BIOMES OF EARTH

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BIOMES OF EARTH
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Tropical Rain Forest

• Within 15º of equator - warm all year
• More than 200 cm rain per year
• At least 10 cm of rain each month
• Soils old, weathered, and nutrient-poor
• Tall evergreen trees deciduous emergents
• Highest species diversity productivity
• Second highest standing biomass
• Very little vegetation on dark forest floor

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Tropical Rain Forest
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Tropical Rain Forest
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Tropical Rain Forest
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Tropical Rain Forest
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Tropical Rain Forest
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Tropical Seasonal Forest

• Occurs farther north or south of equator
• One or two dry seasons per year
• Most trees lose leaves during dry seasons
• Species diversity not quite as high as tropical
  rain forest

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Tropical Seasonal Forest
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Tropical Seasonal Forest
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Savanna

• Widespread in Africa
• Also found in South America India
• Grassland with scattered trees shrubs
• Slightly drier than tropical seasonal forest
• 3 or 4 very dry months
• Grasses favored by grazing and fire
• Important habitat for large ungulates

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Savanna
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SavannaPuerto Rico
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SavannaEast Africa
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Thorn Forest and Thorn Scrub

• Occur when tropical savanna not grazed or burned
  periodically
• Thorny short trees or shrubs become more common
• Many Acacia species and other legumes
• Commonly mixed with savanna

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Thorn ForestPuerto Rico
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Temperate Rain Forest

• Western North America, southern Chile, and
  Western New Zealand
• Mild, rainy winters and summer fog
• Dominated by large conifers
• Greatest standing biomass on earth
• Low tree species diversity

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Temperate Rain ForestWashington
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Temperate Rain ForestOlympic Peninsula,
Washington
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Temperate Rain ForestOlympic Peninsula,
Washington
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Temperate Deciduous Forest

• Found in North America, Europe, China, New
  Zealand
• Deciduous trees with some conifers
• Small trees, shrubs, vernal herbs beneath
• Precipitation throughout the year
• High diversity for temperate ecosystems

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Temperate Deciduous Forest
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Temperate Deciduous ForestEastern United States
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Temperate Deciduous ForestNew England
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Temperate Evergreen Forest

• Drier than temperate deciduous forest
• Dominated by pines and other conifers
• Fire important for regeneration
• Common in western United States and Canada

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Temperate Evergreen ForestMontana
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Temperate Evergreen ForestMontana
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Temperate Evergreen ForestSierra Nevada
Mountains, California
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Temperate Evergreen ForestSierra Nevada
Mountains, California
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Temperate Evergreen ForestRocky Mountains
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Temperate Grassland

• Found in central U.S., Brazil and Argentina,
  central Asia, and southern Australia
• Also called steppe, prairie, pampas
• Hot, wet summers and cold winters
• Dominated by grasses with many forbs
• Soils rich in nutrients and organic material
• Fire and grazing important
• Most highly modified by humans

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Temperate Grassland
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Temperate Grassland
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Temperate GrasslandTibet
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Chaparral Maquis, Mediterranean Vegetation

• Mediterranean, California, Baja California,
  Chile, South Africa, SW Australia
• Mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
• Sclerophyllous evergreen shrubs
• Regenerates primarily after fire
• Fairly high species diversity with
• many annual species

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ChaparralSanta Monica Mountains, California
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Fynbos (Chaparral)South Africa
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Chaparral
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Desert

• Mostly located at horse latitudes or in rain
  shadow areas
• Less than 25 cm precipitation per year
• Can be hot or cold
• Shallow soils with very little organic matter
• Dominated by succulents, shrubs, annuals
• Many animals nocturnal

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Desert
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DesertSuperstition Mountains, Arizona
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DesertSonoran Desert, Arizona
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Desert
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Northern Coniferous ForestBoreal Forest, Taiga

• Widespread in North America Asia
• Mean annual temperature less than 5º C
• Growing season less than 100 days
• Much water but not readily available
• Soils cold and acidic
• Slow decomposition
• Dominated by spruce, fir, alder, willow
• Low diversity

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Boreal ForestCanada
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Boreal Forest
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Boreal ForestAlberta, Canada
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Arctic Tundra

• Widespread north of Boreal Forest
• Permafrost -- soils permanently frozen below one
  meter
• Surface soils thaw during short growing season
• Soils acidic
• Few dwarf shrubs trees
• Mostly lichens, mosses, and sedges

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Arctic TundraNorthern Canada?
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Arctic TundraGreenland
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Alpine Tundra

• High elevation above treeline around world
• Warmer and longer growing season than arctic
  tundra
• More species and greater productivity
• Better drained soils
• Spectacular mountain scenery

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Alpine TundraGlacier National Park, Montana
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Alpine TundraSierra Nevada Mountains, California
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Alpine TundraSierra Nevada Mountains, California