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Chapter 7 - Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity Name______________________________
Key Terms
biomes (p. 145)
climate (p. 141)
desert (p. 148)
forest (p. 153)
grasslands (p. 150)
greenhouse effect (p. 144)
greenhouse gases (p. 144)
permafrost (p. 150)
weather (p. 141)
Key Questions and Concepts
7-1 What factors influence climate?
CORE CASE STUDY: The location of terrestrial biomes is determined by ______________. Wind is an
important component of the earth’s climate. Wind transports _________________ from one place to another and
can also transport pollutants. Because of wind, everything we do ____________ some other part of the
biosphere.
A. Weather is a local area’s __________-term physical conditions such as temperature and precipitation.
Average temperature and average ______________________ are the two major factors that determine
climate of a region, together with the related factors of _________________ and elevation.
B. Global air circulation is affected by the ____________ heating of the earth’s surface by solar energy,
seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation, ________________ of the earth on its axis, and the
properties of air, water, and ________.
1. Uneven heating of earth’s surface: the _______________ is heated more than the poles.
2. Seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation due to the _________ of the earth.
3. Rotation of the earth on its axis results in the earth moving ____________ beneath air masses at the
equator and slower at the __________. Belts of prevailing ___________ are the result.
4. Properties of air, water, and land affect global air circulation. Water evaporation sets up cyclical
____________________ cells. These occur both vertically and from place to place in the
____________________. The result is an irregular distribution of climates and patterns of
____________________ from pole to pole.
C. Ocean currents influence climate by distributing _________ from place to place and mixing and
______________________ nutrients.
1. Differences in water ____________ and heat create ocean __________________ that are warm/cold.
2. Currents, such as the Gulf _____________, redistribute absorbed solar ________ from one place to
another, influence vegetation and climate near ______________ regions.
3. Currents also help ______ ocean waters to distribute nutrients and dissolved ____________ needed for
aquatic organisms.
4. Winds and the earth’s rotation __________ the currents.
D. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases influence climate by _______________ the lower atmosphere
and the earth’s surface.
1. These gasses (water __________, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) are known as
____________________ gasses. They allow mostly visible light, only some ________________
radiation, and ultraviolet radiation to pass through the troposphere. This natural ______________ is the
greenhouse effect.
E. Interactions between land and oceans and disruptions of airflows by _____________________ and cities
affect local climates. Various topographic features can create local and regional ____________________.
1. One example of this is the rain_____________ effect.
2. Bricks, _______________, and other building materials create distinct microclimates in cities.
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7-2 How does climate affect the nature and location of biomes?
A. Different climates lead to different communities of organisms, especially _____________________.
Differences in average temperature and _____________________ due to global _______ and water
circulation lead to differences in climate.
1. Average annual precipitation, temperature, and ________ type are the most important factors in
producing tropical, temperate, or polar _________________, grasslands, and forests.
2. Biomes are actually a _______________ of different biological communities.
3. Climate and vegetation vary with latitude and ___________________ of an area.
SCIENCE FOCUS: Plants and animals have numerous _______________________ to the harsh conditions in
desert environments. These tend to revolve around _________________ heat, and absorbing or retaining the
maximum amount of __________.
B. Deserts have little ______________________ and little vegetation and are found in tropical, temperate, and
__________ regions. Deserts cover about 30% of the earth’s land surface, mostly in tropical and
______________________ regions.
1. Tropical deserts are hot and _______ most of the year with few plants, rocks, and sand.
2. Temperate deserts have high daytime temperatures in summer and ______ temperatures in winter, with
more ________ than in tropical deserts. Examples include ___________.
3. Cold deserts have cold winters and warm summers, with low rainfall. Examples include __________.
C. Grasslands have enough precipitation to support grasses but not enough to support large stands of
___________. The three main types of grasslands are tropical, temperate, and polar (______________).
1. Savannas are tropical grasslands with scattered trees and enormous ____________ of hoofed animals.
a. Large herds of _________________ and browsing animals feed here.
2. Temperate grasslands with cold winters and hot, dry summers have _________ and fertile soils that
make them widely used for growing ___________ and grazing cattle.
a. _______________ matter accumulates, producing fertile _________, as aboveground plant parts
______ each year.
b. North American grasslands are tall-grass _________________ and short-grass prairies.
