Biomes
What biome is cold, treeless, and the ground is permanently frozen?
Tundra
What is the daily fluctuation in temperature and precipitation for a particular area?
Weather
Name one cause of primary succession.
A volcano erupting or a glacier melting
What is the biome with the most biodiversity?
Rainforest
Why are mangroves considered a keystone species?
They provide a habitat for other organisms and protect the health of their ecosystem.
What biome is cold, the animals hibernate, it is the world's largest biome, and it is full of coniferous trees?
Taiga (Boreal Forest)
What is the annual average of temperature and precipitation for a particular area?
Climate
Name one cause of secondary succession.
A wildfire, hurricane, tornado, flood, windstorm, deforestation, farming, etc.
What is the purpose of a line transect?
A line transect is used to get a sampling of the vegetation in an area.
Name one threat that exists for mangroves.
Shrimp farming, tourism, and coastal development
What is the difference between the grasslands and savanna biomes?
- The grasslands is large with rolling terrain, many grasses, few trees, and frequent fires.
- The savanna is a type of grassland with few trees, little rain, and a tropical climate.
What do the bars and the line indicate on a climatogram?
The bars are precipitation, and the line is temperature.
Where are pioneer species typically found?
They are found in newly formed environments with no soil (lichen & moss in a case of primary succession).
What can a scientist do to be more accurate when completing a line transect?
More transects can be taken to get a higher number of samples.
Lichens are sensitive to air pollution and will change their appearance based on the amount of sulfur dioxide in the air. What type of species are they in their community?
Indicator Species (Bioindicator)
What is the difference between the deciduous forest and alpine biomes?
- The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons with many trees, and the animals are able to camouflage themselves in the trees.
- The alpine is very mountainous and cold with small vegetation, and the animals have a lot of insulation.
What is the measure of the reflectivity of a surface?
Albedo
What is a mature, stable ecological community that represents the final, long-term stage of ecological succession in a particular area.
Climax Community
Write the equation for calculating a biodiversity index.
Number of species in an area/total individuals in the area
Why is the lionfish considered to be an invasive species?
The lionfish has quickly outcompeted native fish in some regions of the Atlantic Ocean.
What is the difference between the chaparral and desert biomes?
- The chaparral is hot & dry with mild winters, and fires and drought are common.
- The desert is dry with extreme temperatures (hot or cold), little vegetation, and the animals are mostly nocturnal.
Describe how vegetation and climate change affect albedo.
Vegetation decreases albedo (but cools climate anyway), and climate change can also decrease albedo by reducing global ice.
What makes pioneer species unique? (Hint: Consider why lichen & moss are pioneer species for a case of primary succession. What characteristics do they have?)
They do not require soil to survive.
Name and describe the 3 types of biodiversity discussed in class.
- Species Biodiversity: The variety of species in a region
- Genetic Biodiversity: The variation of DNA and genes in a species or population
- Ecological/Ecosystem Biodiversity: The variation in the network of species and the way they interact with each other
Name one characteristic that has made the lionfish so prevalent in the Atlantic Ocean.
Year-round reproduction, no predators, and indiscriminate eating habits