Ecology and Terrestrial Biomes Quiz

Introduction to the Biosphere, Biomes, and Ecology

• Ecology is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms, and the interactions between those organisms and their environment.
• Biomes are major ecosystem types.
• Terrestrial biomes are defined by the dominant type of vegetation.
• Aquatic biomes are defined by the physical environment.
• Key factors influencing terrestrial biomes include average temperature, average precipitation, and seasonality.
• Organisms adapt to the conditions of their specific biome.

Levels of Ecological Organization

• Ecology is organized hierarchically.
• Individuals are the basic units.
• Populations are groups of individuals of the same species.
• Communities are groups of interacting populations.
• Ecosystems encompass communities and their physical environment.
• Each level has emergent properties, novel properties not present in the preceding level.

Types of Ecological Research

• Global ecology studies energy exchange and material flow across the biosphere.
• Landscape ecology investigates energy, material, and organism flow.
• Ecosystem ecology emphasizes energy and chemical cycling.
• Community ecology analyzes species interactions within a community.
• Population ecology examines how and why population sizes change over time.
• Organismal ecology focuses on how organisms adapt to their environment.

Learning Goals

• Recognize key factors differentiating terrestrial and aquatic biomes.
• Identify latitude, seasons, wind, and precipitation as drivers of global climate patterns.
• Understand the importance of local climate patterns for biodiversity.
• Provide examples of adaptations in life forms to varying biomes.
• Appreciate the interaction between abiotic and biotic factors in determining species distribution.
• Understand emergent properties in ecological systems.

Terrestrial Biomes

• Biomes are defined by dominant vegetation types.
• Trees can outcompete shorter species for sunlight, require ample moisture, and long growing seasons.
• Shrubs are woody but shorter than trees, need less moisture, can compete with grasses, and resist herbivores.
• Grasses are not woody, grow quickly, and often have deep roots.

Aquatic Biomes

• Aquatic biomes vary less with latitude than terrestrial biomes.
• Key characteristics of aquatic biomes include salinity, depth (light penetration, temperature), and water flow (running or standing).
• Freshwater biomes are further categorized as lakes (vertical zonation) and streams (longitudinal zonation).
• Marine biomes are categorized based on distance from land and depth.

Major Patterns of Climate

• Latitude is a major factor influencing global climate patterns.
• Regions near the equator are warmer than the poles.
• Less energy per unit area at higher latitudes due to the angle of sunlight.
• Global climate patterns are influenced by wind and precipitation patterns.
• At 30°N and 30°S latitude, descending air absorbs moisture, leading to dry conditions (deserts).
• Regions nearer to the equator and higher altitudes receive more precipitation, leading to higher humidity and wet conditions (wetlands, tropical rainforests)

Important Biomes

• Tropical forests have high rainfall and temperatures, vertically layered trees, and high plant and animal diversity.
• Deserts receive less than 30 cm of rainfall per year, have highly variable temperatures, and have low, scattered vegetation that is adapted to drought.
• Temperate grasslands experience cold winters and warm summers, have dominant grasses and forbs, and are adapted to fire and low moisture.
• Tundra has cold temperatures year-round with permafrost layers, and plant life is mainly mosses, grasses, very small shrubs, and lichens.
• Northern coniferous forests are characterized by variable temperatures and rainfall. Coniferous (evergreen) trees are dominant, and vegetation is adapted to variable seasons.
• Temperate broadleaf forests experience seasonal variation, dominated by deciduous trees.

Species Distribution

• Species presence and distribution depend on interactions and environmental factors.
• Disturbances can affect biome distribution and maintain/shift characteristics.
• Dispersal limits are a potential factor for limiting species distribution.
• Survival, reproduction needs, and competition are other factors contributing to species distribution.

Additional Factors

• Proximity to water (higher specific heat of water moderates temperatures).
• Proximity to mountains (wind patterns and rain shadows) strongly affect moisture and temperature patterns.

Test your knowledge on the factors influencing terrestrial biomes, including climate, moisture, and vegetation. This quiz will cover critical concepts related to ecology and the characteristics of different biomes. Assess your understanding of how various elements interact in ecosystems.