3. Polar grasslands are covered with ice and _________ except during a brief summer.
a. Under the snow there is a thick, spongy ______ of low-growing vegetation (grasses, mosses,
__________woody shrubs).
b. _____________________ is a permanently frozen layer of _______ when water freezes.
c. Global _______________ is causing some parts of the permafrost in parts of Alaska to _________.
d. Another type of tundra, ______________ tundra, occurs above tree line, but below
____________________ snow line. This area gets more sunlight than arctic tundra and has no
______________________.
D. Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of ___________ shrubs are subject to periodic
________. Chaparral, or temperate ____________________, is found in coastal areas that
_______________ deserts.
1. The winter ___________ season is longer than in desert; _______ during spring/fall reduces
evaporation.
2. Low-growing ______________________ shrubs with occasional trees is the vegetation type.
3. Fires move ________________ when started in these areas. Chaparral ________________ to
occasional fires.
4. Humans _________ the climate of this biome, but risk losing homes to _________. (California)
5. Floods/__________________ occur after fires at times. (California)
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E. Forests have enough precipitation to support ______________ of trees and are found in tropical,
____________________, and polar regions. There are three main types of forest—tropical, temperate, and
________________ (polar).
1. Tropical rain forests have ____________ rainfall on most days and a rich ____________________ of
species occupying a variety of specialized niches in distinct ______________. Tropical rain forests are
near the equator and have hot, ___________ conditions.
a. Dominant plants are ____________________ evergreens with _______________ roots.
b. A dense _____________ blocks most sunlight from reaching ___________ levels.
c. ___________ often drape individual trees.
d. Tropical forests cover about ___% of the land surface, but are habitats for about _________ the
terrestrial species of earth.
e. Very little _____________ is on the forest floor because of rapid ____________________ of dead
materials.
f. So far, at least half of these forests have been _________________ or disturbed by human activities.
2. Temperate ____________________ forests grow in areas with moderate average temperatures,
abundant rainfall, and _________, warm summers.
a. Broadleaf, deciduous trees _________________ this biome. Leaves drop in fall, trees become
_______________, and new leaves grow in spring.
b. More sunlight _____________________ the canopy so there is richer diversity of _____________
level plant life.
c. On a worldwide basis, this biome has been disturbed by human activity more than any other
terrestrial biome as a result of establishing ____________________, industrialization, and urbanization.
3. Evergreen ______________________ forests or boreal forests are located in areas just south of
_____________ tundra around the northern sub-arctic regions of the earth. These forests consist mostly
of ________-bearing evergreen trees that keep their ________________ year-round to help the trees
survive ________, cold winters.
a. Long, ______, extremely cold winters are the norm. Summers are ___________.
b. Dominant trees are ____________________ (cone-bearing) spruce, hemlock, fir, cedar, and pine.
c. There is ______ plant diversity.
4. Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing evergreen trees such as _______________ and Douglas fir in a
cool and __________ environment. Coastal coniferous forests or temperate ________ forests are
located along the western coast of Canada to northern _____________________. Cool temperatures,
abundant rain, and dense ______ are the norm.
a. Most trees are evergreen with much moss as _______________ and ground cover.
b. There is a __________ canopy with little __________ reaching the forest floor.
c. The winters are ________ and summers are ________.
5. Mountains are high-elevation forested ______________ of biodiversity and often have snow-covered
peaks that ____________ solar radiation and ____________________ release water to lower-elevation
streams and ecosystems. Mountains are places with dramatic changes in altitude, climate, soil, and
vegetation within very __________ distances.
a. Mountains have important ecological roles such as habitats for _________________ species,
biodiversity, and _____________________ for animal species driven from other habitats.
b. They help ________________ earth’s climate; snow peaks reflect much of solar
__________________ into space.
c. Mountains play a major role in the ____________________ cycle.
7-3 How have we affected the world’s terrestrial ecosystems?
A. Human activities have damaged or __________________ to some extent about 62% of the world’s
terrestrial ecosystems.
B. Humans have had a number of specific _______________ effects on the world’s deserts, grassland, forests,
and mountains.
Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity
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