What are the called in the U.S.? What are they called in Russia and Asia? What are they called in Argentina?

In the middle latitudes and the interiors of of continents US: Prairies Russia and Asia: Steppe Argentina: Pampas

Oceans are what type of biome?

Marine

Where is an example of a Boreal Forest?

Minnesota, USA

Where do you find cold deserts?

Near the Arctic part of the world

Desert vegetation can be described as: a) Evergreen with broadleaf trees b) Consisting mainly of widely spaced trees c) Consisting of mainly steppe grass d) Small and scattered

d) small and scattered