Biomes
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Which of the following best characterize desert biomes?
Low rainfall and animal adaptations to a water-poor environment
Low rainfall
Animals are adapted to a water-poor environment
Neither low rainfall nor animal adaptations to a water-poor environment
Explanation
Low rainfalls as well as the organisms that are specifically adapted to inhabit these conditions characterize desert biomes. Desert biomes can be further characterized based on seasons.
Which of the following is not true regarding temperate forest biomes?
There is little ground vegetation
Soil is nutrient-rich
They have a distinct winter season
There are temperate forests in eastern North America
Explanation
Temperature forest biomes can be found in eastern North America and western and central Europe. Temperate forests have a distinguishable winter season. The canopy present in these forests allows light penetration and ground vegetal growth, which makes the soil nutrient-rich.
Which of the following types of seasons best characterize chaparral biomes?
Hot dry summers and mild wet winters
Hot dry summers and very cold winters with low precipitation
Hot dry summers
Extremely cold winters with low precipitation
Explanation
Chaparral biomes are primarily observed to exist in California. The seasons in chaparral areas include hot dry summers and mild wet winters.
Which of the following is not a true characteristic of tundra?
Lack of dead organic material
Cold climate
Low biodiversity
Short growing seasons
Explanation
The tundra is a type of biome that has an extremely cold climate. Other characteristics of the tundra include a short growth season, low biodiversity, and nutrients found only in the form of dead organic tissue. The tundra is also characterized by the presence of a permafrost layer—a layer of frozen soil.
Which of the following types of aquatic ecosystems are exemplary of freshwater biomes?
All of these
Ponds and lakes
Wetlands
Streams and rivers
Explanation
Freshwater biomes are a type of aquatic ecosystem characterized by a low salt concentration and are home to animals specifically adapted to survive in these conditions. Types of freshwater biomes include ponds and lakes, wetlands, and many streams and rivers.
Which of the following is true regarding biome taxonomy?
Biomes are characterized by shared abiotic and biotic components
There is only one type of biome characterization of the Earth
Biomes are only characterized by biotic components
Biomes only describe terrestrial ecosystems
Explanation
Biomes are defined as ecosystems with shared abiotic and biotic factors. There are many different characterization schemes regarding biome classifications on Earth; furthermore, biomes encompass both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Which of the following is a characteristic that is not used to characterize biomes?
Taxonomy and genetic similarities of organisms
Habitat type
Climate
Patterns of ecological succession
Explanation
Biomes are characterized by a number of factors including climate, patterns of ecological succession, and habitat type. It is important to note that biomes are not distinguished by genetic or taxonomic patterns of organisms.
Which of the following represent the key factors that distinguish biomes from one another?
All of these
Climate
Patterns of ecological succession
Habitat type
Explanation
Biomes are characterized by a number of factors including climate, patterns of ecological succession, and habitat type. It is important to note that biomes are not distinguished by genetic or taxonomic patterns of organisms.
Which of the following best describes the primary difference between the savanna and temperate grassland biomes?
Seasonal fires are important to savanna biodiversity but they are not in temperate grasslands
The savanna is dominated by grasses while the temperate grassland has scattered trees
The savanna can be further categorized into prairies and steppes while the temperate grassland cannot
Seasonal fires are important to temperate grassland biodiversity but they are not in the savanna
Explanation
The key difference between the savanna and temperate grassland biomes is that seasonal fires are very important to savanna biodiversity but not for the temperate grassland’s ecology.
Which of the following best explains how marine biomes are distinct from freshwater biomes?
Marine biomes have high salt concentration while freshwater biomes have low salt concentration
Freshwater biomes have high salt concentration while marine biomes have low salt concentration
Freshwater biomes contain algae that supplies most of the Earth’s oxygen, while marine biomes do not
Freshwater biomes are greater oxygen sinks than marine biomes
Explanation
Marine biomes are aquatic ecosystems that possess a high concentration of salts. Examples of marine biomes include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Marine biomes contain large quantities of algae that supply most of the Earth’s oxygen content.