Deck 24: Terrestrial Ecosystems

Question 1

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 ________.

Answer 1

deserts

Question 2

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

A)nutrient allocation and morphology.
B)carbon allocation and morphology.
C)carbon allocation and nutrient allocation.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

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?

A)winter-deciduous leaves
B)drought-deciduous leaves
C)broad-leaf evergreen leaves
D)needle-leaf evergreen leaves

Answer 3

D

Question 4

There are consistent patterns in the distribution and abundance of dominant plant life-forms across the biosphere because these life-forms share ________ to the selection pressures of climate and the physical environment.

Question 5

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.

Question 6

Which of the following allocates the greatest amount of biomass to photosynthetic tissue and the least amount to supportive tissue?

A)trees
B)shrubs
C)lianas
D)grasses

Question 7

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

A)Molisols.
B)Andosols.
C)Oxisols.
D)Alfisols.

Question 8

The highest diversity of plant and animal life occurs in

A)tropical savannas.
B)tropical rain forests.
C)temperate deciduous forests.
D)boreal forests.

Question 9

Tropical ________ refers to vegetation in the drier tropics and subtropics that is dominated by a ground cover of grasses with scattered shrubs or trees.

Question 10

Leaves that live for only a single year or growing season are classified as ________.

Question 11

Decomposition rates in the tropical rain forest are

A)slow due to inhibition of decomposition by moisture.
B)fast due to near optimal conditions for decomposers.
C)fast due to highly fertile soils.
D)slow due to stored soil organic matter pools from which plants draw nutrients.

Question 12

Distribution patterns of biomes can be determined based almost entirely on

A)only mean annual temperature.
B)both mean annual temperature and precipitation.
C)the distribution of soils.
D)global weather patterns.

Question 13

A(n)________ climate is characterized by hot,dry summers and cool,moist winters.

Question 14

Native grasslands of North America,influenced by declining precipitation from east to west,consist of three main types distinguished by the ________ of the dominant species.

Question 15

Plants that root and grow on other plants in the tropical rain forest are called

A)phreatophytes.
B)succulents.
C)epiphytes.
D)halophytes.

Question 16

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

Question 17

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

Question 18

________ is the study of the spatial or geographical distribution of organisms,both past and present.

Question 19

________ is the perennially frozen subsurface that develops in boreal and arctic systems where the ground temperatures remain below 0°C for extended periods of time.

Question 20

The independent evolution of a similar characteristic in two species,not derived from a recent,common ancestor,is referred to as

A)microevolution.
B)divergent evolution.
C)convergent evolution.
D)macroevolution.

Question 21

Leaf characteristics are useful indicators of the trade-offs plants make to combat environmental constraints.

Question 22

Fire in the taiga

A)damages trees resulting in excessively slow recovery due to low temperatures.
B)alters nutrient cycling making nutrients unavailable for trees.
C)occurs often,resulting in decreased competition for vegetation adapted to repeated burning.
D)results in systems dominated by grassland species.

Question 23

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

Question 24

Deciduous leaves usually live for more than a single year or growing season.

Question 25

The density of woody vegetation in a savanna is controlled through

A)mean annual temperature.
B)mean annual temperature,soil texture,and water-holding capacity.
C)mean annual precipitation.
D)mean annual precipitation,soil texture,and water-holding capacity.

Question 26

The vegetation formation dominated by needle-leaf evergreen trees and occurring where growth is restricted to a few months of the year due to low temperatures is referred to as

A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)tundra.
C)boreal forest.
D)temperate shrubland.

Question 27

Typical soils of the temperate forest region are

A)Alfisols and Inceptisols.
B)Oxisols.
C)Andosols.
D)Aridisols and Vertisols.

Question 28

The largest and most continuous region of tropical rain forest in the world is in South America.

Question 29

The dominant biome in Mediterranean climates found between 30° and 40° latitude is

A)temperate shrubland.
B)temperate deciduous forest.
C)desert.
D)tropical savanna.

Question 30

Campos,llano,and cerrado are all areas of

A)tropical rain forest.
B)tropical savanna.
C)Mediterranean shrubland.
D)desert.

Question 31

Similar climates produce similar vegetation structure around the world.

Question 32

Large grazing ungulates and burrowing animals are most abundant in

A)deserts.
B)tropical rain forest.
C)temperate shrubland.
D)temperate grassland.

Question 33

The dominant vegetation types in temperate shrublands are

A)pine trees.
B)evergreen shrubs and sclerophyllous vegetation.
C)dwarf willows and Atriplex.
D)grasses and dwarf oak.

Question 34

Cool deserts are dominated by

A)shrubs such as Artemisia tridentata.
B)trees such as willow or poplar.
C)tall growth forms of saguaro.
D)ground-dwelling succulents.

Question 35

Broad categories of vegetation based on physical similarity of appearance were initially called formations.

Question 36

Classification of the world's major terrestrial biomes is based on the dominant forms of plant life.

Question 37

Increases in elevation are accompanied by decreases in temperature.The rate at which temperature drops as elevation increases is referred to as the dry adiabatic lapse rate,which gives a drop in temperature of rising unsaturated air of about 10°C for every 1000 meters.If the temperature is 25°C at the base of the mountain,what temperatures do organisms experience 3000 meters upslope?

A)5°C
B)0°C
C)-5°C
D)-15°C

Question 38

Savannas typically occur in

A)cold areas with little rainfall in polar regions.
B)cold areas with little rainfall at high altitudes in the tropics.
C)very dry areas in the rain shadow of mountains of both temperate and tropical latitudes.
D)warm areas with seasonal rainfall in the tropics.

Question 39

The vegetation of tundra is dominated by

A)broadleaf deciduous trees.
B)short plants such as sedges,heaths,and willow.
C)needle-leaf evergreen trees.
D)sclerophyllous broadleaf evergreen shrubs.

Question 40

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

A)570.
B)625.
C)695.
D)713.

Question 41

Deserts often occur in the rain shadow of mountain ranges.

Question 42

Grazing at moderate levels stimulates plant productivity in grassland systems.

Question 43

Tundra occurs only at high latitudes in polar regions.

Question 44

Tundra occurs at high elevations on mountains.

Question 45

Conifer forests are dominated by needle-leaf evergreen trees.

Question 46

Tropical savannas typically lack trees or shrubs.

Question 47

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

Question 48

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

Question 49

Vegetation that is sclerophyllous is adapted to areas with ample moisture and moderate temperatures.

Question 50

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

Question 51

In the tropical latitudes,the length of the dry season increases with distance from the equator.

Question 52

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

Question 53

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

Question 54

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

Question 55

In temperate deciduous forests,the greatest concentration and diversity of life occur in the canopy.

Question 56

Tropical rain forests typically have a thick layer of litter on the forest floor.

Question 57

Grasslands formerly covered 42 percent of the land surface of the Earth.