Name: _____________________________
Date: ________
Period: ______
Biome Test Review
1. Name one place in the world where each of the following biomes is found and the typical
latitudes that they are found in.
Desert within the 60 degree latitudes
Grassland outside the tropics
Savanna within the tropics
Polar Ice above and below 80 degrees
Temperate Forest outside the tropics
Taiga outside 60 degrees
Tropical Rain Forest within the tropics
Tundra outside 80 degrees
Chapparal exactly on the tropics
2. Rank each biome in order of its average temperature from coldest to warmest. How do
latitude and altitude effect temperature
Polar, tundra, Taiga, temperate forest, grassland, chaparral, savanna, desert rainforest
3. Rank each biome in order the order of the amount of precipitation it receives. How does
precipitation help to determine local vegetation
Desert, Polar, tundra, Taiga, Chaparral, grassland, savanna, temperate forest, rainforest
More rain means bigger plant
4. List the two ways we discussed in class that deserts form. Briefly describe each.
Rainshadow _ explain
Desertification - explain
5. What is permafrost? In what Biome(s) will you find it? What are some plant adaptations for
dealing with it?
Permanently frozen ground. In the Tundra plants grow on rocks, some have wide shallow
roots to utilize the thin soil
6. What are the three layers of a rain forest? What type of plants would you find in each?
Emergent layer – tall tree tops up to 250 feet
Canopy – the primary layer tall trees densely packed up to 100ft
Understory – trees and shrubs with large leaves to collect as much light as possible
7. Use the following diagram to answer the following questions
a. ) Why are tall trees found in the Taiga but not the Tundra?
There is much more rain to help photosynthesis
b. ) What are the similarities and differences between a Tropical Rain Forest and a Temperate
forest
Both have higher rain levels to support large plants however much more rain in the tropics
The rainforest is within the tropics so it is much warmer and has no seasons
c. ) What are the similarities between a temperate forest and a temperate grassland?
Both are outside the tropics so they have seasons. However, forests receive much more rainfall
to support plant growth
d. )Explain in steps what might happen if precipitation levels started to drop in rain forests due
to overcutting of trees.
Plant transpiration would stop slowing the amount of water entering the air. Dryer air means
less rainfall. Because it is located in the tropics, it would first turn into a savanna and then a
desert
e. )How is a Temperate grassland similar to a savannah?
Both only receive enough rainfall to support small plant growth
8. Which biome is each of the following facts associated with
__TRF____ Highest biodiversity with many specialists and community relationships
___TRF___ Most nutrients are in plants. They are used so quickly they do not accumulate in the soil
___TempF_ Trees have adapted to drop leaves every fall. Seeds can lay dormant through winters
__Taiga__ Trees grow quickly during summer due to nearly constant day light and a rainy season
__Taiga___ Home to conifers
__Taiga___ Leaves have adapted a waxy coating to prevent trees from losing too much water in the
cold
__TempF/Taiga_ Has a large migratory population due to temperature change
_Taiga___ Animals have adapted seasonal camouflage
__Taiga___ Most acidic soil from pine needles
_Savanna___ Plants loose leaves during the dry season in June, July August
_ Savanna __ Has a large migratory population due to water availability
__Grass___ Plants create dense root systems that can survive drought and fires
__ Grass ____ Has the most fertile soil of all biomes
__Desert___ Home to succulents
__ Desert _ Leaves have adapted a waxy coating to prevent trees from losing too much water in the
heat
__ Desert __ Animals are typically nocturnal and burrow during the day
__Tundra___ Plants grow short in the permafrost to avoid high winds
__ Tundra __ Threatened most by Oil exploration and spills
__Grass__ Threatened most by overgrazing and farming due to rich soil
__TRF____ Threatened most by logging and clearing which creates habitat destruction
___ TRF ______ Threatened by exotic pet trading
____Desert_____ Plants have long deep roots
__Chaparral_______ Threatened most by human development for commercial and residential use
9.
Use the following climatograms to answer the questions below
a. What is the rainfall in May for Biome D? about 10 cm
b. What is the average rainfall of biome H? What is the average temperature?
About 7 cm about 5 degrees
c. Which of the above biomes have “seasons”?
B, C, E , F kinda, G, H
d. Which of the above biomes would have large amounts of vegetation?
A and B
e. Use your understanding of biome climates to determine which what biome each climatogram
comes from
A – rainforest
C - Taiga
E – Grassland
GB – temp forest
D – savanna
F - Chaparral