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What is succession?
Communities proceed through a series of regular changes over time.
What is a climax community?
A stable, long-lasting community resulting from succession.
What distinguishes primary succession from secondary succession?
What are the characteristics of a climax community?
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What major factors impact biomes?
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Which biome is known for having the highest biodiversity?
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True or False: Secondary succession is slower than primary succession.
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What is the role of plankton in aquatic ecosystems?
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Define oligotrophic lakes.
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What is an estuary?
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Match the following biomes with their characteristics:
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Study Notes
Succession
- Organisms in a community change over time in a predictable way
- Climax community: A stable, long-lasting community resulting from succession
- Disturbances such as fire and floods start the succession process again
Primary Succession
- Begins with bare rock
- Very slow process because there is initially no soil
- Example: volcanic islands
Secondary Succession
- Begins after the disturbance of an existing ecosystem
- Occurs more rapidly than primary succession because soil and some organisms already exist
- Examples: hurricanes, fires, floods
- Wildlife habitat management often mimics secondary succession
Climax Community Characteristics
- Maintains a mix of species over time
- At equilibrium with the environment
- Has increased biodiversity
- Human settlement has altered climax communities by introducing exotic species, disease, and changing land use
Biomes
- Large-scale terrestrial climax communities
Factors Affecting Biomes
- Precipitation: Amount and form (rain or snow)
- Temperature: Tropical vs. temperate regions
- Other factors: Fire, wind, soil type, flora, and fauna
Elevation
- Affects vegetation in a similar way to latitude
- Higher elevations have similar vegetation to higher latitudes
Tropical Rainforest
- Receives 80-128 inches of rain per year
- Contains the highest biodiversity of any biome
- Threatened by logging, cattle grazing, urban sprawl, and biofuels production
- Difficult to restore, so preservation is critical
Temperate Deciduous Forest
- Has distinct seasons with both hot and cold periods
- Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall
- Receives 30-60 inches of rain per year
- Less tree diversity than tropical rainforests, but more individuals of dominant species (oak, beech)
- Management includes selective logging, thinning, and prescribed burning in some cases
Taiga (Boreal Forest)
- Located at northern latitudes
- Evergreen coniferous forests
- Short summers, long winters, and heavy snowfall
- Conservation involves selective logging
Tundra
- "Arctic prairie" that lacks trees
- Has a layer of permanently frozen soil called permafrost
- Shallow water supports nesting birds
- Alpine tundra occurs at high elevations
- Preservation is critical because tundra plants grow very slowly
Aquatic Ecosystems
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Factors affecting aquatic ecosystems:
- Light penetration: Affects depth of the euphotic zone
- Water temperature: Affects species distribution and metabolism
- Nature of the bottom substrate: Provides habitat for benthic organisms
- Amount of dissolved minerals: Influences nutrient availability
Plankton
- Small, drifting organisms
- Phytoplankton: Photosynthetic plankton (algae and bacteria) found in the euphotic zone
- Zooplankton: Animals that feed on phytoplankton
Benthic Organisms
- Live on the ocean bottom
- Examples: Kelp, coral reefs, mangroves
- Abyssal ecosystem: Deep ocean system that receives detritus from the euphotic zone
Estuaries
- Marine ecosystems with a mix of freshwater and saltwater
- Shallow, partially enclosed areas with an inflow of freshwater
- Serve as nurseries for young fish and shrimp
Freshwater Ecosystems
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Lakes and Ponds:
- Emergent plants: Rooted on the bottom but extend above the water surface (e.g., cattails, water lilies)
- Submerged plants: Rooted on the bottom but stay below the surface (e.g., coontail)
- Littoral zone: Shallow area with emergent vegetation near the shore
- Limnetic zone: Open water area without rooted vegetation
- Oligotrophic: Cold, deep, nutrient-poor lakes
- Eutrophic: Shallow, warm, nutrient-rich lakes
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Streams and Rivers:
- Periphyton: Attached algae and other organisms found on submerged surfaces
- Slow-moving rivers accumulate material and fill in over time
Wetlands
- Transition areas between aquatic and terrestrial systems
- Swamps: Wetlands with trees that tolerate flooding
- Marshes: Wetlands dominated by grasses and reeds
- Wetlands tend to shift towards terrestrial systems over time
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Description
Explore the dynamic processes of ecological succession and the characteristics of climax communities. This quiz covers primary and secondary succession, their impacts on ecosystems, and how disturbances influence these changes. Test your knowledge about biomes and the factors affecting them.
