GEO 102: Exploring Ecosystems, Biomes, and Biogeographical Realms

This assignment explores key concepts in environmental science, focusing on the relationships within ecosystems and the broader biosphere. It defines ecosystems, provides examples, and delves into the field of biogeography, examining the distribution of plants and animals. The assignment covers the role of photosynthesis, comparing it to respiration, and explaining how net photosynthesis is determined. It highlights the importance of primary productivity and biomass accumulation, as well as the biogeochemical cycles. Furthermore, it discusses the roles of producers, consumers, and detritivores, examining trophic relationships and the place of humans within ecosystems. Abiotic influences, limiting factors, and ecological succession are also analyzed, including the impact of climate change on natural communities and ecosystems. Finally, the assignment explores biogeographical realms, biomes, and the theory of island biogeography, addressing issues like deforestation, invasive species, and the adaptations of organisms to various environments, such as the tundra and grasslands. The assignment concludes by discussing the goals of biosphere reserves, the importance of biodiversity, and how humans interact within the environment.

Running Head: GEO 102
GEO 102
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GEO 102
Questions
Chapter 19
1. What is the relationship between the biosphere and an ecosystem? Define ecosystem and
provide an example of an ecosystem.
There is an interaction between the two in that diversity of organisms on living Earth is
supported by the biosphere that gives suitable conditions for existence.
It is a self-sustaining association of flora and fauna life and their non-living environment,
for example, earth biosphere.
2. What does biogeography include? Describe its relationship to ecology.
Involves the study of animals and plants distribution, it relates to that plants and animals
relationship and how they depend on each other
3. How do plants function to link the Sun’s energy to living organisms?
The link in the process of photosynthesis plants absorbs light energy after they make food
organisms feed on them.
4. Compare photosynthesis and respiration. How net photosynthesis determined is, and what
does it tell us? What is the importance of knowing the net primary productivity of an
ecosystem and how much biomass an ecosystem has accumulated?
Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide, while respiration uses oxygen. By product of
respiration is carbon dioxide, while for that of photosynthesis is oxygen gas.
Measured as fixed carbon per square meter per year, it determines the total dry weight
available for feeding. It tells us the amount of total dry weight accumulated per year.
Biomass has collected about 170 billion tonnes per year.
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5. What are biogeochemical cycles? Name and describe two of these essential cycles.
This refers to cycles that involve chemical reactions that are important for growth and
development.
Sedimentary cycle; this is a cycle that consists of recycling mineral and solid phases, and
the minerals include sulfur calcium and potassium.
Gaseous cycle; a chemical cycle that involves the cycling of gases in the atmosphere, for
example, nitrogen cycle, oxygen, and the carbon cycle.
6. What roles are played in an ecosystem by producers and consumers? Provide one
example of each.
The producers make food while the consumer feeds on food prepared by produces for life
support.
Producers include plants that make food; consumers include animals.
7. Describe the usual trophic relationships between producers, consumers, and detritivores
in an ecosystem. What is the place of humans in a trophic system?
Consumers depend on producers for food; detritivores decompose the consumers after
they die to add nutrients to the soil.
The human being is a consumer
8. Define a community within an ecosystem.
It is the interaction of both plants and animals in a given habitat.
9. What is a habitat and what is a niche
Habitat is a species locality where a given organism lives while a niche is occupational
and functions of a living organism in a given community.
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10. Discuss three abiotic influences on the function and distribution of species and
communities.
Light and dark; there is a plant that requires long days for seed germination and flowering
example ragweed. Other plant species need longer nights to enhance seed production, for
instance, euphobia pulcherrimo
Air and soil temperature; are essential since they define the rates of chemical reactions.
Precipitation and water availability; they influence the growth of plants when rainfall is
low, there is little growth of plants.
11. What is the limiting factor? How does it function to control populations of plant and
animal species?
Limiting factors refers to the chemical, biological, and physical characteristic of the
environments that define population size and species distribution.
In plants they include;
Temperature, low-temperature limits plant growth,
Lack of water; limits the growth of plants in the desert while excess water limits growth
in swamps.
Soil nutrients; the content in the soil hinders plant growth, for example, low phosphorous
in the ground will inhibit plant growth.
In animals include;
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GEO 102
Prevalence of diseases, number of predators, availability of food, habitats, and breeding
sites.
12. What is ecological succession, and how does ecological succession proceed? What are
the relationships between primary and secondary succession?
Ecological succession is a process in which species are eliminated due to
community disturbances. Ecological succession proceeds when cleared area undergoes
multiple changes in a species composition where the newer communities of animals and
plants replace the older ones. Primary succession begins with organisms well adapted for
colonizing new substrate, while secondary sequences start with plants and animals with a
different niche with those that were previously there.
13. Assess the impact of climate change on natural communities and ecosystems.
Climatic changes have led to the disruption of sequences, and the plant fails to reach the
climax stage. The mature community is in a state of constant adoption and dynamic
equilibrium with a lag time in their adjustment to their environment changes. This can
lead to both plant and animal extinction. Forest distribution is affected and the plants that
slowly adapt to the change
14. Give some of the reasons why biodiversity infers more stable, efficient, and sustainable
ecosystems.
