Biomes and Plant Biology Overview

Questions and Answers

What is a biome?

It is a large area with similar vegetation form throughout, often with characteristic animals.

What are biogeographic realms?

Areas defined on the basis of plant/animal relationships, causing areas of endemism due to geographic barriers.

What are trees?

Woody plants, usually having a single trunk, and with a height exceeding 2 m.

What are shrubs?

Woody plants, typically having multiple stems, and with a height less than 2 m. Signup and view all the answers

What are herbs?

Non-woody plants, for example, grasses. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between broadleaf and needleleaf plants?

Broadleaf plants have wide, thin leaves, while needleleaf trees have narrow, needle-like leaves. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between evergreen and deciduous leaves?

Evergreen leaves remain year-round, while deciduous leaves are shed to avoid climatic stress. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four possible combinations of leaf shape and longevity?

Broadleaf evergreen, Broadleaf deciduous, Needleleaf evergreen, Needleleaf deciduous. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a forest from other biomes?

It is dominated by trees and has a mostly continuous canopy formed by closely spaced trees. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a woodland from other biomes?

A woodland has more widely spaced trees and a discontinuous canopy. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a shrubland from other biomes?

A shrubland is dominated by shrubs and has dense plant cover. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes scrub from other biomes?

Scrub is dominated by widely spaced shrubs with bare soil or herbs between them. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a grassland from other biomes?

In a grassland, grasses and herbs are the predominant plants. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a desert from other biomes?

A desert has little vegetation; bare soil predominates. Signup and view all the answers

How do vegetation types vary along a precipitation gradient?

Vegetation height and density decline from wet to dry climates. Signup and view all the answers

What is a climax community?

The community that theoretically dominates at the end of a successional sequence. Signup and view all the answers

What is ecological succession?

The change over time in the plant species that predominate in a location. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Biomes Overview

A biome is a large area characterized by similar vegetation and animals, like Canada's boreal forest dominated by spruce, fir, and pine trees.
Grasslands, such as the central U.S. plains, were historically covered with vast grasses and inhabited by species like bison and prairie dogs.

Biogeographic Realms vs. Biomes

Biogeographic realms are defined by plant and animal relationships due to geographic barriers.
Biomes focus on vegetation structure, categorizing areas based on forest, grassland, or shrubland types without considering biological relationships.

Plant Definitions

Trees are woody plants with a single trunk, typically exceeding 2 meters in height.
Shrubs have multiple stems and are shorter than 2 meters.
Herbs are non-woody plants, including grasses.

Leaf Types and Longevity

Broadleaf plants feature wide, flat leaves, like oak trees, while needleleaf plants have slender needle-like leaves, as seen in pine trees.
Evergreen leaves persist throughout the year, while deciduous trees lose their leaves to mitigate seasonal stress.

Leaf Shape and Longevity Combinations

Four combinations of leaf shape and longevity:
- Broadleaf evergreen
- Broadleaf deciduous
- Needleleaf evergreen
- Needleleaf deciduous

Forest Characteristics

Forests are identified by a continuous canopy formed by closely spaced trees, dominating over other biomes.

Woodland and Shrubland Distinctions

Woodlands have more widely spaced trees and a discontinuous canopy, often with ground vegetation such as shrubs or herbs.
Shrublands are dominated by dense shrubs, creating nearly continuous cover.

Scrub and Grassland Features

Scrub is similar to shrubland but features more open spaces with bare soil or herb cover between shrubs.
Grasslands are primarily composed of grasses and other herbaceous plants.

Desert Characteristics

Deserts exhibit minimal vegetation, predominantly bare soil, often misidentified areas containing shrubland or grassland.

Vegetation and Precipitation Gradient

Vegetation density and height typically decrease from wet to dry climates, transitioning from dense tropical rainforests to sparser woodlands.

Climax Community Concept

A climax community consists of the stable plant, animal, and microorganism community arising at the end of ecological succession.

Ecological Succession Definition

Ecological succession refers to the gradual change in predominant plant species over time, particularly following environmental disturbances.

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Description

Explore the fascinating world of biomes, including their characteristics, distinctions between biogeographic realms and biomes, and definitions of various plant types. This quiz will test your knowledge on the structure and classification of vegetation in different ecosystems.