Evolution Answers

 

Evolution Answers
    1. In biological terms, what is a species? a group of organisms that are similar in form and structure
      a group of organisms that can interbreed
      a group of organisms that share common features
      a group of organisms that have live in the same habitat
    2. What is the Scala Naturae? an idea proposed by Darwin that suggests that all organisms share a common ancestor
      an idea proposed by Plato that suggests organisms are all evolving toward an ideal form
      an idea proposed by Aristotle that suggests that all organisms fit into an orderly scheme
      an idea proposed by Wallace that suggests that organisms change over time
    3. Creationism is not accepted as a valid scientific theory because: it violates the scientific principle of natural causality
      it doesn’t offer a model to explain the diversity of life on earth
      it cannot be disproven
      all of these

birds

    1. The picture of the finches is used to illustrate: phylogeny of finches
      change over time
      specialization of beaks for different diets
      natural selection
    2. Which of the following was not an observation made by Darwin on his voyages: penguins use wings to paddle instead of fly
      snakes have rudimentary hind limbs
      the earth is very old
      islands had species that did not exist on the mainland

bones

    1. The image illustrates: vestigial structures
      homologous structures
      the fossil record
      natural selection
    2. Which of the following is an example of artificial selection: a panda’s thumb
      the breeding of dogs
      the galapagos finches
      a giraffe’s neck
    3. According to the theory of evolution by natural selection, which of the following is true: random mating is necessary for evolution to occur
      variation does not exist between members of the same species
      populations will change to better fit their environment
      individuals will adapt to their environment
    4. Which of the following are assumptions made with regards to the Theory of Evolution by Natural selection organisms compete with each other to survive
      variations exist among organisms
      not all organisms that are born survive to reproduce
      all of these

whale

    1. The image illustrates which of the following: artificial selection
      acquired characteristics
      homologous structures
      vestigial structures
    2. A panda’s thumb is considered an evolutionary contrivance because: it is assembled from wrist bones, and imperfect
      it is perfectly structured to grab leaves
      it is an structure that has no use
      none of these
    3. Which of the following outcomes would you predict for a population of bacteria exposed to a new antibiotic. over many generations, the bacteria would become resistant to the antibiotic
      over a few generations, the bacteria would evolve into Archaebacteria
      over a few generations, the bacteria would become extinct
      over many generations, the bacteria would become more susceptible to the antibiotic
    4. Which of the following is an example of convergent evolution: whales and sharks have similar body designs
      bees and hummingbirds have similar body designs
      bats and birds have similar body designs
      all of these
    5. Why is evolution called the “unifying theory of biology” because it explains the diversity of life on the planet
      because it serves as a model to predict how organisms will change
      it serves as a model to interpret relationships between organisms on the planet
      all of these

moths

  1. The image illustrates how peppered moths are related to other moths
    how peppered moths adapted to a changing environment
    how peppered moths became extinct
    how peppered moths became two species

Evolution BI Worksheet

 

EVOLUTION

 

Section 14-1     Biogenesis

1. Define biogenesis.

 

2. What is spontaneous generation & give an example. Can spontaneous generation occur?

 

3. Describe Redi’s experiment and its results.

 

 

4. Describe Spallanzani’s experiment and its results.

 

 

5. Did Redi & Spallanzani’s experiments disprove spontaneous generation? Explain.

 

 

6. Describe Pasteur’s experiment and its results. Did it prove or disprove spontaneous generation?

 

 

 

Section 14-2     Earth’s History

7. What is the estimated age of the earth?

8. a. What is radioactive dating, and how is it used to tell the age of materials?

 

 

b. Use a science dictionary to look up and explain relative dating of fossils.

 

9. What is meant by half-life?

10. Name 3 radioactive isotopes and give their half-life.

 

11. a. What 2 scientists set up an experiment that simulated the atmosphere of early earth?

 

b. What molecules were made during this experiment?

