Biomes of the World Unit Assessment Third Eight Weeks Life Science

1. What is an estuary? Extremely fertile area where a river meets an ocean; mixture of saltwater and freshwater; serves as a nursery for many species of fish

2. What are examples of freshwater biomes? Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams

3. What biome is characterized by cold, dry conditions? Tundra

4. What are examples of a desert biome’s biotic factors? Cacti. lizards, owls, desert rat, spiders, mesquite, white thorn

5. What type of biome is a river? Moving freshwater

A land region that is wet or moist most all of the year 6. What is a wetland biome? A land region that is wet or moist most all of the year

7. What are biotic factors in a deciduous forest biome? Bears, rabbits, variety of birds and insects, foxes, mice, deciduous trees, squirrels

8. What land biome has the largest diversity of living organisms? Tropical rain forest

9. How is soil fertility in a deciduous forest dependent on the trees? Fallen leaves decay and make the soil rich with organic matter

10. Why are caribou and Arctic hares suited for the tundra climate? The climate is cold and dry – fur, extra layers of fat

11. What is a marine biome? A saltwater ecosystem – oceans, seas, coastal inlets and estuaries – Great Salt Lake, Dead Sea

Serves as a nursery for many species of fish 12. What is the benefit of estuaries to organisms in this aquatic biome? Serves as a nursery for many species of fish

13. How is a kangaroo rat able to survive in a desert biome? A kangaroo rat is able to get all the water it needs through its food.

14. What is the taiga biome? The world’s largest biome located south of the tundra; has long cold winters, characterized by cone-bearing trees and dense forests

15. What biome covers most of the land mass near the Earth’s equator? Tropical rain forest

16. What biome dominates the eastern portions of the United States? Temperate deciduous forest

17. What is meant by the climate of a biome? Average weather conditions of an area over time; includes wind, precipitation, and temperature

18. What is the intertidal zone? Part of the shoreline that is underwater at high tide and exposed to the air at low tide

19. What is the cold, treeless biome that covers about one fifth of the Earth’s land surface? Tundra

20. What are examples of abiotic factors in a desert biome? Sand, rock, little water, sun, hot and sometimes cold temperatures at night

21. What determines the types and number of species in a given area? Precipitation and temperature

To protect desert wildlife and prevent desertification 22. What is the purpose of setting aside large areas of desert to be national parks? To protect desert wildlife and prevent desertification

23. What are the characteristics of a savanna biome? Tall grasses, few trees, grazing animals, birds, predators of grazing animals, dry season, hot temperatures

Cold and dry; permafrost, treeless area 24. What are the characteristics of a biome with the shortest vegetation (height of plants)? Cold and dry; permafrost, treeless area

25. What are examples of biotic and abiotic factors of the taiga biome? Spruces, elks, snowshoe hares, mosses, severe winters, dense forests, cold winters, mild summers

26. What biome is typically found in harbors, lagoons, and inlets? Estuaries

27. What are the characteristics of a temperate rainforest biome? Above average rainfall; cool temperatures, forests dominated by trees with needle-like leaves

28. What are biotic factors of a coral reef? Diverse ecosystem formed form the calcium carbonate shells, secreted by corals; algae, tropical fish, sharks, sponges, echinoderms, mollusks, jellyfish, bacteria, protists

29. What are examples of biotic and abiotic factors of grassland biomes? Grass, few trees, grazing animals, small amount of rainfall, sun, rivers, lakes, predators of the grazing animals, birds, insects, dry season

30. What are examples of standing freshwater biomes? Lakes, ponds

31. What is the difference between a tundra biome and a desert biome? Tundra is cold and dry; desert is hot in daytime and dry; it can be cold at night

32. What is precipitation? Condensation of water vapor in the form of rain, snow, sleet, hail or freezing rain

33. What are examples of biotic factors of a tropical rainforest? Vines, primates, tall trees, orchids, sloths, and birds

34. What are examples of terrestrial biomes? Taiga, tundra, tropical rain forest, deciduous forest, temperate rain forest, grassland, desert

35. What is the difference between a deciduous forest biome and the taiga biome? Dominated by climax communities of deciduous trees which lose their leaves in the fall – Eastern United States; a cold forest region dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees – largest biome lies just below the tundra biome