LEC 4

These flashcards cover key concepts and facts related to the variability of environments and terrestrial biomes as discussed in the lecture.

What primarily affects the predominant vegetation in terrestrial biomes?

Temperature and precipitation.

What is soil?

A complex mixture of organic and non-living inorganic material, essential for terrestrial life.

What is weathering?

The process of breaking down bedrock into smaller fragments to produce soil particles.

What is mechanical weathering?

Physical breakdown of materials through water, wind, and plant growth.

What is chemical weathering?

The alteration of minerals through chemical reactions.

What do climate diagrams display?

Information about average temperature and precipitation at a locality.

What do the red dots on a climate diagram represent?

Mean monthly temperature.

What do the blue dots on a climate diagram indicate?

Mean monthly precipitation.

What does the shaded area on climate diagrams indicate?

Months with mean minimum temperature above 0°C.

What can be learned from the relative arrangement of curves in climate diagrams?

When periods of rain and drought occur.

• High mean annual temperature.

• Low seasonality in temperature.

• Soil is low in nutrients and organic matter due to rapid decomposition and nutrient cycling.

• Biomass-rich with very high primary productivity.

• Very diverse biome, characterized by evergreen (non-deciduous) forest vegetation, abundant vines, and epiphytes.

• Rainy af.

Tropical Rain Forest.

• Low or high mean annual temperature

• Moderate to strong seasonality in temperature.

• low annual rain

• Soil is low in organic matter due to sparse vegetation and slow decomposition.

• Primary Productivity is low.

• Sparse, short-stature vegetation; mostly treeless.

Dessert Biomes

• Low annual temps.

• Strong seasonality in temperature, with warm summers and cold winters

• Low to moderate annual rain

• Herbaceous vegetation dominated by various grasses. Trees and shrubs are usually limited to areas near streams and rivers.

• very fertile soils.

• has the highest land loss globally due to its widespread conversion to cropland.

Grassland

• Moderate annual temp.

• Moderate seasonality in temperature, featuring warm summers and mild winters

• High annual rain  

• May experience moderate seasonal drought

• Comprises diverse forest vegetation, including deciduous and broadleaf forests or coniferous forests.

• Possess very fertile soils.

• Biomass-rich with high primary productivity.

• Generally high diversity of plant and animal life.

Temperate Forest

• Very low mean annual temp.

• Strong seasonality in temperature, with mild summers and very cold winters

• Low annual rain

• Soils tend to be acidic and have low fertility due to cold temperatures and slow decomposition.

• Dominated by conifer forest vegetation. Also features extensive wetland and peatland vegetation, often known as muskegs.

• Generally lower species diversity compared to temperate or tropical forests.

Boreal Forest

• Very low mean annual temp.

• Strong seasonality in temperature, characterized by cool summers and cold winters.

• Low mean annual precipitation.

• Composed of low shrub and grass vegetation; typically treeless. A defining characteristic is the presence of permafrost, where the ground remains permanently frozen.

Tundra

What does the Whittaker diagram show?

The relationship of biomes as a function of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT).

What two factors greatly influence the boundaries of terrestrial biomes?

Latitudinal arrangement of climate cells and land-water distribution.

How many ecozones are there in Canada?

15 ecozones.

In a Whittaker diagram, what climatic factor is typically represented on the x-axis?

Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP) / increasing precipitation

In a Whittaker diagram, what climatic factor is typically represented on the y-axis?

Mean Annual Temperature (MAT) / decreasing temperature

How does the Whittaker diagram help in understanding the global distribution of terrestrial biomes?

Effectively demonstrates the wide variation in climate conditions that different biomes can tolerate or require