Q Biome Activity 20 points Visit the website https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/biomes Click on the biome to answer the following questions. Boundless Biomes 1. Under “What is a Biome?” How are areas on Earth grouped? 2. How many species have been identified on Earth? 3. Just under the map, how is a biome defined? 4. Under “Biomes of the World” how many biomes did this webpage use to simplify things? Tropical Rainforest 1. Describe the climate (temperature and precipitation). 2. Does the rainforest have high biodiversity? 3. What percent of the Earth’s land surface is rainforest? 4. Where are these forests found? Temperate Forest 1. Describe the climate (temperature and precipitation). 2. What are the two main types of temperate forest? 3. Which type do we have here in California? 4. Do conifers lose their leaves? Anatomy of a Temperate Forest (at the bottom) Click on the succession graphic Fire is a natural part of forest ecosystems. 1. Describe the process of succession after a fire. Keep in mind that our forests in California are conifer dominated and do not contain many large deciduous trees. Click on Plants of the Temperate Forest 1. What is a deciduous tree? 2. What is the largest tree in the world? 3. What are mycorrhizae? How do they help trees? 4. How does the snow plant get its nutrients? Desert 1. Describe the climate (temperature and precipitation). 2. What percent of the Earth’s land surface is desert? 3. Where are deserts found? 4. Why are there such large day/night temperature fluctuations? Tundra 1. Describe the temperature in tundra. 2. What does “tundra” mean? 3. What is permafrost? 4. Where is tundra found? 5. How much of Earth’s land surface is tundra? Click on Anatomy of Tundra 1. What are the three types of tundra? 2. Which type would you encounter in the high Sierra in California? Taiga (Boreal Forest) 1. What are conifers? 2. Describe the winter in taiga. 3. Describe some adaptations of organisms in the taiga. 4. Describe the summer in taiga. Grassland 1. Are all grasslands the same? 2. The grasslands just outside Fresno are “temperate” grasslands. What does that mean? Click on Plants of Grassland 1. What role does fire play in grasslands? Click on Animals of the Grassland 1. What are some strategies used by animals in the grassland to avoid predation? Freshwater 1. How much of Earth’s surface is covered in freshwater ecosystems? 2. How much of that is glacial ice? 3. What are the main categories of freshwater ecosystem? Click on Producers and Decomposers of Freshwater 1. What are phytoplankton and algae? 2. What role do they play in freshwater ecosystems? 3. What is a plankton (algae) bloom? 4. What causes the bloom? 5. What is the result of the bloom? Why do oxygen levels decline? Marine 1. What portion of the Earth is covered with marine biome? 2. How are the ocean biomes divided? 3. How much of the ocean do scientists think have been influenced by pollution? Virtual Biomes Check out the Tropical Rainforest virtual biome. The link is at the right of the Biomes page. You can view with your computer or VR goggles. As you’re looking around, click on the information tabs and answer the following questions. 1. Why do the rainforest plant leaves have holes? 2. How do the plants defend themselves? 3. Why do most leaves have a pointed tip? National Geographic Video Watch the National Geographic video on Tundra and answer the following questions. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/tundra-biome/ 1. What are the two types of tundra? 2. Where does alpine tundra occur? 3. What is the growing season in alpine tundra? 4. What do most animals eat in alpine tundra? 5. Where would you find arctic tundra? 6. How long are summers in arctic tundra? 7. How is global warming affecting the arctic tundra? 8. How much of the Earth’s carbon is stored in permafrost? 9. How is melting permafrost contributing to global warming? Ecosystems Video Watch the Ecosystems video in this week’s modules Video Link and write a 2 paragraph summary.