Biomes & Global Distribution
Which biome is characterized by permafrost and low biodiversity?
What is a tundra?
Is habitat loss a natural or anthropogenic cause of biodiversity loss?
Mass extinction events can lead to habitat loss and anthropogenic causes.
What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?
What is converting solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis?
What is the K-T extinction event most famously known for?
What is the extinction of the dinosaurs?
What is land cover change?
What is the transformation of natural environments into urban, agricultural, or industrial land?
What biome is found near the equator and supports the highest biodiversity on Earth?
What is tropical rainforest?
Name one natural cause of biodiversity loss.
Flood basalt and asteroid impacts, disease.
What term describes the variety of species in an area?
What is species richness (or biodiversity)?
What caused the K-T extinction event?
An asteroid impact near the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico
How does land cover change affect biodiversity?
Fragmenting habitats and reducing species populations
Which two major terrestrial biomes dominate Australia’s interior?
What are desert and grassland?
Which human activity is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon biome?
What is cattle ranching (or agriculture)?
What is a keystone species?
What is a species whose impact on its ecosystem is disproportionately large compared to its abundance?
Name one piece of evidence supporting the asteroid impact theory.
What is the iridium layer found in geological strata worldwide?
Distinct loss or absence of fossils directly after the event including forams and dinosaur bones
Define genetic diversity.
The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species
Name one aquatic biome and explain one reason it supports high biodiversity.
What is coral reef, because of the warm, nutrient-rich, shallow waters that support many species?
How does climate change contribute to biodiversity loss?
By altering temperature and precipitation patterns, shifting habitats, and increasing extreme weather?
Describe the trophic pyramid from bottom to top.
What is producers → primary consumers → secondary consumers → tertiary consumers?
What percentage of species went extinct during the K-T event?
Approximately 75%
Why is loss of genetic diversity a threat to species survival?
It reduces resilience to disease, climate change, and other environmental pressures leading to an inability to recover and eventually decrease to extinction
Explain the correlation between latitude and climate in creating the world's biomes.
Latitudes experience different levels of solar radiation, which creates unique abiotic factors and climatic conditions such as annual rainfall and humidity. These abiotic factors shape biotic elements and levels of biodiversity.
Explain how invasive species contribute to biodiversity loss.
What is by outcompeting native species, spreading disease, or altering ecosystem dynamics?
How do feedback loops (food chains and webs) in ecosystems help maintain biodiversity?
What is by stabilizing population sizes and resource use, preventing dominance by a single species?
How did the K-T event impact global biodiversity recovery?
It led to the diversification of mammals and evolution of new species over millions of years?
Provide an example of how human land use has led to loss of biodiversity in Australia.
Land clearing in Queensland for agriculture leading to habitat loss for koalas and other species?