Elements of Ecology, 8e (Smith/Smith) Chapter 24 Terrestrial Ecosystems 24.1 Short Answer Questions 1) ________ is the study of the spatial or geographical distribution of organisms, both past and present. Answer: Biogeography Topic: Introduction to Part 7 2) A(n) ________ is a classification of plant formations and associated animal life into biotic units based on the predominant plant types, with at least eight major terrestrial types. Answer: biome Topic: Introduction to Chapter 24 3) Leaves that live for only a single year or growing season are classified as ________. Answer: deciduous Topic: Section 24.1 4) There are consistent patterns in the distribution and abundance of dominant plant life-forms across the biosphere because these life-forms share ________ to the selection pressures of climate and the physical environment. Answer: adaptations Topic: Section 24.1 5) Tropical rain forests are restricted primarily to the ________ zone between latitudes 10°N and 10°S. Answer: equatorial Topic: Section 24.2 6) Tropical ________ refers to vegetation in the drier tropics and subtropics that is dominated by a ground cover of grasses with scattered shrubs or trees. Answer: savanna Topic: Section 24.3 7) Native grasslands of North America, influenced by declining precipitation from east to west, consist of three main types distinguished by the ________ of the dominant species. Answer: height Topic: Section 24.4 8) Arid environments that occur in the rain shadow of mountain barriers or are located far inland where moist maritime air rarely penetrates are referred to as ________. Answer: deserts Topic: Section 24.5
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9) A(n) ________ climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Answer: Mediterranean Topic: Section 24.6 10) A belt of coniferous forest, known as ________ forest, occurs in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Answer: taiga Topic: Section 24.8 11) ________ is the perennially frozen subsurface that develops in boreal and arctic systems where the ground temperatures remain below 0°C for extended periods of time. Answer: Permafrost Topic: Sections 24.8 and 24.9 24.2 Multiple-Choice Questions 1) The independent evolution of a similar characteristic in two species, not derived from a recent, common ancestor, is referred to as A) microevolution. B) divergent evolution. C) convergent evolution. D) macroevolution. Answer: C Topic: Introduction to Part 7 2) Distribution patterns of biomes can be determined based almost entirely on A) only mean annual temperature. B) both mean annual temperature and precipitation. C) the distribution of soils. D) global weather patterns. Answer: B Topic: Introduction to Chapter 24 3) The broad categories of grasses, shrubs, and trees represent a diverse range of species and characteristics, and they have fundamentally different patterns of A) nutrient allocation and morphology. B) carbon allocation and morphology. C) carbon allocation and nutrient allocation. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.1
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4) Which of the following allocates the greatest amount of biomass to photosynthetic tissue and the least amount to supportive tissue? A) trees B) shrubs C) lianas D) grasses Answer: D Topic: Section 24.1 5) Which of the following is the predominant leaf form of environments where the growing season is very short or where nutrient availability severely constrains photosynthesis and plant growth? A) winter-deciduous leaves B) drought-deciduous leaves C) broad-leaf evergreen leaves D) needle-leaf evergreen leaves Answer: D Topic: Section 24.1 6) The highest diversity of plant and animal life occurs in A) tropical savannas. B) tropical rain forests. C) temperate deciduous forests. D) boreal forests. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.2 7) Plants that root and grow on other plants in the tropical rain forest are called A) phreatophytes. B) succulents. C) epiphytes. D) halophytes. Answer: C Topic: Section 24.2 8) Deeply weathered soils, with no distinct horizons characteristic of the tropical rain forest, are A) Molisols. B) Andosols. C) Oxisols. D) Alfisols. Answer: C Topic: Section 24.2
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9) Decomposition rates in the tropical rain forest are A) slow due to inhibition of decomposition by moisture. B) fast due to near optimal conditions for decomposers. C) fast due to highly fertile soils. D) slow due to stored soil organic matter pools from which plants draw nutrients. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.2 10) Savannas typically occur in A) cold areas with little rainfall in polar regions. B) cold areas with little rainfall at high altitudes in the tropics. C) very dry areas in the rain shadow of mountains of both temperate and tropical latitudes. D) warm areas with seasonal rainfall in the tropics. Answer: D Topic: Section 24.3 11) Campos, llano, and cerrado are all areas of A) tropical rain forest. B) tropical savanna. C) Mediterranean shrubland. D) desert. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.3 12) The density of woody vegetation in a savanna is controlled through A) mean annual temperature. B) mean annual temperature, soil texture, and water-holding capacity. C) mean annual precipitation. D) mean annual precipitation, soil texture, and water-holding capacity. Answer: D Topic: Section 24.3 13) Large grazing ungulates and burrowing animals are most abundant in A) deserts. B) tropical rain forest. C) temperate shrubland. D) temperate grassland. Answer: D Topic: Section 24.4
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14) The relationship between mean annual precipitation (MAP) and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) is ANPP = 0.50*(MAP) + (70) in mm MAP and (g/m2/yr) for ANPP in grassland systems. If precipitation is currently 1000 mm and MAP increases by 25%, then ANPP will be approximately A) 570. B) 625. C) 695. D) 713. Answer: C Topic: Section 24.4 15) Cool deserts are dominated by A) shrubs such as Artemisia tridentata. B) trees such as willow or poplar. C) tall growth forms of saguaro. D) ground-dwelling succulents. Answer: A Topic: Section 24.5 16) The dominant biome in Mediterranean climates found between 30° and 40° latitude is A) temperate shrubland. B) temperate deciduous forest. C) desert. D) tropical savanna. Answer: A Topic: Section 24.6 17) The dominant vegetation types in temperate shrublands are A) pine trees. B) evergreen shrubs and sclerophyllous vegetation. C) dwarf willows and Atriplex. D) grasses and dwarf oak. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.6 18) Typical soils of the temperate forest region are A) Alfisols and Inceptisols. B) Oxisols. C) Andosols. D) Aridisols and Vertisols. Answer: A Topic: Section 24.7
