Biomes of the World

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Biomes of the World
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Weather vs. Climate

• Weather the day-to-day condition of Earths
  atmosphere at a certain time and place.
• Climate the average yearly condition of
  temperature and precipitation in a region.

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• Carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gases trap
  heat energy and maintain Earths temperature
  range. These gases function like the glass
  windows of a greenhouse.
• Therefore, the
• trapping of heat
• by gases in the
• atmosphere is
• called the
• greenhouse effect.

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• This greenhouse effect helps temperatures on
  Earth stay within a range that supports life.
  Latitude also affects climate. Earth has three
  main climate zones
• Polar
• Temperate
• Tropical

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• Polar zones are cold areas where the suns rays
  strike Earth at a very long angle.

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• Temperate zones ranges from hot to cold,
  depending on the season.

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• Tropical zone is near the equator. The climate
  here is almost always warm.

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What is a biome?
A biome is a particular physical environment that
contains a characteristic assemblage of plants
and animals and has a particular climate. Within
a biome, there may be microclimates. A species
may live over a large or small area, depending on
its ability to survive and reproduce under tough
conditions.
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How many biomes are there?
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Tropical Rainforest

• Home to more species than all other biomes
  combined.
• The weather is hot and wet all year round.
• Found near the equator.

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Tropical Savanna

• Characterized by a cover of grass. Spotted with
  isolated trees and shrubs.
• Home to largest land animals in the world.
• Warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall.

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Temperate Grassland

• Characterized by a cover of grass.
• Most commonly found in the USA.
• Temperatures range from cold to warm, based on
  the season. Rainfall also varies based on
  season.

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Desert

• DRY, defined as having less than 25 cm of rain a
  year.
• Usually thought of as hot, but temperatures can
  actually vary greatly.
• Organisms that live in this biome can tolerate
  extreme conditions.

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Temperate Forest

• Contain a mixture of deciduous and coniferous
  trees. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the
  autumn.
• Cold winters and warm summers. Year-round
  precipitation.

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Boreal Forest (Taiga)

• Contain mostly coniferous trees.
• Winters are VERY cold, but summers are mild and
  long enough for the ground to thaw.
• Mostly occurs in the northern hemisphere

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Tundra

• Characterized by permafrost, a layer of
  permanently frozen soil.
• Very cold. Winters are harsh, summers are short
  and cool.
• Found only in the very far north.