 

Section 14-3     The First Life Forms

12. Why was there no oxygen in the early atmosphere?

 

13. Were the 1st cells probably aerobic or anaerobic? Why?

 

14. What gases did the early atmosphere contain primarily?

 

15. What bacteria live in harsh environments containing methane gas?

 

16. Oxygen didn’t become part of our atmosphere until what process started taking place?

 

 

Section 15-1     Fossil Record

17. What is a fossil?

18. In what type of rock are fossils usually found?

19. What is sedimentary rock?

20. From what part or parts of organisms do sedimentary fossils usually form?

 

21. How do sedimentary fossils form?

22. How do casts form?

 

23. What do you call imprint fossils?

24. Complete insect fossils can be found inside of a clear, golden material called  ________________.
25. Who was one of the first scientists to study fossils?

26. In which rock layer or strata would the oldest fossils be found? The newest fossils?

27. Name the 4 eras of earth’s history in order beginning with the oldest & going to present day.

 

28. Which organisms appeared first in earth’s history?

29. Name the period in which each of these events occurred:
a. Humans appeared?
b. Mass extinction of dinosaurs?
c. Land plants appeared?
d. Birds appeared?
e. Fish appeared?
f. Reptiles appeared?
g. Modern mammals appeared?

30. What is true about fossils in the same rock layer or strata?

31. a. What is meant by mass extinction and give an example?

 

 

b. Has there been more than one mass extinction in earth’s history? Explain.

 

32. Radioactive isotopes are used to determine the ___________________ age of fossils.

Section 15-2     Theories of Evolution

33. What was Lamarck’s hypothesis about how species change?

 

34. What is meant by acquired trait?

35. What did Lamarck think had caused the webbed feet of water birds?

 

36. How did Lamarck think the offspring of these web-footed birds got their web-feet?

 

37. Can traits be passed in this way? Explain why or why not.

 

38. Was Lamarck’s idea of acquired traits proven or rejected?

39. Charles Darwin’s idea of how species change over time is called what?

40. Explain natural selection.

 

41. What other scientist came up with this same idea about evolution?

42. What was the name of the book that Darwin published with his ideas about evolution?

43. Explain how Darwin obtained all of his records & supporting evidence that led him to his theory of natural selection.

 

44. Describe the voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle.

 

45. What book did Darwin read that influenced his ideas when he sailed on the Beagle? Who was the author?

46. What unusual information did Darwin collect about the Galapagos finches on his voyage?

 

 

47. What forced Darwin to move ahead and publish his ideas?

 

48. State the 2 theories that sum up Darwin’s ideas about evolution & natural selection.

 

49. State Darwin’s Descent with Modification theory.

 

 

50. Darwin’s theory stated that all the Galapagos finches had descended from what?

51. State Darwin’s Modification by Natural Selection theory.

 

52. What idea, published in a book by Thomas Malthus, did Charles Darwin use?

 

53. According to Darwin, what limits the growth of populations?

54. How do populations of organisms adapt to their environment?

 

55. What is meant by the fitness of an organism?

 

Section 15-3     Evolution in Process

56. What are homologous structures and give an example?

 

57. What are analogous structures & give an example?

 

58. Which structures, homologous or analogous, show that organisms are more closely related?

59. What are vestigial structures & give an example?

 

60. Vestigial structures show __________________________ ancestry.

61. In the early stages, how do all vertebrate embryos compare with each other? What does this indicate?

 

62. Organisms with homologous (similar) _________________ & __________________ acids are probably more closely related.
63. What is co-evolution & give 2 examples of organisms that co-evolve?

 

64. Are a shark and a porpoise closely related? Explain your answer.

 

65. When does convergent evolution occur?

 

66. What is divergent evolution?

 

67. Divergent evolution usually results in new ________________________.

68. What is adaptive radiation & give an example?

 

69. How can adaptive radiation be sped up & give an example?

 

Section 16-1     Genetic Equilibrium

70. Do populations change quickly or slowly?

71. What is the study of evolution using genetics called?

72. Do individuals evolve?

73. Do populations evolve?

74. Variations in traits may be due to ___________________ factors or __________________.
75. Name the 3 ways variations in genotypes arise.