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19) The vegetation formation dominated by needle-leaf evergreen trees and occurring where growth is restricted to a few months of the year due to low temperatures is referred to as A) temperate deciduous forest. B) tundra. C) boreal forest. D) temperate shrubland. Answer: C Topic: Section 24.8 20) Increases in elevation are accompanied by decreases in temperature. The rate at which temperature drops as elevation increases is referred to as the dry adiabatic lapse rate, which gives a drop in temperature of rising unsaturated air of about 10°C for every 1000 meters. If the temperature is 25°C at the base of the mountain, what temperatures do organisms experience 3000 meters upslope? A) 5°C B) 0°C C) -5°C D) -15°C Answer: C Topic: Section 24.8 21) Fire in the taiga A) damages trees resulting in excessively slow recovery due to low temperatures. B) alters nutrient cycling making nutrients unavailable for trees. C) occurs often, resulting in decreased competition for vegetation adapted to repeated burning. D) results in systems dominated by grassland species. Answer: C Topic: Section 24.8 22) The vegetation of tundra is dominated by A) broadleaf deciduous trees. B) short plants such as sedges, heaths, and willow. C) needle-leaf evergreen trees. D) sclerophyllous broadleaf evergreen shrubs. Answer: B Topic: Section 24.9
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24.3 True/False Questions 1) Broad categories of vegetation based on physical similarity of appearance were initially called formations. Answer: TRUE Topic: Introduction to Part 7 2) Classification of the world's major terrestrial biomes is based on the dominant forms of plant life. Answer: TRUE Topic: Introduction to Chapter 24 3) Similar climates produce similar vegetation structure around the world. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.1 4) Deciduous leaves usually live for more than a single year or growing season. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.1 5) Leaf characteristics are useful indicators of the trade-offs plants make to combat environmental constraints. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.1 6) The largest and most continuous region of tropical rain forest in the world is in South America. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.2 7) Covering only 6 percent of the land surface, tropical rain forests account for more than 50 percent of all known plant and animal species. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.2 8) Tropical rain forests typically have a thick layer of litter on the forest floor. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.2 9) In the tropical latitudes, the length of the dry season increases with distance from the equator. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.2 10) Tropical savannas typically lack trees or shrubs. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.3 11) Grasslands formerly covered 42 percent of the land surface of the Earth. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.4 12) Grazing at moderate levels stimulates plant productivity in grassland systems. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.4 7 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
13) Grazing ungulates are relatively common and burrowing rodents are relatively rare in temperate grasslands. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.4 14) Deserts are typically hot throughout the year and rarely have freezing temperatures. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.5 15) Deserts often occur in the rain shadow of mountain ranges. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.5 16) Mediterranean climates are characterized by relatively dry summers and wet winters. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.6 17) Vegetation that is sclerophyllous is adapted to areas with ample moisture and moderate temperatures. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.6 18) Rainfall is greater in temperate deciduous forests than in temperate shrublands and grasslands. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.7 19) In temperate deciduous forests, the greatest concentration and diversity of life occur in the canopy. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.7 20) Conifer forests are dominated by needle-leaf evergreen trees. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.8
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21) Net primary productivity of boreal forest is generally lower than in temperate deciduous forest. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.8 22) Tundra occurs only at high latitudes in polar regions. Answer: FALSE Topic: Section 24.9 23) Tundra occurs at high elevations on mountains. Answer: TRUE Topic: Section 24.9 24) Topographic features, such as mountains and valleys, influence the climate of a region. Answer: TRUE Topic: Quantifying Ecology 24.1: Climatic Diagrams 24.4 Essay Questions 1) Describe four types of leaf forms and the characteristics of the environment in which each leaf type typically occurs. Be sure to explain why an economic model might be appropriate to describe the costs of leaf production in different environments. Topic: Section 24.1 2) Discuss the differences in structure and climate between tropical rain forest and dry tropical forest. Topic: Section 24.2 3) Explain why the soils of rain forests are poor for agriculture. Topic: Section 24.2 4) Discuss the factors that limit the growth of trees in savannas and grasslands. Topic: Sections 24.3 and 24.4 5) Discuss the differences in structure and climate between tropical savannas and deserts. Topic: Sections 24.3 and 24.5 6) Describe the climatic and topographic factors that favor the formation of deserts. Topic: Section 24.5 7) Describe the soil conditions in boreal forest and how vegetation affects and is affected by the soil conditions. Topic: Section 24.8
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8) How do plants in tundra differ from plants in other biomes in terms of size, growth form, and contribution to belowground systems? What specific environmental constraints are organisms in this environment exposed to, and how does their form and function allow them to survive in this area? Topic: Section 24.9
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