Chapter 6 Review
1. What is a biome? What is the chief difference in a biome and an ecosystem?
2. Biomes are usually described by their ______________.
3. Plants in each particular biome are successful there because of ______________ that enable them to survive
there.
4. Name the 3 coldest biomes. ___________ ______________ ________________
5. Name the driest biomes. _______________ ________________
6. Name the 3 warmest biomes. ______________________________ _______________________,
______________________
7. Name the biome with Mediterranean-like climate. ________________
8. What are some weather conditions that we use to describe climate? ___________, __________________,
__________________, ______________
9. If an area had lots of rain, and a moderate climate, you would expect vegetation to be (dense/sparse) and
(short/tall).
10. How does climate change as latitude increases?
As altitude increases?
11. Temperate zones would be found between ____ degrees and _______ degrees latitude.
12. Which 3 biomes would you expect to find in tropical latitudes?
______________________________________, _________ , and _________________________
13. Which tropical biome has the driest climate? __________
14. Which tropical biome has the wettest climate? _____________________________
15. Which temperate biome has the greatest rainfall? __________________________
16. Where would you expect large coniferous forests? _________________________
17. What are 3 adaptations of plants in tropical rain forests?
18. What are 3 adaptations of animals in tropical rain forests?
19. Which biome has the greatest species diversity?
20. Soil in the tropical rainforest is (rich/poor). Why?
21. Many trees in tropical rainforests and in swamps have above-ground roots for stability. These are called
_____________ roots (or prop roots). List 2 trees with such adaptations:
22. What are the 3 layers of vegetation in the rainforest? Where do you find most species?
23. T/F With all the diversity of life in the tropical rainforest, there is much competition for food.
24. List 3 threats to tropical rainforests.
25. A deciduous tree (sheds/retains) its leaves in the fall, while a coniferous tree retains some green needle-like
leaves year-round.
26. You would expect (deciduous/coniferous) trees in a taiga. Vegetation is sparce in the taiga, because of the
average low temperature and the (acidic/sweet) soil.
27. There are many lakes in the taiga, so you would expect many ___________ to go there in summer. In
winter, you might see ____________ and __________.
28. Why are there few (or no) large trees in grasslands, deserts, and tundra?
29. The tropical biome dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small trees is called ______________.
30. T/F Savannas have dry and rainy seasons.
31. List 4 animals you would expect to see on the African savanna:
32. The biome where most of our grains are grown is the _____________ ____________.
33. T/F Temperate grasslands have rich, fertile soil.
34. List 3 adaptations of grazing animals common to grasslands:
35. What is the greatest threat to the chaparral biome?
36. List 3 adaptations of plants and animals in desert biomes.
37. The permanently frozen deep layer of soil in the tundra is called the _____________.
38. When the upper layer of the permafrost melts in summer and forms bogs, thousands of ______________
and ____________ can be found.
39. The most fragile biome is the _____________, because of its simple food chains. One small change can
produce vast damage. What human threats to the are exist?
Chapter 6 Review ANSWERS
1. What is a biome? What is the chief difference in a biome and an ecosystem? Biome: LARGE area that may
contain several ecosystems; defined by the type of vegetation.
Ecosystem – one or more populations AND
their abiotic factors.
2. Biomes are usually described by their _vegetation_____.
3. Plants in each particular biome are successful their because of _adaptations__ that enable them to survive
there.
4. Name the 3 coldest biomes. _polar____ __tundra______ __taiga_______
5. Name the driest biomes. _desert______ __taiga_______
6. Name the 3 warmest biomes. __tropical rainforest_________ ___savanna_____,
_______desert_______________
7. Name the biome with Mediterranean-like climate. __chaparral______________
8. What are some weather conditions that we use to describe climate? ___wind________,
__temp.________________, ___precipitation_______________, ___humidity___________
9. If an area had lots of rain, and a moderate climate, you would expect vegetation to be (dense/sparse) and
(short/tall).
10. How does climate change as latitude increases?
Gets colder
As altitude increases? Gets colder
11. Temperate zones would be found between __30__ degrees and __60_____ degrees latitude.
12. Which 3 biomes would you expect to find in tropical latitudes? Tropical rainforest____, _desert___ , and
__tropical savanna___
13. Which tropical biome has the driest climate? __desert__
14. Which tropical biome has the wettest climate? ___tropical rainforest_____________
15. Which temperate biome has the greatest rainfall? ___temperate forests__________
16. Where would you expect large coniferous forests? __taiga_______
17. What are 3 adaptations of plants in tropical rain forests? Broad leaves to capture limited sunlight; trees
have buttress roots for support in the thin soil; epiphytes grow on tall trees; plants in understory are adapted to
low light levels
18. What are 3 adaptations of animals in tropical rain forests? Many swing or fly from tree to tree in the
canopy; beaks adapt to food source; some are adapted to avoid predators (lizards; mantis); some are shaped to
look like leaves or twigs
19. Which biome has the greatest species diversity? Tropical rainforest
20. Soil in the tropical rainforest is (rich/ poor). Why? So many plants that immediately pull in nutrients when
rain falls or when a decaying organism is decomposed
21. Many trees in tropical rainforests and in swamps have above-ground roots for stability. These are called
__buttress____ roots (or prop roots). List 2 trees with such adaptations:
Cypress
Mangrove
22. What are the 3 layers of vegetation in the rainforest? Where do you find most species?
Understory
Canopy
Emergent Layer
Most live in canopy
23. T/F With all the diversity of life in the tropical rainforest, there is much competition for food. Because
most things are so adapted that few other species can deal with their specific food
24. List 3 threats to tropical rainforests. Deforestation; Trading of native species; Habitat destruction
25. A deciduous tree (sheds/retains) its leaves in the fall, while a coniferous tree retains some green needle-like
leaves year-round.
26. You would expect (deciduous/coniferous) trees in a taiga. Vegetation is sparce in the taiga, because of the
average low temperature and the (acidic/sweet) soil.
27. There are many lakes in the taiga, so you would expect many _birds__ to go there in summer. In winter,
you might see _rabbits_ and __foxes_, lynx, mice_____.
28. Why are there few (or no) large trees in grasslands, deserts, and tundra? Limited rainfall, temperature
ranges
29. The tropical biome dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small trees is called __savanna___________.
30. T/F Savannas have dry and rainy seasons.
31. List 4 animals you would expect to see on the African savanna: lions, elephants, gazelles, rhinos, giraffes
32. The biome where most of our grains are grown is the _temperate__grassland_____.
33. T/F Temperate grasslands have rich, fertile soil.
34. List 3 adaptations of grazing animals common to grasslands: flat teeth for grazing; hard, flat hooves for
standing; many animals like badgers, prairie dogs, and burrowing owls live in burrows as protection from fires
and weather
35. What is the greatest threat to the chaparral biome? Overpopulation
36. List 3 adaptations of plants and animals in desert biomes. Camofluoge coloring; plants can store water and
have prickly needles to protect themselves; reptiles have thick, scaly skin to prevent moisture loss; plants can
survive little rain; many animals can estivate (burrow during the hot days)
37. The permanently frozen deep layer of soil in the tundra is called the _permafrost____.
38. When the upper layer of the permafrost melts in summer and forms bogs, thousands of _birds______ and
_mosquitoes__ can be found.
39. The most fragile biome is the _tundra_______, because of its simple food chains. One small change can
produce vast damage. What human threats to the area exist? Drilling for oil; mining