Environmental Science 15th Edition by Scott Spoolman,Tyler Miller

Exercise 2

Explain how the three major types of deserts differ in their climate and vegetation. Why are desert ecosystems fragile? How do desert plants and animals survive? Explain how the three major types of grasslands differ in their climate and vegetation. What is a savanna? Why have many of the world's temperate grasslands disappeared? What is permafrost ? Explain how the three major types of forests differ in their climate and vegetation. Why is biodiversity so high in tropical rain forests? Explain why most soils in tropical rain forests hold few plant nutrients. Why does a thick layer of decaying litter typically cover the floors of temperate deciduous forests? What are coastal coniferous or temperate rain forests? How do most species of coniferous evergreen trees survive the cold winters in boreal forests? What important ecological roles do mountains play?