Chapter 27 What Are The Dominant Plants And Animals

27 – 1

Chapter 27

Global Ecology and Human Impacts

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Biomes

Tundra is the northernmost biome

Boreal forest is dominated by conifers

Temperate rain forest has cool weather, dense fog, and high precipitation

The distribution of vegetation on mountains

Some mountains have rain shadows

Declining biological diversity

Endangered species have certain characteristics in common

Global warming

Greenhouse gases cause global warming

What are the probable effects of global warming?

With global warming, the global average sea level is rising

With global warming, precipitation patterns will change

Plants and the Environment: Fire and Terrestrial Ecosystems

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

1. Define biome and describe the nine major terrestrial biomes, including their climate, soil,

4. Identify the various levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity, species richness, and

ecosystem diversity.

5. Distinguish among extinct species, endangered species, and threatened species.

LECTURE OUTLINE

I. What features characterize biomes? What are the climate barriers the determine a biome’s

boundaries?

A. Where are you likely to encounter the tundra?

1. How long are winters compared to summers?

B. Where do you find the boreal forest/taiga?

1. What are winters like?

2. How much precipitation does the taiga usually get in a year?

3. What is the typical soil like? Is there permafrost? Where?

4. What are the dominant plants? The dominant animals?

5. Why is the taiga not suited to agriculture?

C. Where are temperate rain forests located?

1. How much precipitation does the temperate rain forest usually get?

D. Where are temperate deciduous forests found?

1. What is the weather like? What is the average annual precipitation?

E. Where are temperate grasslands found?

1. What is the weather like? What is the average annual precipitation?

2. What is the typical soil like? Why are these some of the best agricultural soils in the

world?

3. What were the dominant plants of the North American prairies? What are the

differences between the tallgrass and shortgrass prairies?

4. What were some typical animals found there in the past? What animals are likely to

be found now?

F. Where is the chaparral found?

G. Where are the deserts?

1. What daily temperature ranges characterize deserts? How much precipitation do

deserts usually get?

2. What are the soils like?

3. What are typical plant adaptations to desert conditions?

4. What are typical animal adaptations?

H. What is a savanna?

I. Where are the tropical rain forests found?

1. What are the temperatures like? What is the range of annual precipitation?

2. Why are soils of tropical rain forests usually thin and low in minerals?

3. Why can tropical rain forests be characterized by their plant forms but not by their

B. What is an endangered species and what do most endangered species have in common?

1. What is an endemic species?

2. What is a threatened species?

C. How are human activities contributing to the biodiversity crisis?

1. What is meant by habitat fragmentation? What are ecological islands?

IV. What is global warming, and why is it a problem?

A. What is the greenhouse effect?

1. What are the main greenhouse gases?

2. How does human activity contribute to the greenhouse effect?

B. What changes are scientists predicting, due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases?

KEY TERMS

allelopathy, p. 546

biodiversity, p. 552

extinction, p. 552

global warming, p. 558

savanna, p. 548

sclerophyllous leaf, p. 546

TEACHING TIPS

1. Remind students of Plants and People: The Medicinal Value of Flowering Plants (text p.

489). Point out that if they were to walk one mile through a tropical rain forest, they could

encounter an average of 50 tree species. Find slides, even ones taken from pictures in

books, to illustrate. Ask them to compare these pictures with any other forest they have

2. In light of the biodiversity crisis, engage students in a discussion of the impacts of humans on

different biomes. Refer back to Acid Rain (text p. 31), Soil Erosion (text p. 113),

3. Visit the campus greenhouse, if you have one, and discuss adaptations of plants to

4. Bring in a succulent, such as jade plant or aloe vera, to class. Cut a leaf open and show the