Biology Homework Chapter 34: Terrestrial Biomes
Homework
Reading Preparation
Textbook Assignment: Chapter 34: Biomes, sections 8-18.
Study Points
- 34: 8: Terrestrial biomes are generally characterized by their vegetation, and merge slowly from one to another. The exact number and characteristics of biomes can vary from one authority to another, but most recognize the biomes listed below.
- 34: 9: Tropical forests include thorn (scarce rainfall), deciduous (having distinct wet and dry seasons), and rain forests (heavy rainfall most of the year). Tropical rain forests have rich (lots of individual organisms) and diverse (many different species) populations.
- 34: 10: Savannas have limited rainfall, grasslands, few trees, large herd mammal populations.
- 34: 11: Deserts Scarce rainfall, plants adapted to little water (cactus), small burrowing insects, mammals, and reptiles; hunting birds like raptors.
- 34: 12 : Chaparral is similar to savannah, but cooler and close to the ocean, and usually with less grass. It is sometimes called the Mediterranean climate biome. Shrubs and small trees (more than savannah) but smaller animal types, usually rodents, reptiles.
- 34: 13 : Temperate grasslands (also prairies, steps, veldts, pampas) have more rain than savannas, but fewer trees and colder winter temperatures than chaparral, and obviously more grass. As with savannas, they can support grazing mammal herds such as bison and antelope.
- 34: 14 : Broadleaf forest biomes are similar to tropical deciduous forests in rainfall, but colder, and have trees that can survive severe winters. Habitats are diverse, based on temperature ranges and rainfall, and support a variety of insects, birds, and smaller mammals.
- 34: 15 : Coniferous forests appear in colder, dryer regions than deciduous forests, where soil is shallower and often acidic. Taiga forests are subject to harsh winters, limited species of trees, subject to heavy snowfall. Animals in both types of forests are adapted to winter weather by heavy coats or hibernation behavior.
- 34: 16: Tundra has rainfall similar to deserts, but much colder, and the ground is frozen part of the year. Vegetation is largely small herbs and shrubs, and extensive lichen, which can support some large grazing animals (e.g., caribou), and smaller mammal species, as well as many insects.
- 34: 17 Polar ice caps provides desert-like conditions with respect to water availability, but cold temperatures. They have few species.
- 34: 18 The global water cycle transfers water and energy from the oceans to the land and back.
Web Lecture
Read the following weblecture before chat: Biomes
Take notes on any questions you have, and be prepared to discuss the lecture in chat.
Study Activity
Perform the study activity below:
Use the BiomeViewer at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute site to explore biomes, climate and diversity, and human impacts around the globe at different times.
Chat Preparation Activities
- Essay question: The Moodle forum for the session will assign a specific study question for you to prepare for chat. You need to read this question and post your answer before chat starts for this session.
- Mastery Exercise: The Moodle Mastery exercise for the chapter will contain sections related to our chat topic. Try to complete these before the chat starts, so that you can ask questions.
Chapter Quiz
- Required: Complete the Mastery Exercise with a score of 85% or better.
- Optional: Test yourself with the textbook multiple choice questions and note any that you miss that still don't make sense. Bring questions to chat!
- Go to the Moodle and take the quiz for this chapter.
Lab Work
Read through the lab for this week; bring questions to chat on any aspect of the lab, whether you intend not perform it or not. If you decide to perform the lab, be sure to submit your report by the posted due date.
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