 

76. What is meant by the gene pool?

77. How many alleles exist for each trait in a gene pool?

78. How is allele frequency determined?

 

79. Determine the frequency of each allele in the following genotypes:
a. AA?
b. Aa?
c. aa?

80. How is phenotypic ratio determined?

81. What is the phenotypic frequency of white, pink, & red four-o-clocks in these crosses?
a. RR x rr ?
b. Rr x Rr ?
c. Rr x rr ?

82. The frequency of alleles or phenotypes in a cross must always add up to ______________.

83. What does the Hardy-Weinberg theory state about allele frequencies in a population?

 

84. List the 5 conditions that must hold true in the ideal population for Hardy-Weinberg to be correct.

 

 

85. Would the Hardy-Weinberg law apply to real populations?

Section 16-2    Disruption of Genetic Equilibrium
86. What effect does evolution have on a population’s genetic material?

87. Does evolution affect allele frequencies?
88. Any violations of the 5 conditions necessary for Hardy-Weinberg can result in _____________.

89. A change in genetic material is known as a _______________________.

90. Mutations occur constantly at _______________ rates unless an organism is exposed to ___________.

91. Most mutations are __________________, but some may be _____________________ & help the population evolve & survive.
92. Compare & contrast population immigration & emigration.

 

93. What is gene flow & give an example?

 

94. Does the Hardy-Weinberg law apply to small and medium sized populations?

95. What is genetic drift?

 

96. In what size populations does genetic drift apply & explain why?

 

97. Do all populations mate randomly? Explain.

 

98. What is the effect of matings of related individuals?

 

99. What is the most significant factor that affects genetic equilibrium?

 

100. Name the 4 types of natural selection & explain each.

a.

b.

c,

d.

 

101. Give an example of stabilizing selection using body size of lizards.

 

102. Give an example of directional selection using tongue length of anteaters.

 

103. Give an example of disruptive selection using limpets.

 

104. Explain the following — “genes of successful reproducers, rather than those of successful survivors, are amplified through natural selection.”

 

 

Section 16-3    Formation of Species

105. Do new species ever form? Do old species ever disappear? Explain your answer.

 

 

106. Define speciation.

 

107. Are all new species similar to their ancestral species? Explain.

 

108. What did scientists use for many years to help classify organisms?

109. What is morphology?

110. What are some limitations of using only morphology to identify organisms?

 

111. What is the biological species concept?

 

112. Does this concept help identify extinct species & why?

 

113. Members of a species are _________________similar & can __________________ to produce _____________________ offspring.
114. What does speciation begin with & does it affect mating?

 

 

115. Name 2 important types of isolation.

a.

 

b.

 

116. Define geographic isolation.

 

117. Give an example of how this type of isolation could occur.

 

118. What happens to the 2 subgroups after being geographically isolated from each other?

 

119. Define reproductive isolation.

 

120. Name & describe the 2 types of reproductive isolations.

a.

 

b.

 

121. Not recognizing mating calls or having different breeding times are examples of what type of isolation?

122. An infertile mule produced when a donkey and a horse mate is an example of ______________________ isolation.
123. Speciation often requires ______________________ of years.
124. Can some species form more quickly than others? Explain.

 

125. Does fossil record support a slow, gradual or more “instant” change in species?

126. A more “instant” formation or change occurs in ___________________, not millions of years.
127. What is this type of quicker species formation called?

 

128. What does punctuated equilibrium mean?

 

 

BACK

 

Evolution Myths

 

 

Myths About Evolution

 

 

