AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Biomes can be affected by changes within the Earth system at both long and short timescales. The primary biome present in an area can change over time as the climate changes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Just as human activities have transformed and evolved over time, so have the places and biomes they inhabit. For instance, hunting may have contributed to the extinction of some megafauna, and the controlled burning of forests dramatically altered their landscape.

Detailed explanation-3: -The most substantial biome shifts occurred where temperature or precipitation changed by one-half to two standard deviations from 20th century mean values. Some examples of biome shifts that occurred include woodlands giving way to grasslands in the African Sahel, and shrublands encroaching onto tundra in the Arctic.

Detailed explanation-4: -As the climate of a biome changes its inhabitants must either adapt to the new conditions or migrate to areas where the new conditions are like what they are accustomed to.

Detailed explanation-5: -Biomes are determined primarily by temperature and precipitation. Generally speaking, biomes at higher latitudes (further away from the equator) are cooler and drier. Closer to the equator, biomes are generally warmer and wetter, as warmer air holds more moisture than colder air.