Ecology CH.2

Which of the following component is not part of a natural history study?

Economic value

Part of a natural study: predators, evolutionary history

What organisms are used to define a biome?

Plants

Which feature does not play a role in determining the seasonal variation in climate?

Amount of vegetation

Plays a role in determining the seasonal variation in climate: tilt of Earth, Earth’s spherical surface

Recognize the fundamental aspects of terrestrial ecology.

Seasonal variations in temperature

Geographic variations

Seasonal variations in precipitation

Which feature does not contribute to soil structure?

Geographic region

Does contribute to soil structure: topography, climate of the area

What two features are used to distinguish a biome?

Plants and climates

Recognize the core components of terrestrial ecology.

Temperature and precipitation

Which soil component is least likely to be found in the C horizon?

Organic matter

Likely to be found: sandy substrate, silt

Which factors help determine the geographic distribution of terrestrial biomes?

Prevailing temperatures

Patterns of precipitation

Variation in climate

In an agricultural field, which soil horizon is typically the most superficial?

A horizon

Which soil component is least likely found in the O horizon?

Limestone

Likely found: bacteria, decomposed organic matter

Which soil component will help mix organic matter in the A horizon?

Earthworms

Which living organisms are likely to be found in the B horizon?

Roots of plants

Which of the following regions contain tropical rainforest?

Southeast Asia

Due to the heavy rains and rapid decomposition, tropical rain forest soils are nutrient-poor

How many different tree species can be found in 1 ha of rain forest?

300 species

Which of the following crops did not originate in the tropics?

Wheat

Did originate: maize, rice, bananas

Identify the factor that plays a significant role in determining the geographic distribution of a terrestrial biome.

Temperature

Which soil component helps decompose organic matter in the O horizon?

Bacteria

During the summer, savannas experience rains that are accompanied by lightning

Which feature is found in the plant life of the savanna?

Fire resistance

What is the geographic distribution of deserts on Earth?

At 30° N and 30° S latitude

What two environmental variables do plants have to overcome in order to survive in the desert?

Intense sunlight and lack of water

Due to their limited amount of organic matter, desert soils are described as being lithosols

Which continent does not contain Mediterranean woodlands or shrublands?

Antarctica

The soil fertility of the shrubland biome is classified as low to moderate

What is another name for the temperate grasslands of North America?

Prairies

When do temperate grasslands receive the majority of their precipitation?

Summer

Which predator was once the most abundant on the North America grasslands?

Wolves

What major change has occurred to the grasslands over the past 50 years?

Conversion into farmlands

During the summer in savannas, lightning often produces fire

Which of the following are resources that humans directly gain from mountains?

Medicinal plants, sources of wood, forage for animals

Which biome is found in the eastern part of the United States, ranging from the Atlantic sea coast to the Great Plains?

Temperate

Deciduous trees dominate the temperate forests. TRUE

What tends to be the soil quality of a temperate forest?

Fertile

Which hemisphere contains the boreal forests?

North

Evergreen conifers such as spruce, fir and pine are characteristic of the boreal forest

What is the annual precipitation range of the tundra?

200 to 600 mm

An extended period of dry weather that results in the impairment of the functions of a natural ecosystem is considered a drought

Which two variables does the Palmer Drought Severity Index use to calculate moisture conditions relative to long-term averages?

Temperature, precipitation

Which wind patterns are experienced in the tropics?

The northeast trades, the southeast trades

Match the season with the correct species action.

Dry season – trees are dormant

Rainy season – trees flower

Which variables cause the earth to heat unevenly?

The spherical shape of the earth

The angle of the earth’s rotation

With ground level at the bottom of the list, what is the correct order of vegetation in a temperate forest?

Canopy; shade-tolerant trees; shrub layer; herb layer; ground level

Which piece of information is not summarized by a climate diagram?

Land forms found in the region

Summarized by a climate diagram: precipitation, length of wet season

Which region of the Earth experiences the least amount of seasonal change in temperature and day length?

Equatorial regions

In the desert biome, organisms are adapted to limited water supplies, saline soils, and high temperatures

Boreal forest soils tend to be thin, acidic and low in fertility

Which country does not contain tundra?

England

The boreal forest is also known as the taiga

Which variables contribute to the uniqueness of mountain soils?

Persistent winds; steepness if the topography

Which of the following plants can be found on the tundra?

