AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Terrestrial Biomes

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Terrestrial Biomes, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Environmental Science.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Identify the biome most likely at latitude about $0^{\circ}$ with high rainfall year-round.

Answer: Tropical rainforest. Equatorial location receives consistent solar radiation and precipitation.

Flashcard 2: What is the dominant plant strategy in temperate deciduous forests during winter?

Answer: Leaf drop to reduce water loss and frost damage. Deciduous strategy conserves energy and prevents freezing damage.

Flashcard 3: What precipitation pattern best describes a tropical rainforest?

Answer: High precipitation in all months. Constant moisture supports lush vegetation year-round.

Flashcard 4: Which biome is characterized by broadleaf deciduous trees and four distinct seasons?

Answer: Temperate deciduous (seasonal) forest. Trees drop leaves in winter to conserve water and energy.

Flashcard 5: What two abiotic factors most strongly determine the distribution of terrestrial biomes?

Answer: Temperature and precipitation. These climate factors control water availability and energy for plant growth.

Flashcard 6: Which biome has very low precipitation and organisms adapted to conserve water?

Answer: Desert. Extreme water scarcity drives specialized adaptations.

Flashcard 7: Identify the biome most likely at latitude about $30^{\circ}$ with descending dry air and low rainfall.

Answer: Subtropical desert. Hadley cell circulation creates dry conditions at this latitude.

Flashcard 8: Which biome has four seasons, moderate precipitation, and broadleaf deciduous trees?

Answer: Temperate deciduous forest. Seasonal temperature changes trigger leaf phenology.

Flashcard 9: What soil characteristic is most typical of tropical rainforests?

Answer: Nutrient-poor, highly leached soils. Heavy rainfall washes nutrients from soil layers.

Flashcard 10: Which biome is a cold forest dominated by conifers and has long winters and short growing seasons?

Answer: Boreal forest (taiga). Conifers' needle leaves resist cold and snow damage.

Flashcard 11: What is the primary ecological role of periodic fires in savannas and temperate grasslands?

Answer: Maintain grass dominance by suppressing woody plants. Fire prevents succession to forest ecosystems.

Flashcard 12: What adaptation commonly allows tundra plants to survive cold, windy conditions?

Answer: Low-growing forms and shallow roots to avoid wind and frozen soil. Reduces exposure to desiccating winds and accesses unfrozen surface soil.

Flashcard 13: Which biome is dominated by grasses, has fertile soils, and experiences periodic drought and fires?

Answer: Temperate grassland (prairie/steppe). Insufficient moisture limits tree growth despite fertile soils.

Flashcard 14: Which terrestrial biome is characterized by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons?

Answer: Tropical seasonal forest (tropical dry forest). Monsoon patterns create alternating wet and dry periods.

Flashcard 15: What is permafrost in the context of the tundra biome?

Answer: Permanently frozen subsoil that limits drainage and rooting. Frozen layer prevents water infiltration and deep root growth.

Flashcard 16: What is the typical precipitation range that defines a desert biome?

Answer: Less than about $25$ cm of precipitation per year. Extremely low moisture limits plant growth and diversity.

Flashcard 17: Which biome is characterized by permafrost, low precipitation, and a short growing season?

Answer: Tundra. Coldest biome where frozen soil prevents tree growth.

Flashcard 18: What adaptation is most associated with desert plants such as cacti?

Answer: Water storage and reduced leaf surface area. Minimizes water loss through transpiration in arid conditions.

Flashcard 19: Which biome is dominated by coniferous evergreen trees and has long, cold winters?

Answer: Boreal forest (taiga). Conifers adapted to cold, short growing seasons dominate.

Flashcard 20: Which biome is best matched to this pattern: very cold winters, conifer dominance, and low decomposition rates?

Answer: Boreal forest (taiga). Cold slows decomposition, creating acidic soils.

Flashcard 21: Which biome is dominated by grasses, has fertile soils, and experiences periodic drought and fire?

Answer: Temperate grassland (prairie/steppe). Moderate rainfall supports grasses but not forests; rich soils from decomposition.

Flashcard 22: Identify the term for permanently frozen subsoil that limits root growth and drainage in tundra.

Answer: Permafrost. Frozen soil prevents deep roots and water drainage.

Flashcard 23: Which biome is dominated by grasses with scattered trees and frequent fires in warm climates?

Answer: Savanna (tropical grassland). Fire and herbivores prevent tree establishment in these grasslands.

Flashcard 24: Which biome has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, often with fire-adapted shrubs?

Answer: Chaparral (Mediterranean shrubland). Mediterranean climate creates unique fire-prone ecosystems.

Flashcard 25: What adaptation commonly helps desert plants reduce water loss?

Answer: Waxy cuticle and reduced leaf area (spines) to limit transpiration. Minimizes surface area exposed to dry air, reducing water loss.

Flashcard 26: Which biome has the highest biodiversity and consistently warm temperatures year-round?

Answer: Tropical rainforest. Year-round warmth and moisture support maximum species diversity.

Flashcard 27: What is the definition of a terrestrial biome in AP Environmental Science?

Answer: A large land region defined by climate and dominant vegetation. Climate patterns create predictable plant communities across regions.

Flashcard 28: What factor most directly determines the distribution of major terrestrial biomes worldwide?

Answer: Climate, especially temperature and precipitation patterns. Temperature and moisture patterns create conditions that support specific plant communities.

Flashcard 29: Which biome has permafrost, very low temperatures, and a short growing season with low shrubs and mosses?

Answer: Tundra. Extreme cold limits plant height and diversity.

Flashcard 30: What is the key difference between weather and climate in environmental science?

Answer: Weather is short-term; climate is long-term average conditions. Weather occurs over days/weeks; climate represents 30+ year patterns.

Flashcard 31: What is a climograph used to show for a terrestrial biome?

Answer: Average monthly temperature and precipitation patterns. These graphs help identify biomes by their climate patterns.

Flashcard 32: Which biome is a grassland with scattered trees, maintained by seasonal drought and fire?

Answer: Savanna (tropical grassland). Wet-dry seasons prevent forest but support grasses and scattered trees.

Flashcard 33: What is the primary reason tropical rainforest soils are often nutrient-poor despite high productivity?

Answer: Rapid decomposition and nutrient uptake; heavy leaching by rain. Nutrients cycle rapidly in biomass, not soil, due to constant warm rain.

Flashcard 34: Which biome is most strongly associated with nutrient-poor, highly leached soils due to heavy rainfall?

Answer: Tropical rainforest. Heavy rainfall washes nutrients from soil faster than they accumulate.

Flashcard 35: Which biome has mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, with frequent natural fires?

Answer: Chaparral (Mediterranean shrubland). Mediterranean climate creates fire-adapted shrubland communities.

Flashcard 36: Which terrestrial biome has the highest biodiversity and consistently warm temperatures?

Answer: Tropical rainforest. Year-round warmth and moisture support maximum species diversity.

Flashcard 37: Which biome is most likely in high latitudes with permafrost and very low primary productivity?

Answer: Tundra. Arctic/Antarctic locations have extreme cold limiting plant growth.

Flashcard 38: Which biome is most likely in a continental interior with hot summers, cold winters, and frequent fires?

Answer: Temperate grassland. Distance from oceans creates temperature extremes; fires maintain grassland.

Flashcard 39: What soil property is most typical of temperate grasslands and supports agriculture?

Answer: Deep, nutrient-rich topsoil (high organic matter). Grass decomposition builds thick, fertile soil layers.