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Chapter 7:Other Terrestrial Ecosystems - Coggle Diagram
Chapter 7:Other Terrestrial Ecosystems
Tropical Deciduous Forest
The trees usually shed their leaves during the dry season and come into leaves at the start of the rainy season.
Temperatures are hot year round (average 25-39oC)
Open woodland that have a long dry season & season of heavy rainfall.
wet edges- it may grade into tropical rainforest
known as monsoon forest
at the dry end- it may grade into tropical grassland or savannah
Dry season is distinct, often 2-3 months or longer
Soils richer in nutrients than in tropical rainforest
The diversity of animal life is high
3.Desert
Soils are poor and nutrient limited
Rainfall is less than 30 cm/year
Occupy about 20% of the Earth’s land surface
Temperatures are variable from below freezing at night
Found around latitudes of 20-30o north and south of the equator
In many plants, spines or volatile chemical compounds serve as a defense against water-seeking herbivores.
High temperatures permit ectothermic animals
To conserve water, desert plants produce many small seeds, and animals that eat those seeds,
2.Tropical Grassland/ Savannah
Fire is prevalent in this ecosystems
Leaves xeromorphic or are shed in dry season
Most plant have well-developed root systems that enable them to resprout quickly.
Grasses dominate - Fire may be frequent.
Many herbivores move considerable distances to follow the rainfall
Hot, tropical areas (average 24-29oC)
The world’s greatest assemblages of large mammals
Often an extensive dry season ~ 4-5 months with little rainfall
Small trees, crowns umbrella-like, Trunks thick and rough
soils are generally poor in nutrients
4.Chaparral
consist of flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes
Fires and drought are very common.
Most of the precipitation ~ the winter months.
Winters tend to be very mild, with temperatures (~10oC)
Receive more rainfall per year than desert biome.
known as temperate grassland or prairie
Rain totals average between 25 – 43 cm per year.
Root systems designed to get as much water as possible.
Hard, small leaves that have an ability to hold significant amounts of moisture.
animals and over 100 types of birds are typically native to grassland and desert type environment, having adapted to hot, dry climates
animals active during night - too hot for them to search for their prey