Exam 56: Ecology and the Geography of Life

Figure 56-2 Refer to the accompanying figure. Which of the following represents the fall turnover?

Glacier ice occupied about ____% of Earth's land during the last Ice Age, then began retreating about 17,000 years ago. Today, glacier ice occupies about ____% of the land surface.

The ____ contains the greatest volume of ocean water.

Which biome has the shortest growing season?

For coral reefs to form in tropical waters, it is necessary for the coral animals to live in symbiosis with:

Compared to soils of other ecosystems, desert soils are characterized as having:

Soils of the tundra are very ____ due to ____.

Which biome has the fewest types of species?

The term nekton refers to bottom-dwelling organisms in an aquatic ecosystem.

Small lakes and ponds usually lack a profundal zone.

The marine euphotic zone is comparable to the ____ zone of lakes.

Near the poles, what is generally the overriding climate factor?

Identify and briefly describe three biogeographical realms as described by Wallace.

The ____ realm has long been separated from other land masses and is the area in which marsupials are particularly common.

Explain the changes in vegetation observed with increasing elevation. BONUS: Compare this to changes in vegetation with latitude.

Which biome has the longest growing season?

Overgrazing in savannas by domestic animals has contributed to its conversion into:

Dense coastal fog is characteristic of the temperate deciduous forest biome.

Describe the physical processes that result in the summer and winter stratification in temperate zone lakes. What causes the mixing in the spring and fall? What are major consequences of the winter stratification on the biota of the lake?

The oceanic province is that part of the ocean that overlies the continental shelf.