NAME:______________________________
Biome and Succession Review Guide Due the day of the test
Matching:
_____1. Area with a distinctive climate and organisms
_____2. Dry, treeless lands north of the Arctic Circle
_____3. Determines the plants that live in an area
_____4. Has most nutrients in the plants, not the soil
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Tundra
Tropical Rain Forest
Chaparral
Biome
Vegetation
Multiple Choice:
_____5. If you visited a savanna, you would be likely to see
a. Large herds of grazing animals such as rhinos, zebras, and gazelles
b. A dense forest
c. Snow and ice
d. A coastal ecoysytem
_____6. Grasslands such as prairies of North America,
a. Are suitable for corn and wheat, but not suitable for soybeans
b. Are threatened by soil erosion because native gasses have been damaged or destroyed by
plowing and overgrazing.
c. Support almost no animal life now that the millions of buffalo that once roamed there are
gone.
d. Support a rich layer of dense grasses because they receive at least 250cm (100in) of rain per
year.
_____7. Which of the following best describes a tropical rain forest?
a. A dense, thick soil that supports a dense layer of plants on the forest floor
b. Species of animals with specialized ways of surviving in order to avoid competition
c. Very few species of trees, due to poor soil quality
d. Plants and animals that are very similar due to year-round warmth and moisture
_____8. Animals that live in the desert
a. Hibernate in the winter
b. Are usually nocturnal
c. Usually have thin skin to absorb water
d. Include camels, moose, and various reptiles
_____9. Deserts are
a. Covered with sand and contain no plant life
b. Found only in North America
c. Often formed on the dry side of mountain ranges
d. Never located in cooler climates
_____10. The tundra
a. Has a layer of soil that is permanently frozen beneath the topsoil.
b. Is too cold to support insect life
c. Is resistant to environmental damage because it’s usually frozen
d. All the above
_____11. Which of the following best describes the relationship between climate and latitude?
a. A latitude of 0⁰ has a climate of extreme temperature ranges
b. The lower the latitude the warmer the climate will always be
c. There is not relationship between latitude and climate
d. The greater the latitude the colder the climate
_____12. Which of the following statements is not correct?
a. Grasslands have rich soil that supports abundant plant life.
b. The tundra is a fragile biome because conditions are severe, and the ecosystem is easily
disrupted.
c. Chaparral fires are beneficial because they destroy trees that compete for light and space.
d. Tropical rain forests are resistant to change because so many nutrients are within the plants.
_____13. Where would you expect to find burrowing animals?
a. Desert
b. Temperate Grasslands
c. Tundra
d. All of the above
_____14. Which of the following is not true about temperate deciduous forests?
a. Trees grow lush green leaves in the spring, but lose their leaves as the season changes
b. The soil is rich and plants cover much of the forest floor
c. Animals such as squirrels, bears, and deer find food in the form of nuts, berries, and leaves
d. Both (a) and (b)
_____14. What is a pattern of change that occurs on a surface where an ecosystem has previously
existed?
a. Primary Succession
b. Secondary Succession
c. Tertiary Succession
d. Climax Community
_____14. What type of vegetation would you expect to find on newly formed volcanic islands?
a. Lichens
b. Short Grasses
c. Shrubs
d. Young Trees
Biome and Succession Crossword:
Across
1. The biome where many animals burrow to stay away from the heat and come
out at night to hunt.
3. A large region characterized by the vegetation that lives there.
5. Occurs when farmland is abandoned.
6. A gradual process of change and replacement of the types of species in a
community.
7. A northern coniferous forest.
9. A biome that is used for agriculture and are usually located on the
interiors of continents.
11. The biome that has a fairly dry climate with plants that have leathery
leaves and development is its greatest threat.
12. A biome known for its layer of permafrost, mosses, and lichen.
13. Lichen is an example of this type of organism.
Down
2. A biome that has infertile soil and a vast amount of species.
4. Occurs on a surface where no ecosystem has existed before.
8. A biome characterized by its few trees and fires that help rejuvenate the
soil.
10. The distance north or south of the equator.
Climatogram Activity: Label each climatogram with the appropriate biome.
1. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
5. ____________________________
6. ____________________________
7. Which biome is missing?_______________What would you expect its climatogram to look like?
7. ____________________________
Biome and Ecological Succession Review Questions:
1. What is a biome?
2. How does a biome compare to an ecosystem?
3. How are biomes described?
4. Describe how plants help determine the biome.
5. Which factors determine the vegetation in a biome?
6. Define latitude.
7. How does latitude affect the organisms that live in a biome?
8. Define altitude.
9. How does altitude affect the organisms that live in a biome?
10. How is latitude different from altitude?
11. Why is it hard for trees to survive at the tops of very high mountains?
12. How might a mountain affect where particular types of biomes are located?
13. Well-preserved mammoths have been found buried in the tundra. Explain why the tundra
preserves animals so well.
14. Which biome has the broadest characteristics? (See Biomes of the World worksheet)
15. Which biome has the smallest set of characteristics? (See Biomes of the World worksheet)
16. What makes it possible for a country to have more than one type of biome within its borders?
17. Unlike the jungles you see in the movies, the floor of an undisturbed tropical rain forest usually
lacks much vegetation. Explain why it lacks vegetation.
18. Which biome has permafrost? Describe permafrost.
19. Describe ecological succession.
20. Describe how primary and secondary succession differ.
21. Describe why lichen makes such a good pioneer species.
22. Describe a climax community. Give an example of a climax community.
23. Describe old-field succession.
24. Describe how you could determine which stage of succession a location is at.
25. Make sure you understand all of your worksheets and activities.
26. Be able to describe the general characteristics of each biome. (general location, general climate,
ecosystem services, soil type, human threats, plants and their adaptations, animals and their
adaptations,)