Question

ch. 6 biomes and aquatic ecosystems
true/false
indicate whether the statement is true or false.

1. on a biome map, patches representing the same biome tend to occur at similar longitudes.
2. cold and dry biomes have the highest net primary production.
3. primary producers convert solar or chemical energy into energy stored in the bonds of organic sugars.
4. water moves toward areas of lower salinity.
5. ecologists tend to divide the photic zone of lakes and ponds based on distance from the bottom.
6. weather describes the average conditions, including temperature and precipitation, over long periods in a given area.
7. warm and wet biomes have the lowest net primary production.
8. under water, photosynthesis by aquatic plants and phytoplankton is mostly limited by the amount of light available.
9. rivers and streams are types of flowing freshwater ecosystems.
10. the neritic zone contains over 90 percent of the oceans water.

Explanation:

1. Biomes are determined by climate (temperature/precipitation), which aligns with latitudes, not longitudes.
2. Cold/dry biomes (e.g., tundra, desert) have low primary production due to harsh conditions.
3. Primary producers (plants, chemosynthetic organisms) convert energy into organic sugars via photosynthesis/chemosynthesis.
4. Water moves to areas of higher salinity (osmosis, toward higher solute concentration).
5. The photic zone is divided by light availability, not distance from the bottom; benthic zones are based on bottom distance.
6. Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is long-term averages.
7. Warm/wet biomes (e.g., rainforests) have the highest net primary production due to ideal growing conditions.
8. Light penetrates poorly in water, so it is the main limiting factor for aquatic photosynthesis.
9. Rivers and streams are defined by their flowing, freshwater characteristics.
10. The oceanic zone contains over 90% of ocean water; the neritic zone is the shallow coastal area.

Answer:

1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. False