Myth
Debunked
1. Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution The theory of evolution existed before Darwin, it was Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection that became widely accepted.
2. Living things adapt to their environment As a whole, living things are adapted to their environment. Individuals are unchanging, they either live or die based on the traits they are born with.
3. Biologists “believe” in evolution. Science is not based on belief. The theory of evolution provides a model for scientists to understand the relationships between organisms on the planet.
4. Monkeys will eventually become human. There are many species of primates and all are adapted to their environment. A chimpanzee would not turn into a human over time anymore than a cheetah would turn into a lion (or vice versa)
5. Evolution is JUST a theory. Saying that it is “just” a theory implies that it is a guess, or that its not well supported. There is much evidence to support the theory of evolution, as well as direct observation of species change.
6. Only atheists accept the Theory of Evolution. Scientists of many religions across the world accept evolution, and do not find it incompatible with their faith.
7. If evolution is disproven, creationism must be true. A problem with logic (disconfirming evidence). Even if you disproved evolution, you would have to develop and support another model of organism diversity. Disproving one, doesn’t prove the other.
8. No one has ever seen evolution happen. In organisms that reproduce quickly (like bacteria) changes in species can be directly observed, such as resistances to antibiotics.
9. Order cannot come from disorder, so evolution is false. Many instances in nature show molecules and substance organizing, such requires energy. The sun provides the energy that ultimately fuels all of life’s processes.
10. There is evidence that dinosaurs lived with humans There is no evidence that suggests humans and dinosaurs lived at the same time.
11. Scientists regularly debate that evolution occurs. Scientists debate elements of evolution, relationships between organisms, and fossils. The only place the evolution debate really happens is in the social settings.
12. Creationism is a valid scientific theory and should be presented with evolution. Creationism violates the scientific principle of natural causality.
13. There are no transition fossils. Museums are filled with fossils that show intermediate species.
14. Carbon dating is not accurate, therefore the age of the earth cannot be determined. Carbon dating is one of many methods used to date the earth. Taken as a whole, the evidence is overwhelming that the earth is very old.

 

 

Evolution PPT Questions

 

Evolution
ppt Questions

History of Evolutionary Thought

1. What were Aristotle’s early ideas about life on Earth?

 

2. How long did these ideas last?

3. What was Linnaeus first to do?

 

4. What language is used for scientific naming?

5. What are the two words called in a scientific name?

6. This naming system is known as ____________ ______________.

7. Name the contribution that each of these men made to Darwin’s ideas on evolution:

     a. Charles Lyell

     b. George Cuvier

     c. Thomas Malthus

     d. James Hutton

     e. Lamarck

     f. Wallace

8. Which was published first – the Origin 0f Species by Darwin or Gregor Mendel’s papers on inheritance?

9. What was the name of George Cuvier’s theory on evolution?

10. What did Cuvier study in Paris and what did he find?

 

11. What did Cuvier decide was responsible for the disappearance of some species?

 

12. James ___________ was a Scottish _________ who studied fossils of _____________ in the Paris Museum.

13. Hutton’s ideas were known as _____________.

14. Briefly state Hutton’s idea on geological change.

 

15. Lyell proposed the theory of _________________.

16. Describe uniformitarianism.

 

 

17. How old did Lyell propose that the Earth was? How old did most people at this time believe the Earth was?

18. How did reading Lyell’s book help darwin on his voyage on the Beagle?

 

19. Lamarck was one of the first scientists to understand that change occurs over ___________.

20. Lamarck believed that changes were adaptations to the ____________ that organisms _____________ in their lifetime and that he thought could be passed on to _______________.

21. Explain Lamarck’s idea of the Law of Use and Disuse.

 

 

22. Lamarck’s theory of acquiring or losing traits by using or not using them led to his theory of evolution called the _____________ of ______________ _____________.

23. According to this theory new ___________ could arise over time.

24. According to Lamarck, if a blacksmith built up his muscles then he would have what type of sons?

 

25. According to Lamarck, if a giraffe stretched its neck reaching for leaves, what would its offspring look like?

 

26. What did Lamarck NOT know that made his theory incorrect?

 

27. Are genes changed by life activities?

Darwin the Naturalist

28. In what year and at what age did Darwin become the naturalist for the ship the HMS Beagle?

 

29. How long was the Beagle voyage around the world?

30. As Darwin sailed around the coast of __________ __________, he collected many different types of plants and animals on the mainland and on the islands.

31. Where are the Galapagos Islands and how were they formed?

 

32. What did Darwin discover about the animals on each type of island

 

33. How did the island species of finches and tortoises compare with those on the islands?

 

34. How did the necks of the tortoises compare with each other?

35. The island finches resembled a finch on the ___________.

36. Was the available food and habitat the same on all the islands? Explain.

 

37. What was different about the finches and why?

 

Darwin’s Observations & Conclusions

38. List three observations Darwin made on his travels that led him to propose his revolutionary idea about the way life changes over time.

     a.

     b.

     c.

