Types of Biomes
What biome is characterised by very little rainfall and large areas of sand or rock?
Desert
What human activity involves clearing forests to create farmland or pasture?
Deforestation
Off which Australian state is the Great Barrier Reef located?
Queensland
Which country contains the largest portion of the Amazon rainforest?
Brazil
What is a biome?
A large ecological region characterised by particular climate, vegetation and animal life
What biome is dominated by grasses and has relatively few trees?
Grasslands
What is the process where fertile land becomes increasingly dry and unproductive?
Desertification
What is the main environmental factor responsible for widespread coral bleaching events?
Abnormally high sea temperatures
What type of biome is the Amazon?
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living organisms in an area
Which biome is characterised by dense, evergreen vegetation and very high rainfall?
Rainforest
What is overgrazing?
When animals graze vegetation faster than it can naturally recover
Name one human activity that can negatively affect the Great Barrier Reef.
Coastal development, pollution, fishing, greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture, etc.
What is one impact of deforestation in the Amazon?
Biodiversity loss
What is an abiotic factor?
A non-living component of an environment, such as temperature, water, soil or sunlight
What is the name of the biome found in regions with cold winters and dominated by coniferous trees such as spruce and pine?
Taiga
What is biodiversity loss?
A reduction in the variety of species, genes or ecosystems in an area
How much of the Great Barrier Reef has been lost to coral bleaching?
Approx 50-60%
Why is the Amazon important beyond South America?
It stores carbon, influences climate and rainfall patterns, and supports globally significant biodiversity
What is a biotic factor?
A living component of an environment, such as plants, animals, fungi or bacteria
Which biome has permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost?
Tundra
Why can climate change make it difficult for species to survive?
It changes temperature, rainfall, habitats and food availability faster than some species can adapt or migrate
What is one way to solve or reduce coral bleaching?
Breeding heat tolerant corals, making protected zones, etc.
What is the nickname given to the Amazon?
The Lungs of the Earth
Why do different biomes have different types of vegetation?
Differences in climate, especially temperature and rainfall, create different conditions for plant growth