Potential Test Questions
What (primarily) determines the kind of biome that exists in a certain area?
Temperature & precipitation
What is a unique feature of many plants that inhabit tropical forests?
They are epiphytes
What characterizes a biome?
A type of biological community, not the species (the species inhabiting the same kind biome in different places would have similar adaptations)
Kangaroo is to Australia as antelope is to Africa; why?
They are both large herbivores of their respective savannas
What is another term for the chaparral biome?
Mediterranean
What would happen to the grasslands without periodic fires?
Forests would grow there
Why can grasses grow so quickly after the fires?
They grow from underground shoots
Which biome is particularly characterized by a broad range of temperatures?
Temperate broadleaf forests
What is the largest terrestrial biome?
Coniferous forest
What is another term for the temperate broadleaf forests?
Deciduous forests
Which biome has dwarf plants, mosses, and lichens?
Tundra
Why do chaparral and tundra biomes both have no tall trees?
The chaparral’s frequent fires and tundra’s frozen subsoil prevent tall vegetation from growing
Which biome is characterized by a canopy of vegetation that blocks sunlight?
Tropical rain forest
List the biomes from lowest precipitation to highest precipitation?
Desert » tundra » temperate broadleaf forest » tropical rain forest
How does the water cycle help spread airborne pollutants?
Pollutants like sulfur dioxide combine with water and fall as acid rain
Where is the most nutrient-poor soil found?
Tropical rain forests
What 3 biomes depend on fire for existence?
Savanna, chaparral, temperate grassland
What would an ecologist study?
How organisms interact with their environment
Who wrote Silent Spring?
Rachel Carson
Why is the biosphere not considered to be entirely self-contained?
Solar energy penetrates from space to give plants energy and heat escapes through the atmosphere
Why do scientists think the pronghorn evolved its speed?
Years ago, the main predator of the pronghorn was the now extinct American cheetah; it needed to be much faster to escape
What is the rain shadow of the California Coast Range?
The scarcity of rain towards the east compared to the west
What organisms produce most of the food for the aphotic zones of marine communities?
Chemoautotrophic bacteria & algae + cyanobacteria
Where can plankton be found?
Near the surfaces of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
What are the main sources of energy for the aphotic zone?
Organic matter from the photic zone and hydrothermal vents
Which nutrients limit the growth of phytoplankton in lakes?
Nitrogen & phosphorus
How does an increase in nutrients to a lake make it inhospitable to fish?
Too much of these nutrients results in the overgrowth of algae and cyanobacteria, which depletes the water of oxygen
Why do different species in the same, but geographically separated biomes often develop similar characteristics?
Convergent evolution
What biome contains the most rapid and efficient decomposers?
Tropical rain forest
Where is vertical stratification most pronounced?
Tropical rain forest
Which biome is a showcase for large herbivores and predators?
Savanna » giraffes, cheetahs, lions, zebras
What are the dominant plants of the savanna?
Grasses & scattered trees
What factor is responsible for the moderate winters that characterize the chaparral biome?
Cool ocean currents
Which biome is dominated by dense spiny shrubs?
Chaparral
Why do some grasslands have short grass and some have tall grass?
Difference in rainfall
What biome once covered most of central North America?
Grassland
Why is the decomposition rate in temperate broadleaf forests slower than tropical rain forests?
Unlike the tropical rain forest, the deciduous forests have a thick layer of leaf litter
What is the main characteristic of coniferous forests?
Cone-bearing evergreen trees
Which biome is dominated by gymnosperms?
Taiga (coniferous forest)
What do savanna, chaparral, temperate grassland, and coniferous forest biomes have in common?
Periodic fires
How does permafrost affect the tundra vegetation?
It prevents roots and water from penetrating very far into the ground
How are all parts of the biosphere linked?
Water & nutrient cycles