39. Give an example of the uneven distribution of species noted by darwin.

 

40. Darwin collected both ___________ organisms and ____________ of organisms.

41. Give 2 examples of fossils collected by Darwin in which the species were no longer in existence.

 

42. Give a definition for evolution.

 

43. Left unchecked, what did Darwin predict would happen to the number od individuals in a population?

 

44. In nature, what tends to happen to the size of populations over time?

45. Competition among members of a population occur due to a limited number of ____________ _______________.

46. Only a ___________ of the offspring produced survive to the next generation.

47. The struggle for environmental resources is commonly called _____________ of the ____________.

48. How do individuals in population compare with each other?

49. Variation in a population is ______________.

50. Which organisms in a population are most likely to live offspring to pass on their traits?

51. This process is known as _____________ ___________ and was proposed by Charles ___________.

52. State Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

 

 

53. New ____________ evolve according to natural selection.

Ideas that Shaped Darwin’s Thinking

54. _____________ was an economist in 1798 that influenced Darwin’s thinking.

55. Malthus observed what about the birth rate of babies?

56. Malthus knew population size was limited by what?

57. According to Malthus, a high birth rate and limited resources caused what to happen?

 

58. List several things that organisms struggle for in the environment.

 

59. What did Malthus say would happen if the population size continued to groww unchecked?

 

60. The __________ rate should increase to balance the __________ of a population and the limited _____________ in the environment.

61. Did Darwin see this occurring in nature?

62. Most organisms produce ____________ offspring than can survive causing many to ________.

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

63. Darwin proposed that organisms descended from what?

64. Over time, according to Darwin organisms __________ their form causing evolution of new ____________.

65. ___________ __________ is the driving force for evolution.

66. During the struggle for survival, which organisms survive to pass on their traits?

Origin of Species

67.How long after he returned to England did Darwin publish his book about evolution?

68. Why did Darwin wait so long to publish his ideas?

 

69. Darwin’s theory of evolution challenged both the ____________ and _____________ ideas at that time.

70. What made Darwin publish his book?

 

71. _______________ independently developed the same theory as Darwin.

72. Both Darwin and Wallace believed that __________ changed over time due to a _____________ for existence.

73. Both Darwin’s and Wallace’s papers were presented to the ____________ ______________ in July of __________.

74. How long after this did it take Darwin to finish writing his book?

75. Before Darwin, it was thought that species were perfectly made and _______________.

76. What group of people had been observing and using variations in organisms for a long time?

77. How were farmers using variation?

78. This process is called _____________ ______________ instead of natural selection that occurs in nature.

79. Artificial selection involves ____________ desired traits in stock or crops and __________ them to pass on the trait.

Controversy

80. Define these terms:

     a. struggle for existence

     b. survival of the fittest

     c. descent with modification

     d. Fitness

     e. adaptation

81.What are the two types of adaptations?

82. Give some examples of physical adaptations.

 

83. Give some examples of behavioral adaptations.

 

84. What happens to organisms with LOW fitness?

 

85. How did changes in the Galapagos finches make them more FIT to survive?

 

86. Natural selection takes place over a _________ period of time.

87. Natural selection can be observed as changes in _______ structure, ecological _________, and ____________.

88. Do species today look them same as their ancestors?

89. Living species descended with changes from other __________ over periods of time.

90. What was a major problem in Darwin’s Theory?

 

91. The work of what scientists solved the problem of how variations were passed to offspring?

92. What is the complete title of Darwin’s book?

 

Theory of Evolution Today

93. List three main things used today to show how organisms are related.

     a.

     b.

     c.

94. Give two examples of evolution that has occurred today in a much shorter period of time.

     a. 

     b.

95. Define macroevolution.

 

96. Define microevolution.

 

97. Darwin argued that Earth was ____________ of years old instead of thousands of years old.

98. One of the main pieces of evidence to support this ancient age of the Earth came from ___________ collected by Darwin.

