1. Chapter 15 – The Biosphere
Created by Educational Technology Network

2. Climate Biomes 10 20 30 40 50 Life in the Earth System
Marine Ecosystems
Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems 10 20 30 40 50

3. Question
Name the part of Earth where life exists.

4. Answer 1 – 10
Biosphere

5. Question
Name the 4 interconnected Earth systems.

6. Answer 1 – 20
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Geosphere

7. Question
Explain the relationship between the biota and the biosphere.

8. Answer 1 – 30
The biota makes up the living portion of the biosphere. The biosphere also includes the abiotic factors such as land, air, and water.

9. Question
A frog jumps into a pond and its skin absorbs water. What spheres has the water moved through?

10. Answer 1 – 40
Hydrosphere and Biosphere

11. Question
James Lovelock developed this theory which considers Earth itself a kind of living organism.

12. Answer 1 – 50
Gaia hypothesis

13. Question
Name the three climate zones

14. Answer 2 – 10
Polar
Temperate
Tropical

15. Question
What is the difference between climate and weather?

16. Answer 2 – 20
Weather describes the conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind conditions, etc.) on a day-to-day basis. Climate is the long-term pattern of weather.

17. Question
A climate of a small specific place within a larger area

18. Answer 2 – 30
Microclimate

19. Question
What two factors influence the angle at which the rays of sunlight come in contact with the Earth’s surface?

20. Answer 2 – 40 The spherical shape of the planet
The tilt of the Earth on its axis

21. Question
Explain the influence that mountains have on rainfall on both the windward (facing the wind) and the downwind side of the mountain.

22. Answer 2 – 50
As warm air approaches the mountain it rises and cools causing rain on the windward side
The downwind side then receives drier and cooler air

23. Question
This biome has very dry climate (less than 25cm annually). There are 4 types: hot, semiarid, coastal, and cold

24. Answer 3 – 10
Desert

25. Question
This biome is also known as the boreal forest and is located in cooler climates. It is generally north of the Temperate Forests and South of the Tundra.

26. Answer 3 – 20
Taiga

27. Question
This biome can be either Tropical or Temperate and the primary plant life is grass.

28. Answer 3 – 30
Grassland

29. Question
This biome is located beyond the taiga in far northern latitudes. Long winters and short summers result in permafrost.

30. Answer 3 – 40
Tundra

31. Question
Name the two major Non-Biome Areas and explain why they are not considered Biomes.

32. Answer 3 – 50 Polar ice caps – no soil or specific plant communitiy
Mountains – climate and animal communities change depending on elevation

33. Question
The strip of land between the high and low tide lines

34. Answer 4 – 10
Intertidal zone

35. Question
This ocean zone lies below 2000 meters in complete darkness

36. Answer 4 – 20
Abyssal Zone

37. Question
This ocean zone extends from the edge of the neritic zone to the base of the continental shelf

38. Answer 4 – 30
Bathyal zone

39. Question
Name and define the two types of Plankton

40. Answer 4 – 40
Phytoplankton – photosynthetic plankton that produce 70% or more of the Earth’s oxygen
Zooplankton – animal plankton

41. Question
Found in the neritic zone, these forests exist in cold, nutrient-rich waters. They can grow to over 30 meters (100 feet)

42. Answer 4 – 50
Kelp

43. Question
A partially enclosed body of water formed where a river flows into an ocean

44. Answer 5 – 10
Estuary

45. Question
A region of land that drains into a river, a river system, or another body of water.

46. Answer 5 – 20
Watershed

47. Question
The zone in a lake or pond located between high and low water marks along the shoreline.

48. Answer 5 – 30
Littoral zone

49. Question
The zone in a lake or pond making up the open water located away from shore characterized by an abundance of plankton communities

50. Answer 5 – 40
Limnetic zone

51. Question
The zone in a lake or pond near the bottom where less sunlight reaches and decomposers live in the mud and sand.

52. Answer 5 – 50
Benthic zone