Greater biological diversity leads to more excellent long-term stability and productivity.
The more diverse plant community retains and uses soil nutrients, the more efficient than
with less stability.
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GEO 102
Chapter 20
15. What is a biogeographical realm?
A geographical region where a group flora and fauna species has evolved
16. Define the term biome.
A biome is a stable, sizeable aquatic ecosystem grouped per the adaptation of a given
organism and predominant vegetation type to that environment.
17. Describe a transition zone between two ecosystems. How broad is an ecotone? Explain.
A transition zone is a boundary between different and adjoining ecosystems; it is
generally a boundary between different communities.
Eco tone between forest and grass occupies many kilometers while the boundary between
rivers, lakes, and landslides occupies only a few meters.
18. Give three examples of invasive species described in the text and describe their impact on
natural systems.
Purple loosestrife, which has colonized the Westland across eastern portions of the United
States
and Canada.
Invasive Russia olive which has colonized the chinie wash and Mexico in riparian
19. Using the integrative chart in Table 20.1 and the world map in Figure 20.7, select any
two biomes, and study the correlation of vegetation characteristics, soil, moisture, and
climate with their spatial distribution. Then contrast the two using each characteristic.
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GEO 102
The selected biomes include;
In the tropical rain forest, the vegetation leaf canopy is continuous and thick, while that
of tropical seasonal forests and shrubs, they have broadleafs.
Tropical rain forest biome consists of oxisols, utisols while tropical seasonal forest and
shrub consist of vertisols and alfisols.
The tropical rain forest has a high moisture content, while tropical seasonal forest and
bush have relatively lower moisture content.
The tropical rainforest is warm throughout, while tropical seasonal forest and shrubs the
climate is variable due to changes in temperature.
20. What issues surround deforestation in the rain forest? What is the impact of these losses
on the rest of the biosphere? What new threat to the rain forest has emerged?
The issues causing deforestation are; the need for pasture, farming, wood, fuel, and
timber.
The impact of deforestation due to the problem stated it alters the recycling system of
carbon dioxide. It has also destroyed the variable source of medicinal products.
There is a new threat to the tropical rainforest, where there is a build-up of roads and
people encroaching to keep herds.
21. Describe the role of fire in the tropical savanna biome and the midlatitude broadleaf and
mixed forest biome.
The purpose of the fire is to establish an open glass land and control tree growth. The
fires destroy seedling and trees and deposit a layer of nutrient-rich ash over the land. This
leads to regrowth of grass vegetation.
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22. Why does the boreal forest biome not exist in the Southern Hemisphere, except in
mountainous regions? Where this biome located in the Northern Hemisphere, and what is
its relationship to climate type?
The southern hemisphere lacks a microthermal climate that is the climate that has cold
seasons during winter and warm summer.
Boreal forest biome is located from Canada and Atlantic provinces toward European
plains.
The relationship is that the countries have cold winter seasons and some warmth during
summer.
23. In which biome do we find Earth’s tallest trees? Which biome is dominated by small,
stunted plants, lichens, and mosses?
The biome with tallest trees on Earth is the temperate rain forest, while the biome dominated
by small stunted plants, lichens, and mosses is arctic and alpine tundra.
24. What type of vegetation predominates in the Mediterranean (dry summer) climates?
Describe the adaptation necessary for these plants to survive.
In dry summer, vegetation includes short shrubs, grassy woodland, and chaparral.
The plants have leathery leaves, uneven low branches, deep and well-developed roots,
and average height.
25. What is the significance of the 98th meridian in terms of North American grasslands?
What types of inventions enabled humans to cope with grasslands?
It shows the location of the fifty-one isohyet location showing wetter conditions towards east
and drier conditions towards the west. Human beings can deal with this grassland because
they are home for more massive herds. The presence of grasshoppers makes it suitable to rear
birds such as chicken.
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26. Describe some of the unique adaptations of xerophytes.
They have long tap roots to access groundwater
They have spreading roots to increase water absorption
Leaves are small to reduce the surface area for water loss
They have waxy leaf coating to prevent the rate of water loss
27. What types of plants and animals are found in the tundra biome?
Animals include rabbits, caribou, musk ox, reindeer, lemming, wolf, polar bear, mosquitoes,
the snowy owl.
Plants are sedges, snow lichens, and arctic meadow grass.
28. Describe the theory of island biogeography. How has this theory been essential for
preserving biodiversity? What are the goals of a biosphere reserve?
In the late seventeens1700s, a European settler landed in Hawaiian Island. Forty-three
species of birds were counted, and today only fifteen are extinct, and nineteen more are
endangered. Species in Hawaiian don't exist below 1200 meters because of the avian virus.
The island ecosystems are vulnerable since their ecosystem evolved in isolation from
mainland species. This theory summarises three patterns of species distribution;
1. The number of species on the island represents an equilibrium between rates of extinction
and migration.
2. The number of species increases within the island area
3. The number of species decreases with island isolation.
The island is said to have a more substantial variety of niches and habitats and hence low
extinction rates. The theory provides a critical understanding of uneven habitats, and it
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inspires studies on ecology and biogeography. The approach also increases awareness of
the significant species preservation.
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