Chapter 6 Biomes

has rich, deep soil

less than 25 cm of rainfall per year

Douglas fir and redwood trees

scrub oak, olive trees, and sage

100 acres lost each minute

adaptation for desert survival

adaptation for taiga survival

home to herbivores such as giraffes and elephants

moderate rainfall, frequent fire events

easily disrupted and slow to recover from disturbances

Just before you reach the top of a mountain where there is year-round ice and snow, you would expect to see a. cacti. c. mahogany trees. b. deciduous trees. d. herbs, lichens, and mosses.

In a tropical rain forest, you would expect to find a. lush, tall plants that require a lot of water. b. short plants that require little water. c. small trees, shrubs, and grasses. d. cacti and shrubs that require little to no water.

Which of the following statements is true? a. Mosses and lichens of the tundra usually grow closer to the equator. b. Temperate forests and grasslands usually have poor soil. c. Tropical rain forests are located near the equator where it is warm and wet. d. Grasslands north of 40º latitude grow most of the world’s food.

Which of the following is true of tropical rain forests? a. The soil is rich and supports a wide variety of plant and animal life. b. They help regulate world climate and play vital roles in the nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon cycles. c. Temperatures vary widely between wet and dry seasons. d. The diversity in a tropical rain forest is exceeded only by that of the grasslands.

The amount of light available to each layer of a tropical rain forest from least to most light is a. lower canopy, upper canopy, emergent layer, under story. b. upper canopy, emergent layer, under story, lower canopy. c. under story, lower canopy, upper canopy, emergent layer. d. emergent layer, upper canopy, lower canopy, under story.

A temperate deciduous forest would likely contain a. plants that require abundant rainfall and moderate temperatures. b. plants with adaptations, such as rhizomes, to survive harsh winters. c. plants with thick, fleshy, waxy stems to prevent water loss. d. dwarf woody plants growing near the ground to absorb the soil’s heat.

Animals of the taiga have adaptations such as the ability to a. change color to avoid predators. b. find watering holes in the dry season. c. give birth during the rainy season only. d. prevent summertime water loss with their thick, scaly skin.

Which characteristics describe grassland biomes? a. high species diversity, few trees, alternating rainy and dry seasons b. susceptibility to fires, low to moderate rainfall, few to no trees c. abundant rainfall year-round, extremely fertile soil, grazing animals d. mild Mediterranean climate, high species diversity, and few trees

Which of the following describes the climate of the chaparral? a. Mediterranean climate; hot, dry summers; mild, wet winters b. desert-like climate; hot, dry summers; cool, dry winters c. extremely wet climate; cold, wet winters; cool, rainy summers d. relatively dry climate; mild, dry summers; cold, dry winters

Adaptations of desert animals that help them survive in the hot, dry desert often include a. searching for water at midday. b. thin skin that readily absorbs water. c. large, bulky size to retain body heat on cold nights. d. searching for food at night