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----------------------------------BIOMES-----------------------------
In broad terms the general structure of the ecosystem and the kinds of niches and
habitats present are similar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag5ATGEplbU
Type of soil-- sandy will dry out, wet soil favors certain types of species.
Climb a mountain and pass through biomes. a very handy sampling of biomes
DESERT
When and how is different for different deserts. either in winter months or wet
season OR infrequent thundershowers
Problems with thundershowers is that rain RUNS OFF and does not sink in.
ALSO rate of EVAPORATION is high ---this means that flowering and growth of
plants occurs in wet season or time.
ALSO desert is WINDY and this leads to drying
We think of deserts and hot and dry and devoid of life HOWEVER deserts are full of
life and can be cool or cold
Sahara and deserts of the southwest of US and Mexico are hot mostly but Gobi
desert in Central Asia can be very cold during winter and have cool summers
since low precipitation there is low cloud cover and hence sun is not blocked---
very hot
at night there are no clouds to insulate heat from leaving and radiational cooling
leads to very cool temps at night.
animals and plants have special adaptations to survive desert temps, lack of water
and drying
examples--small leaves, or lose leaves in winter or like CACTUS will store water
in spongy bodies or roots
seeds will lie dormant and then grow rapidly during rainy season, reproduce and
die and then wait for next rain. could be months
]
Animals of the desert
GRASSLAND
also call prairies or steppes 25-75 cm or 10-30 inches of rain per year
FIRE is important is some areas to prevent trees from growing AND to provide
nutrients
animals function to convert grass to dung and to prevent invasion of woody plants
by eating them
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dry grassland has been converted to domesticated grazers like cattle sheep goats
little natural or undisturbed grassland is left and should be preserved for
grassland species that once occupied vast areas of globe
SAVANNA
Fire is important and trees are fire resistant (not fire proof)
many trees are legumes and nitrogen fixers and provide shade and nesting sites
located near an ocean and have wet cool winters and hot dry summers
rain is 40 to 100 cm or 15-40 inches
typical of Mediterranean and coastal California (southern)
southern tip of Africa and west coast of Chile and southern Australia
plants--woody shrubs that can withstand hot dry summer, plants may be dormant in
summer
Plants have adapted to this dry wet cycle, can endure drought,
Dry periods are a very hard time so some trees will drop their leaves during the
dry period
locations: parts of Central and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia (India
and Myranmar)
location: Central South America Africa, Southeast Asia, some islands in Caribbean
Sea and Pacific Ocean
plants grow fast due to warm temp and rainfall BUT SOIL USUALLY POOR.
Tree-- extensive root networks associated with fungi (micorhizza) near surface of
soil to allow capture of nutrients before they are carried away.
Most nutrients are tied up in biomass NOT IN SOIL. These area make poor farmland
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Epiphytic plants (plants that live on surface of others plants) can trap many of
these particle before they reach the soil.
Understory vines grow toward sun on supporting trees--why? looking for sun,
competition for sunlight
a few square kilometers have hundreds of species of trees (unlike where we live)
Same species of tree can be a kilometer or more apart (very different from where
we live)
Balsa teakwood and ornamental woods are found here
Each tree has a community of plants and animals that use it as food shelter and
support
THE CANOPY -- a solid wall of leaves between the sun and forest floor. There can
be two or three levels here.
climbing mammals, tree frogs, lizards---insects are food for many animals
Flowers and fruit and available YEAR ROUND lots of nectar and fruit feeding
birds and mammals
Very low light levels during the day and difficult to see during the day due to
leaves and vines and plants so animals communicate often by sounds.
Environmental Pressures
these are often poor countries and try to exploit the rainforest for jobs and
money
Forestry can be sustainable but in many cases is not, too rapid exploitation
There is a winter summer change here and have trees that lose there leaves in
winter and get them back in spring.
location: eastern half of US and parts of central and southeastern Canada,
southern Africa, and many areas of Europe and Asia
each area has certain species of tree that are major producers for the biome
unlike tropical rain forest here there are many fewer species and many forests
consist of two or three dominant species.
tall tree shade the forest floor---here small flower plants grow--these plants
have adapted by storing foods in underground structures and in spring before
leaves come out on trees the flowers can capture sunlight and reproduce before
they are shaded.
animals: many insects which eat leaves and tree wood -- beetles, moth larvae,
wasps and ants are examples
Birds live here but most are MIGRANTS--arrive in spring, reproduce in summer,
leave in fall--the food is the large insect population also fruit seeds.
year round residents: some birds like woodpeckers, grouse, turkey and some
finches
small and large mammals: mice ,squirrels, deer, shrews, moles and oppossums
location: southern half of Canada, parts of northern Europe, and much of Russia
climate: short cool summers, long winters with lots of snow, winters are harsh
and can last 6 months
soils freezes
common trees: spruces, firs, and larches adapted to winter and dry??
dry why? moisture fall as snow and stays above soil and melts in spring
needle shaped leaves prevent water loss, larch lose needles in fall, branches
flexible to shed snow in fall, tree shaped like a pyramid
animals: temporarily active in summer, most birds are migratory and feed on insect
population not around in winter
TUNDRA
description
Lacks trees
permanently frozen SUBSURFACE soil called PERMAFROST:
temperature: short cool summer, summer temperatures and usually less than 50F or
10C hence very low evaporation rate
land is waterlogged due to permafrost which does not let water sink into soil
many ponds and pools (shallow)
animals: water attracts waterfowl like ducks and geese (migrate there during
spring, raise young in summer migrate south in fall)
Top few inches will thaw and some plants will grow but be short (less that 8
inches or 20 cm)
plants: grasses, dwarf birch, dwarf willow and lichens like reindeer moss
Hardy mammals live here: musk oxen, caribou (reindeer), arctic hare, and
lemmings---these survive by eating the vegetation, short grasses and plants
Predators: arctic foxes, wolves, and owls.
Key point--very short growing season--damage to land will take a long time to
heal.
ALPINE TUNDRA -- found on some mountaintops around the world. General appearance
is similar to Tundra although many species of animals and plants are different.
Also many animals will migrate to alpine tundra in summer and return to lower
elevations in winter
Quiz up to here-----------------------------------------------------------