Exam 24: Terrestrial Ecosystems

Covering only 6 percent of the land surface,tropical rain forests account for more than 50 percent of all known plant and animal species.

Deserts are typically hot throughout the year and rarely have freezing temperatures.

Rainfall is greater in temperate deciduous forests than in temperate shrublands and grasslands.

Grazing at moderate levels stimulates plant productivity in grassland systems.

Fire in the taiga

Arid environments that occur in the rain shadow of mountain barriers or are located far inland where moist maritime air rarely penetrates are referred to as ________.

Cool deserts are dominated by

The broad categories of grasses,shrubs,and trees represent a diverse range of species and characteristics,and they have fundamentally different patterns of

Topographic features,such as mountains and valleys,influence the climate of a region.

A(n)________ is a classification of plant formations and associated animal life into biotic units based on the predominant plant types,with at least eight major terrestrial types.

The relationship between mean annual precipitation (MAP)and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP)is ANPP = 0.50*(MAP)+ (70)in mm MAP and (g/m2/yr)for ANPP in grassland systems.If precipitation is currently 1000 mm and MAP increases by 25%,then ANPP will be approximately

Deeply weathered soils,with no distinct horizons characteristic of the tropical rain forest,are

Tropical rain forests are restricted primarily to the ________ zone between latitudes 10°N and 10°S.

Distribution patterns of biomes can be determined based almost entirely on

The highest diversity of plant and animal life occurs in

Mediterranean climates are characterized by relatively dry summers and wet winters.

A belt of coniferous forest,known as ________ forest,occurs in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

Net primary productivity of boreal forest is generally lower than in temperate deciduous forest.

Grazing ungulates are relatively common and burrowing rodents are relatively rare in temperate grasslands.

Which of the following is the predominant leaf form of environments where the growing season is very short or where nutrient availability severely constrains photosynthesis and plant growth?