99. Fossils are found in what type of rock layers?

100. Animals on different continents living in similar habitats show similar _______________.

101.  All ____________ have similar bon structures known as ______________ structures.

102. Homologous structures have the same structure but different ______________.

103. Give 3 examples of homologous structures in vertebrates.

 

104. __________ structures seem to have no important function.

105. Give an example of a vestigial structure in humans.

106. What is an embryo?

 

107. How does the embryonic development of different vertebrates compare to each other?

 

 

Ecology

Ecology

All Materials © Cmassengale 

Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms (biotic part) and their nonliving environment (abiotic factors)

Biotic factors includes plants, animals, fungi, & microorganisms. They may be producers, consumers, or decomposers.

Abiotic factors include climate, soil, temperature, water, air, sunlight, humidity, pH, and atmospheric gases.

Habitat is the place a plant or animal lives, while its niche is its total way of life.

Life is organized into levels:

Organism (any single living thing)

¯

            Population (members of the same species living in one place)

 ¯

                    Community (all the populations living in an area)

 ¯

        Ecosystem (community living in a similar habitat such as a forest)

 ¯

Biomes (ecosystems covering wide areas & with similar climates & organisms)

¯

Biosphere ( all the living & nonliving things on earth)

Producers:

Make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Includes plants, algal protists, & some bacteria

Consumers:

Can’t make their own food
May be herbivores (feed only on plants), carnivores (feed only on animals), or omnivores (feed on plants & animals)

Decomposers:

Break down dead plants & animals (detritus)
Recycle nutrients
Called detritivores
Include fungi & bacteria

Sunlight is the ultimate energy for all life on earth, but only producers can get their energy directly from the sun.

Energyflowinecosystemimage

Trophic levels are feeding levels of producers & consumers in an ecosystem:

1st Trophic Level is producers that use sunlight directly
2nd Trophic Level includes herbivores that feed directly on plants
Higher Trophic Levels are carnivores feeding on each other

energypyramid

Food chains & food webs:

Chains show who eats whom in an ecosystem.
Webs are made up of several food chains.
Always begin with producers absorbing sunlight.
Producers store energy in the chemical bonds of the food they make.
Stored energy is passed to consumers when they eat producers or other consumers.
Some energy is lost at each trophic level as heat when consumers “burn” food during cellular respiration.
Both energy & nutrients must move through an ecosystem.

Three main elements that must move through an ecosystem:

Water
Carbon
Nitrogen

Water or Hydrologic Cycle:

Cells are 70 – 90% water
Water is needed for metabolic processes
Water is most important for terrestrial organisms because of desiccation (drying out)

Steps in the water Cycle:

Evaporation                                         Transpiration
(water loss from lakes, rivers, oceans…)          (water loss from plant leaves)

     ¯                                ¯

Condensation
(water vapor forms clouds)

¯

Precipitation
(water returns to earth as sleet, rain, snow…)

¯

Surface Runoff
(returns water to bodies of water or to groundwater)

Carbon Cycle:

Consists of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, & decomposition
Begins with producers taking carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide used in cellular respiration
Decomposing plants and animals return Carbon to the soil

Carbon Cycle Steps:

Plant leaves take carbon dioxide from air

¯

Plants store carbon in carbohydrates or starches
(photosynthesis)

¯

Plants & animals release carbon dioxide back into the air
(cellular respiration)

¯

Decomposers return carbon to environment
(decomposition)

Nitrogen:

Needed by all organisms
Used to make proteins & nucleic acids (DNA & RNA)
Air made up of 80% nitrogen
Only Cyanobacteria & Rhizobium bacteria can use nitrogen directly from the air (nitrogen fixation)
Bacteria found in the soil & on the roots of legumes (beans, peas …)

Steps in the Nitrogen Cycle:

Cyanobacteria & Rhizobium take nitrogen from air
(nitrogen fixation)

¯

Convert nitrogen gas into ammonia

¯

Nitrifying bacteria in soil change ammonia into nitrates

¯

Plants can absorb & use nitrates to make proteins

¯

Consumers eat plants & get proteins containing nitrogen

¯

Decomposers break down dead organisms & return nitrogen to air
(called ammonification)

