GEOG 1114 1stEdition Lecture 20 Outline of Last Lecture Cycles of the Biosphere Flow of Energy different cycles Food Webs Biogeography concepts of biogeography Four major environmental factors Outline of Current Lecture Four major environmental factors Adaptations of vegetation 11 Major Biomes Current Lecture Succession A series of communities that come into being in disturbed ecosystems Each succeeding community alters the local microclimate and surface conditions making possible the appearance of anew community Occurs after catastrophic events Primary species followed by secondary species Brings back dynamic equilibrium Relating Vegetation Patterns of North America to the Environment Four Major Environmental Factors These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Climate Temperature Precipitation Wind drying shape destructive windfall Light Moisture Topographic Relief Elevational Microclimates upslope vegetation plants adapted to warmer drier regions Down slope vegetation plants adapted to cooler wetter areas Slope Aspect compass direction a slope faces Example Low hills of the eastern US have different microenvironment from the top to the bottom of slopes South Facing Slopes receive more solar radiation tan north facing slopes have higher temperatures greater ET warmer drier North Facing Slopes cooler less E Results of slope aspect Tall Mountains Smaller Hills Soil Characteristics The medium for plant growth Texture Structure and Chemistry all play an important role in vegetation distribution Wildfires Certain vegetation biomes of N America have evolved with fire as a major environmental factor Pine forests Grasslands Mediterranean Result partial devastation of plant life and death or driving away of animals Helpful for regrowth and maintaining of plant type Adaptations of vegetation Fire resistant bark Fire dependent cone opening mechanism Lodge pole pine Fire stimulated seed germination Ladder pines Vegetation changes that occur in areas where fires have been eliminated Causes Natural lightening strikes under drought conditions Manmade accident Fire suppression practices in ecosystems where fire is important can cause more damage when fire does occur Effectsare varied Changes that occur in response to fire depend on a number of factors Type of vegetation Season of the year Time since last fire if fire suppressed fuel layer can build up making the damage worse loss of diversity forests same age old growth The 11 Major Biomes Tropical Rainforest Selva Tropical Deciduous Forest Tropical Scrub Tropical Savanna Desert Mediterranean Woodland and Shrub Mid latitude Grassland Mid latitude Deciduous Forest Boreal Forest Taiga Tundra Mountains Icecaps
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