Exam 23: Terrestrial Ecosystems

Mediterranean climates are characterized by relatively dry summers and wet winters.

Climate diagrams are valuable because they show

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.

Decomposition rates in the tropical rain forest are

The dominant vegetation types in temperate shrublands are

Grazing at moderate levels stimulates plant productivity in grassland systems.

Savannas typically occur in

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.

Deciduous leaves usually live for more than a single year or growing season.

Which of the following is a management technique to reduce the effects of logging?

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 percent,then ANPP will be approximately

In temperate deciduous forests,the greatest concentration and diversity of life occur in the canopy.

The vegetation of tundra is dominated by

Coniferous forests are dominated by needle-leaf evergreen trees.

Which biome contains the largest tree species in the world?

Net primary productivity of boreal forest is generally lower than in temperate deciduous forest.

Tropical ________ refers to vegetation in the drier tropics and subtropics that is dominated by a ground cover of grasses with scattered shrubs or trees.

In the tropical latitudes,the length of the dry season increases with distance from the equator.

Leaf characteristics are useful indicators of the trade-offs plants make to combat environmental constraints.

In what layer would one find salamanders in a deciduous forest?