Geography 507 -Exam 2 - Trop Seasonal To Woodland

Front 1

Semi-evergreen seasonal forest

Back 1

- short dry season, not on coasts
- all growth forms
-lower species diversity
-facultatively deciduous trees

Front 2

Semi-evergreen seasonal forest: geographic extent

Back 2

- N. America
-Indo-Malaysia: pyinkado, dry teak, moist teak
-African dry evergreen: small distribution, lots of human disturbance

Front 3

Semi-evergreen seasonal forest: 2 strata

Back 3

1. A tier = uppermost (~22m), about 1/4 decidious trees, some accumulations of litter
2. B tier = lower, some species are small-leaved (microphyllous) so they transpire less water

Front 4

Facultatively deciduous

Back 4

-ability to lose leaves during an abnormally dry season

Front 5

Deciduous seasonal forest

Back 5

- gnarled trees w/ umbrella-like caonpies
-all growth forms present
-lower species diversity

Front 6

Deciduous seasonal forest: geographic extent

Back 6

- American formation (2 strata)
-Indo-Malaysian: regional varieties of deciduous forests, droughty soils
-African: dry forest/Miombo, frequent burning has lowered tree density, woodland

Front 7

Tropical savanna

Back 7

- dominated by grasses, can be TRF, mostly dry all the way to desert
-variety along moisture gradient
-*floods periodically*
-*old, highly weathered soils, not enough nutrients to support forest*

Front 8

Tropical savanna: 3 general types

Back 8

1. High grass - low tree: perennial grasses and thorny trees, wet/wet-dry tropical climate, fire-prone
2. Acacia-tall grass
3. Desert

Front 9

Tropical savanna: geographic extent

Back 9

- Venezuela - Orinoco River
- Africa - along major rivers
- Australia- hard to classify, has trees

Front 10

Microphyllous forest

Back 10

- small leaves, deciduous
-spodosols: excessively drained or water-logged depending on the time of year
-oligotrophic soil: low nutrients
- variable rainfall

Front 11

Microphyllous forest: geographic extent

Back 11

- American: all growth forms, incomplete canopy, lower species diversity, peas present, tall shrubs
- NE Brazil
- Asiatic
-African and Australian: xerophyllous, in a belt across the continent, acacias (Aust.)

Front 12

Semi-desert scrub

Back 12

- dominated by low shrubs, many succulents, widely-spaced
-*water is a limiting factor*

Front 13

Semi-desert scrub: geographic extent

Back 13

- American: cactus, low shrubs, mojave desert
- Saharan: sub-tropical, high-pressure, decreased rainfall, saline areas w/ halophyles
-SE Asia: alkaline soils, euphorbs
-Australian: acacia, understory

Front 14

Tropical desert

Back 14

- *area devoid of plant life*
-dry, sandy, rocks, dunes
-cobbly stone soil
-andisols (volcanic)

Front 15

Tropical desert: 2 different plant strategies

Back 15

1. Rain-dependent/ "drought avoiders": perennial shrubs & herbs, shallow roots, sunken stomates (reduce transpiration), microphyllous, some annuals, seeds dormant until good conditions, timing is critical
2. Deep-rooted perrennials: dry stream beds, reach down to H2O table, larger stature, larger leaves, (mesquite, tamarisk)

Front 16

Tropical mountains

Back 16

-vertical ecocline: increased nutrients, wind and rain/decreased temp, insolation
-volcanic soils: lavas, basalts
-steep so soil doesn't form well + heavy rain = spodosols

Front 17

Tropical mountains: 3 Zones

Back 17

1. Submontane:Transition Zone - lowest, transition forest, 2-tiered, less stature, volcanic rock
2. Alpine Zone - grassland, shrubby veg, frost-tolerant, endemic species, increased insolation
3. Perennial Snow and Ice: Top Zone - (>4500m) no plants, strong winds, too cold for vegetative growth

Front 18

Tropical mountains: Montane forests

Back 18

- "mossy forests"
- 1-tiered, lower statured
-cooler, receives heaviest rainfall, cloud cover
- many epiphytic mosses and lichens
-trees

Front 19

Tropical mountains: Elfin Woodlands

Back 19

- transition zone between montane and alpine
- same tree species have been pruned down into smaller trees --> Krummholz effect
-~1-3m wide

Front 20

Woodlands and Scrublands

Back 20

scrub - area dominated by shrubs
wood - area dominated by just a few trees (20-70% tree density)

Front 21

Woodlands and Scrublands: geographic extent

Back 21

- NE CA
-dry, mid-latitude climate
-semi-arid interior portions on cloud-covered slopes

Front 22

Semi-desert

Back 22

- sparse veg (due to low precipitation)
-drier, interior locations
-hot in summer, cold in winter
-dry, East side of mountains
-deciduous chaparral

Front 23

Semi-desert: Zonation in N Am

Back 23

low to high zonation, N. America
- Playas - lake bed
- Sage-brush scrub
- Deciduous chap
- Pinyon-Juniper woodland (~2200m)
- Montane Forest

Front 24

Semi-desert: geographic extent

Back 24

- Eurasian: far inland, east of mountains, arid envi, low veg density, more herbs (than Am formation)
- Patagonian: dominated by scaley, thorny shrubs, small leaved deciduous, dense/impenetrable, *only semi-desrt in the Southern hemisphere*

Front 25

True deserts of mid-latitudes

Back 25

- true desert = devoid of all vegetation
- most mid-lat areas receive some rain so *lack of veg is due to sandy, poorly developed soils and rocky surfaces*