Part 1 of documents containing printable summaries of the themes necessary for the Botany 251 semester test 1. These notes include biome classification, savannas, grasslands, Albany thicket, fynbos and succulent karoo.
BIOME: A broad homogenous ecological unit extending over a large natural area and characterised by the dominant life
forms
VEGETATION/BIOME: The structure of the plant life of a region – Refers more to physiognomy of plant life than specific
taxa
FLORA/PHYTOGEOGRAPHY: The plant life of a particular region – Refers more specifically to the taxonomic composition
EXAMPLES OF BIOMES
Biome Dominant life forms Climate Found where? Soils Other
Arctic Tundra All plant life remains Moist Arctic
close to ground. Permafrost in
winter
Water‐logged in
winter
Alpine tundra Mainly grasses, sedges Cold nights, though In high Nutrient‐
and herbs. in summer can get mountains, poor soils
warm above treeline
Extreme weather
Taiga/Boreal Coniferous forests Can
forests Evergreen. photosynthesise
Only few dominant as soon as sun
tree spp., appears
Few shrubs and
groundcover
Temperate forests Deciduous, and much Cold winters, warm
more species‐rich in summers High
terms of animal life precipitation
than taiga
Tropical rainforest Mostly angiosperms Rain most days Hot Soils
and humid often
leached,
therefore
nutrient‐
poor
Others: • Desert • Grassland • Chaparral
• Savanna (Mediterranean,
e.g. Fynbos)
BIOME DISTRIBUTION FACTORS
Climate
Temperature
Rainfall
Seasonality
Influenced by:
o Earth tilt
o Atmospheric heat distribution
o Global climate patterns (latitudinal & continental)
, Soil
Disturbances (fire)
CLIMATE VEGETATION RELATIONSHIPS
• Extreme minimum temperature controls
ever-greenness /deciduousness
• Temperature limit controlling tree growth
polewards (and up mountains)
• Dry winters = drying of grasses in savannas,
which then become flammable
•Defined based on vegetation characteristics • Largest ecological unit defined
• Distinguished based on dominant plant life form 1st (and 2nd on climate)
• NOT determined based on floristic or phylogenetic composition (do not coincide with phytochoria)
• Based on Raunkiaer type system (location of the renewal buds)
Topography
• Southern tip of the continent
• Steep escarpment
• Inland plateau
• 40% > 1200m ASL
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller meganholland. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R130,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