¯

Anaerobic bacteria in soil release nitrogen from nitrates into air
(called denitrification)

Three main types of ecosystems:

Terrestrial (land)
Freshwater (rivers, ponds, lakes …)
Marine (oceans & seas)

Terrestrial ecosystems are divided into 7 biomes with similar climates & organisms

Seven Terrestrial Biomes:

Tropical Rain Forest (jungle)
Savanna (tropical grasslands)
Deserts
Grasslands
Deciduous Forest
Taiga (coniferous forest)
Tundra

Tundra:

Cold & dark most of the year
Includes the arctic
Permafrost is the top layer of soil that thaws & in which plants grow
No trees, but sedges & grass, mosses, & lichens
Many migratory animals
Lemmings & ptarmigans are year round residents
Approximately 20 cm annual rainfall

Tundra

Taiga:

  • Coniferous forest
  • Extends across northern Eurasia & North America
  • Contains conifers or evergreens (spruce, cedar, fir, pine …)
  • Needle like leaves withstand weight of snow
  • Bear, deer, moose, wolves, mountain lions …
  • Sequoia or redwood (largest conifer) grows here
  • Bristle cone pine oldest living conifer found here

Coniferous Forest

Temperate Deciduous Forest:

  • South of taiga in North America, eastern Asia, & Europe
  • High annual rainfall (75-150 cm)
  • Moderate temperatures
  • Well-defined seasons of about equal length
  • Trees loose leaves in winter (deciduous)
  • Show stratification (plant layers):
    1. Canopy – broad leaf deciduous trees forming uppermost layer
    2. Under story – shrubs
    3. Forest Floor – herbaceous plants
  • Songbirds, deer, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, frogs 7 toads, lizards …

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Tropical Rain forest:

  • Near equator
  • Warm climate (20 -25 degrees C)
  • Plentiful rainfall (190 cm/year)
  • Contains the greatest diversity of plants & animals
  • Insects, monkeys & apes, snakes, tropical birds, leopards…
  • Animals & plants brightly colored
  • Poor soil for agriculture

Rainforest

Grasslands:

  • Mostly grasses with a few trees due to less rainfall
  • Moderate climates
  • Good for agricultural crops
  • Grazing & burrowing animals dominate
  • Also called prairies

Grassland

Savanna:

  • Tropical grasslands
  • Warm climate & rainy season
  • Antelope, zebra, lions, wildebeests, hyenas, elephants…
  • Suffer from floods & drought

(26KB)

Deserts:

  • Low annual rainfall
  • Subject to strong winds
  • Days usually hot & nights cold
  • Sahara desert is without vegetation
  • Succulents such as cacti & other water storing plants
  • Most animals nocturnal
  • Lizards, snakes, roadrunners, insects, tarantula, hawks, rodents, coyotes…

Desert

Aquatic Biomes:

  • May be freshwater or saltwater
  • Wetlands near oceans have brackish water (mixture of fresh & salt waters)
  • Part of the part water or hydrologic cycle
  • Often polluted by man’s activities

Lakes & Rivers:

  • Freshwater
  • Oligotrophic lakes are nutrient poor (catfish, carp…)
  • Eutrophic lake are nutrient rich (trout, bass…)
  • Deep lakes have layers or strata where different plants & animals live
  • Phototropic organisms in upper layers for light
  • Estuary at mouth of river contains brackish water

Ocean Zones:

  • Intertidal zone
    1. Along shoreline
    2. Wave action
    3. Lots of light so many producers
    4. Starfish, sand dollars…
  • Neritic Zone
    1. Ocean water above continental shelf
    2. Coral reef found here
    3. Surrounds continents & receives light in upper layers
  • Oceanic Zone
    1. Beyond continental shelf
    2. Deepest area (up to 7 miles)
    3. Bottom doesn’t receive light so animals adapted to darkness (many produce their own light, feed on other animals…)
    4. Deepest area called abyss
    5. Upper area gets light & called the photic zone (lots of seaweed here)
    6. Floaters called plankton (microscopic organisms)
    7. Swimmers such as fish called nekton
    8. Bottom dwellers called benthos
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