BIOL 1108 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Permafrost, Flowering Plant, 10Th Parallel North
Document Summary
Biomes: a broad geographic area with smaller sets of communities: climate exerts a major influence on the nature and distribution of biomes across the globe, climate is annual temperature and precipitation plus variation. A biome is a broad, ecologically uniform area whose characteristic species reflect a regional climate. Little precipitation + lack of evaporation and drainage = permafrost: the south pole is largely surrounded by ice and seas of antarctica, and therefore there is very little area with plants. Low temperatures result in slow decomposition: soils are acidic and poor in nutrients, grazers include elk, moose, caribou, porcupines, hares, and a diversity or rodents, predators include bears, lynx, wolverines, weasels, mink, wolves, and foxes. In interior north america, much less precipitation and colder winter temperatures support drought resistant conifers such as ponderosa and lodgepole pines. Insects and vertebrate diversity are all higher than taiga forests. Insects, birds, and mammals are relatively diverse, jointed by snakes, lizards, and amphibians.
