BIS 2B Study Guide - Final Guide: Terrestrial Ecosystem, Exponential Decay, Nitrogen Cycle

• School: UC-Davis
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIS 2B
• Professor: Mark Schwartz; Sharon Strauss

Document Summary

: ecosystems in which fire plays a major role in the health of the ecosystem. Fire destroys dead undergrowth leaving room for new plants and grasses to grow which creates more food for animals. Areas in california and the southwest can benefit from a natural cycle but not through arson which can be devastating. Fire adaptation traits: thick bark insulates (ex: oak), serotinous cones protect seeds, resprouting behavior (redwoods), heat and smoke germination. 3 systems that have the most fires: grassland/savanna, shrubland, forests. Fire regimes: framework for understanding fire management, restoration, ecosystem trends. High intensity crown fires that kill most trees. Pfrid: % fire return interval departure (measure how much fire landscape experienced relative to how much we would expect without human impact) norcal fires less frequent than socal fires. : the largest pool of nitrogen is in the atmosphere in the form of gas.