(a) Temperate grassland and chaparral often burn in lightning-induced fires, which stimulate the germination of seeds and regrowth of existing vegetation. Do you think that companies or the government should sell fire insurance to people who build expensive homes in places where periodic fires are virtually inevitable? (b) Boreal forests generally harbor many fewer species of trees than tropical forests do. Develop three hypotheses to explain this pattern. What data would you collect to test your hypotheses? (c) Many regions have been developed for agriculture, industry, and human habitation. Have our activities created new biomes? What physical environments are created by development, and what plants and animals occupy developed areas?
