Ecosystems and Biomes
Ecosystem Processes
Ecosystem Productivity
Successions
Key Terms
High productivity ecosystem
Temperate DECIDUOUS forest
Warm summers
Large amounts of daylight
Wood material storing lots of biomass.
Acidic soil.
Dominated by Oak that can tolerate high Ph.
Small Oak leaves allow sunlight through thus allowing smaller ground vegetation.
Mild and wet (1500mm/yr)
More precipitation than evapotranspiration.
Brown, mild acidic soils.
Worms promote soil mixing which blurs soil horizons.
High precipitation leads to high rates of leaching. However this is balanced by fast weathering.
Wildlife in ecosystem is seasonal due to hibernation or migration in the winter
Few natural deciduous areas left due to agriculture and recreation
low productivity ecosytem
temperate coniferous forest
High biomass stored in woody material.
Tall evergreen trees (20-30m) to allow photosynthesis.
Mainly pine, larch or spruce.
Less than 500mm/yr of rain but this is still more than the rate of evapostranspiration.
16-20 hours of sunlight during the summer allowing lots of photosynthesis.
Short growing season.
Mainly podsols. Snowmelt causes increased leaching.
Distinct soil horizons due to very few earthworms.
Nutrient transfers is controlled by low temperature which in turn causes low weathering.
Few animals dues to a lack of food.