Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Skills Worksheet
MATCHING
Match each example in the left column with the appropriate term from the right column.
_____ 1. regions that have distinctive climates and organisms
_____ 2. the broad band of coniferous forest located just below the Arctic Circle
_____ 3. plant with thick, fleshy stems
_____ 4. sleeping through the dry season
_____ 5. characterized by dry conditions, short summers, and thin soil
a. latitude
b. understory
c. savanna
d. estivation
e. succulent
f. altitude
g. biomes
h. tundra
i. permafrost
j. taiga
_____ 6. tropical and subtropical grasslands, wet summers, dry winters
_____ 7. includes trees and shrubs adapted to shade
_____ 8. the distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees
_____ 9. lies beneath the topsoil of the tundra
_____ 10. height of an object above sea level
MULTIPLE CHOICE
In the space provided, write the letter of the word or statement that best answers the question or completes the sentence.
_____ 11. Thin soil, high humidity, and high rainfall represent a
a. tropical rain forest.
b. temperate rain forest.
c. desert.
d. grassland.
_____ 12. Birds that migrate during winter, coniferous plants, and cold temperatures represent
a. the South Pole.
b. taiga.
c. a temperate rain forest.
d. a chaparral.
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Holt Environmental Science 1 Biomes

Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Concept Review continued
_____ 13. The top layer in a tropical rain forest is the
a. canopy.
b. understory.
c. emergent layer.
d. tree line.
_____ 14. Extreme temperatures, abundant precipitation, rich, deep soils, and a growing season of four to six months represent a
a. tropical rain forest.
b. taiga.
c. temperate deciduous forest.
d. savanna.
_____ 15. The biome with the highest species diversity is the
a. taiga.
b. tundra.
c. tropical rain forest.
d. savanna.
_____ 16. Hot summers and cold winters, low to moderate rainfall, few trees, and rich, fertile soil represent a
a. tundra.
b. temperate grassland.
c. temperate deciduous forest.
d. desert.
_____ 17. As you move from the equator toward the North Pole, you would be likely to see
a. rain forests, then deserts, then taiga.
b. tundra, then deserts, then grasslands.
c. grasslands, then tundra, then rain forests.
d. temperate deciduous forests, then taiga, then rain forests.
_____ 18. Factors that influence where plants grow include
a. longitude.
b. climate.
c. biome maps.
d. Both (a) and (b)
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Holt Environmental Science 2 Biomes

TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
1. g
2. j
3. e
4. d
5. h
6. c
7. b
8. a
9. i
10. f
11. a
12. b
13. c
14. c
15. c
16. b
17. a
18. b
ANALOGIES
1. b
2. b
3. d
4. c
5. c
6. d
7. d
8. b
9. a
10. a
INTERPRETING OBSERVATIONS
11. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Plant
1 is a deciduous tree found in atemperate forest. Its broad leaves help it absorb energy in the summer while its height shades out competition. The eaves drop in autumn so that the tree can better survive long winters when water is scarce or frozen.
12. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Plant
2 is a cactus. Its succulent flesh stores water, allowing it to weather the hot, dry desert climate. Its stems have a waxy coating to preserve water and spines to protect it from predators. The cactus’s long, shallow root system helps it collect as much water as possible during the desert’s infrequent rains.
13. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Plant
3 is a coniferous tree found in the taiga.
Its needle-like leaves help it to preserve water which is scarce or frozen during the winter, and its pyramidal shape helps it shed heavy snow. Another adaptation is the conifer’s ability to affect the soil through its needles. When its needles drop, they acidify the soil surrounding the tree, making the soil inhospitable for plants that might otherwise grow near the conifer and compete with it for water, nutrients, and sunlight.
AGREE OR DISAGREE
14. Answers may vary. Sample answer:Agree; biome describes the general plant and animal community that dominates a given region. Example: different types of deciduous forest are all considered temperate deciduous forest. Also, biomes contain ecosystems that are not included in the overall biome profile. For example, temperate forests and taiga contain fields
(grasslands).
15. Answers may vary. Sample answer:
Agree; while many of the native grasslands of our planet have been destroyed with the introduction of farmland, this change was crucial to the success of humans as a species. To support the agriculture of our growing populations, we needed to use the most fertile land. The United States has been particularly successful at grassland agriculture.
16. Answers may vary. Sample answer:
Agree; many medicines come from plants that grow only in the tropical rain forests, which are being cleared rapidly for activities such as logging and agriculture.
Tropical rain forests once covered about
20 percent of Earth’s surface but now cover only about 7 percent. If the clearing of rain forests continues at its present rate, many rain forest species are likely to become extinct. Many of these species are plants that could be useful for fighting diseases.
REFINING CONCEPTS
17. Accept any reasonable answer. Sample answer: An example of a sustainable
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science 98 Biomes

TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science 99 Biomes