Topic 6: Biomes Biomes Dynamic Study Module

This small biome is limited to coastal areas, such as around the Mediterranean Sea, and has mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

A. Chaparral B. Desert C. Tundra D. Temperate deciduous forest E. Boreal (coniferous) forest A

In which community would organisms most likely have adaptations enabling them to survive the four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter)?

A. Coral reef B. Deep ocean C. Tropical forest D. Savanna E. Temperate deciduous forest E

Despite its high biodiversity and productivity, this biome contains most of its nutrients in the plants themselves, instead of the soil.

A. Desert B. Tropical rainforest C. Taiga D. Grassland E. Tundra B

To conserve water and survive high temperatures, animals in this biome have evolved thick skin and are mostly active at night, while plants have thick, leathery leaves to reduce water loss, and may even store water.

A. Grassland B. Desert C. Tropical rainforest D. Temperate deciduous forest E. Savanna B

In this biome, the permafrost prevents plant roots from growing too deeply into the soil, preventing trees from growing.

A. Grassland B. Temperate deciduous forest C. Tundra D. Desert E. Taiga C

This biome has been largely converted to agricultural crop production because of its deep, fertile soils.

A. Grassland B. Tropical rainforest C. Taiga D. Tundra E. Desert A

The vegetation in this biome is adapted to the frequent fires that occur during the hot, dry summer droughts. The dense, shrubby growth consists of evergreen shrubs, with thick hard leaves that protect the plants from the summer drought.

A. Grasslands B. Tundra C. Chaparral D. Desert E. Tropical rainforest C

Which of the following describes the climatic conditions characteristic of the boreal (coniferous) forest?

A. Hot or cold but always rainy B. Long, cold winters and short, cool summers C. Cold and dry D. Mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers E. Mild with occasional drought and fires B

Which aspects of a region's climate most affect plants and animals?

A. Moisture and wind B. Temperature and moisture C. Soil composition and temperature D. Sunlight and wind B

Which of these biomes generally lies between tundra and temperate broadleaf forest?

A. Savanna B. Tropical forest C. Boreal (coniferous) forest D. Chaparral E. Desert C

You are studying tree species diversity at two different sites. At site 1, you find 202 tree species, and in a same-sized plot at site 2, you find 12 tree species. Which of the following is most likely to be true?

A. Site 1 is in a temperate deciduous forest, and site 2 is in a tropical rainforest. B. Both sites are in a boreal forest. C. Both sites are in a tropical rainforest. D. Site 1 is in a tropical rainforest, and site 2 is in a temperate deciduous forest. D

Suppose that the number of bird species is determined mainly by the biomass of vegetation. If so, in which of the following biomes would you find the greatest number of bird species?

A. Temperate broadleaf forest B. Tropical rainforest C. Temperate grassland D. Savanna E. Desert B

Which of the following is dominated by plants that drop their leaves in the winter to conserve water?

A. Temperate deciduous forest B. Savanna C. Desert D. Tropical rainforest E. Boreal (coniferous) forest A

Which of the following occurs in areas with decreased rainfall, and where temperature differences between winter and summer become more extreme?

A. Temperate grassland B. Savanna C. Temperate deciduous forest D. Boreal (coniferous) forest E. Tundra A

The Pacific Northwest region, along the west coast of North America, has this biome, with its mild temperatures and heavy rainfall. Coniferous trees, such as cedar and Douglas fir, as well as ferns and mosses, grow in the damp, dark interior. The endangered Northern spotted owl is an icon of this biome.

A. Temperate rainforest B. Temperate deciduous forest C. Grassland D. Desert E. Tundra A

Besides sunlight, which would be the next most important climatic factors for terrestrial plants?

A. Temperature and moisture B. Moisture and wind C. Temperature and wind D. Wind and fire A

The tundra biome gets little precipitation, but during the short summer season, it is very wet, with many marshy areas, ponds, and bogs. What do these pools of water allow?

A. These pools freeze over, allowing people to use them as ice skating rinks, thus decreasing their boredom. B. These pools of water are ideal habitat for insects, which birds catch to feed their young. C. These pools prevent ice from forming, allowing animals to access more food. D. These pools soak up heat, which animals use to keep warm. E. These pools flood lower areas, creating lakes for fish. B

In areas of permafrost, stands of black spruce are frequently observed in the landscape, while other tree species are noticeably absent. Often these stands are referred to as ʺdrunken forestsʺ because many of them tilt, instead of standing tall. What is the most likely explanation for the unusual growth of these forests in this marginal habitat?

A. Trees are tilted so snow prevents them from breaking or tipping over. B. Branches are adapted to absorb more carbon dioxide with this displaced alignment. C. Needles are adapted to withstand cold arctic temperatures. D. Trees tip so that they do not compete with each other for sunlight. E. Tree roots cannot penetrate the permafrost, so trees developed shallow root beds, and therefore tilt easily. E

Which of the following biomes is correctly paired with the description of its climate?

A. Tropical forests: year-round warm temperatures and rainfall B. Savanna: low temperature, precipitation uniform during the year C. Temperate grasslands: relatively warm winters, most rainfall in summer D. Tundra: long summers, mild winters E. Temperate broadleaf forest: relatively short growing season, mild winters A

The growing season would generally be shortest in which of the following biomes?

A. Tropical rainforest B. Temperate deciduous forest C. Savanna D. Temperate grassland E. Boreal (coniferous) forest E

Why are tropical rainforests so productive and biodiverse?

A. Tropical rainforests have all of these factors. B. They have abundant water. C. They have abundant light. D. They have year-long growing seasons. E. They have warm temperatures. A

This is a biome with open grasslands and a few scattered trees, and supports large herds of grazing animals such as zebras and giraffes.

A. Tropical savanna B. Temperate deciduous forest C. Tropical rainforest D. Desert E. Chaparral A

This biome is a transition between the rainforest and savanna, and can have either tall forests or scrubby woodlands. It has both wet and dry seasons, and plants may lose their leaves during the dry season. Teak and mahogany trees grow in this biome, and are extremely valuable commercially.

A. Tundra B. Temperate deciduous forest C. Boreal (coniferous) forest D. Desert E. Tropical dry (deciduous) forest E

The kind of tropical forest in a given area—boreal (coniferous) forest, deciduous forest, or rainforest—depends mostly on __________.

A. distance from the equator B. temperature difference between day and night C. average temperature D. temperature and rainfall E. prevalence of fire D

The primary factor determining the distribution of deserts is __________.

A. temperature B. windiness C. a lack of rainfall D. fertility of soil E. elevation C