BIO 111 - Chapter 44 & 46: Ecology & The Biosphere / Ecosystems – Biogeochemical Cycles

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: tropical wet forest

• Location: Equator (Amazon, Congo)

• Temp: Hot (25–30°C)

• Rain: Heavy year-round

• Veg: Dense, tall evergreen trees

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: tropical dry forest 

• Location: India, Africa, Mexico

• Temp: Warm year-round

• Rain: Seasonal, dry periods

• Veg: Deciduous trees, less dense

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: Savannas 

• Location: Africa, S. America, Australia

• Temp: Warm

• Rain: Seasonal

• Veg: Grasses, scattered trees

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: subtropical deserts

• Location: Sahara, Mojave

• Temp: Hot days, cool nights

• Rain: Very low

• Veg: Cacti, shrubs

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: Chaparral 

• Location: California, Mediterranean

• Temp: Mild winters, hot summers

• Rain: Winter rain

• Veg: Shrubs, fire-adapted plants

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: temperate grasslands 

• Location: U.S. Midwest, Russia

• Temp: Hot summers, cold winters

• Rain: Moderate

• Veg: Grasses, few trees

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: temperate forests 

• Location: U.S., Europe, Asia

• Temp: Seasonal

• Rain: Moderate-high

• Veg: Deciduous trees

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: boreal forests 

• Location: Canada, Russia

• Temp: Cold

• Rain: Snowy, low-moderate

• Veg: Conifers (pine, spruce)

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: Arctic tundra 

• Location: Arctic

• Temp: Freezing

• Rain: Very low

• Veg: Mosses, grasses, permafrost

What is the location, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation like for: cold deserts 

• Location: Antarctica, Central Asia

• Temp: Cold

• Rain: Low (snow)

• Veg: Sparse, shrubs

Describe the difference in species diversity between the photic and aphotic zones of the ocean.

• Photic Zone (sunlit): High diversity — light allows photosynthesis and supports many species.

• Aphotic Zone (dark): Low diversity — no light, cold, high pressure, limited food.

What is Chemosynthetic bacteria? 

Bacteria that make food using chemicals (like hydrogen sulfide) instead of sunlight — found near deep-sea vents.

Why do you not find photosynthetic organisms in the abyssal zone of the ocean? 

No sunlight reaches this deep part of the ocean, so photosynthesis is impossible.

What adaptations are found in organisms inhabiting the intertidal zone of the ocean? 

Organisms have strong attachments, hard shells, tolerance to dryness, and resistance to waves.

Mutualistic relationships exist in coral reefs in shallower waters. Describe one such mutualistic relationship? 

Coral + Zooxanthellae: Algae live inside coral, providing it with food via photosynthesis; coral gives algae shelter and nutrients.

How does overfishing in the area of a coral reef threaten the coral population? 

Overfishing removes species that control algae. Too much algae can smother and kill coral.

What is Coral bleaching? 

Corals lose their algae (zooxanthellae) due to stress (often from heat), turning white and becoming weak or dying.

Describe two adaptations that have evolved in organisms that live in an estuary? 

• Salt tolerance (e.g., in fish and plants).

• Ability to survive changing water levels/salinity.

What is a Delta? 

A landform at a river’s mouth, made of sediment deposits — often triangle-shaped.

What is a Wetland? 

A water-saturated area (like swamps or marshes) that supports aquatic plants — key for biodiversity and flood control.