Mosses; lichens; grasses

What is the range of precipitation that can be found in a boreal forest?

200 to 600 mm

Choose the main reasons that tropical dry forests are converted into farm land?

The soil is more fertile than rain forests

The dry season makes a dry forest more accessible

What information is gained from the relative positions of temperature and precipitation lines on a climate graph? Water availability

Which of the following components is found in the C horizon?

Rock fragments

What is the fungal association found in the roots system of rain forest plants?

Mycorrhizae

Which regions contain tropical dry forest?

Western North America; Central America; Northern Africa

In equatorial regions, the sun will cause the air to expand and rise

What is the correct order of soil horizons?

O, A, B, and C

Which biome has lost a significant amount of its organic matter over the last 40 years?

Prairie

The major predator of the boreal forest is the wolf

Identify the original dispersal agents for the seeds of the Guanacaste tree.

Horses; camels; ground sloths

Which part of the United States contain the last remaining old growth forests?

Western

Identify the impact that modern human groups are having upon the tundra.

Radionuclides deposited in rainfall; oil exploration

Identify the ways in which humans have influenced the Mediterranean woodlands.

Harvesting of cork; using it for cattle grazing

In the Southern Hemisphere, which direction does the Coriolis effect deflect the wind?

To the left

How do plants respond to the dry season?

Trees drop their leaves

At middle and high latitudes, average temperatures are lower and more seasonal

The tropical dry forest soil tends to be less acidic when compared to those of rain forests.

What position does the sun need to be at in order to drive the change in seasons at high latitudes?

Directly overhead of the high latitude

Which features are found in the tundra?

Small ponds; open landscape

The minimum amount of precipitation that a biome can experience and still be considered a temperate forest is 650 mm

Which of the following are resources that humans directly gain from mountains?

Medicinal plants; forage for animals; sources of wood

Identify the cycles of the savanna.

Alternating wet and dry seasons

Within a temperate grassland, where would you most likely find trees and shrubs?

Along streams and rivers

Which feature is responsible for producing mountains?

Volcanism

What information can be gained form a caliche?

Age of the soil

What is the average temperature range for a tropical rainforest?

25°C - 27°C

To qualify as a desert, water loss due to evaporation and transpiration by plants must exceeds precipitation

What is the unique abiotic feature of shrublands that organisms living there have adapted to?

Fire

Which characteristic is most common among the soil of a savanna?

Low permeability to water

What two soil processes result in solifluction?

Gravity; actions of water

Which regions contain tropical dry forests?

Central America; Norther Africa; western North America

In western North America, another name for shrubland is chaparral

Which features contribute to the lack of nutrients in the soil of a boreal forest?

Low temperature; low pH of soil

How much rainfall would 20°C represent on a climate diagram? 40 mm

Identify what happens to equatorial air as it rises.

Eventually it spreads north and south

The tundra has an open landscape that is often dotted with small ponds. TRUE

What does the horizontal axis of a climate diagram represent? Months

The biome that lies to the north and south of tropical dry forests, within 10° and 20° of the equator is the tropical savanna

Which statements are accurate in regards to the hemispheres and their energy levels during the northern summer?

Southern Hemisphere receives low energy of energy.

Northern Hemisphere receives high levels of energy.

Which factor determines the amount of solar energy areas of the Earth receive?

The tilted angle of rotation

Boreal forests are rapidly being harvested for their lumber and pulp

Which type of vegetation tends to dominate temperate grasslands? Herbaceous

What is the main source of income for people who live in savanna regions?

Livestock ranching

In the Southern Hemisphere, which direction does the Coriolis effect deflect the wind?

To the left

What is the largest living organism on Earth that can also be found in North America?

Sequoia trees

How long does the dry season last in a tropical dry forest? 6 to 7 months

Identify the results of fires upon the savanna.

Young trees are killed while grasses resprout

When studying soil structure, which direction is the soil observed? Vertically

What role did Dan Janzen believe horses would play in the restoration of the Guanacaste tree?

Horses would act as dispersal agents for the seeds

Which feature is not a characteristic of temperate grassland soils?

Soils are shallow

Characteristic: soils are fertile; soils have a neutral pH

What is the geographical distribution of the tundra?

North of the Arctic Circle

Which statement describes the conditions of a tropical mountain?

Warm summer days and freezing nights

What is the geographic distribution of shrublands?

Between 30° and 40° latitude