Biomes

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Biomes

• Definition large region characterized by a
  specific kind of climate and certain kinds of
  plant and animal communities
• They can be freshwater, marine (saltwater),
  terrestrial, temperate, tropical, etc

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Biomes

• Temperature and precipitation are the two key
  factors of climate that determine biomes
• Climate the average weather conditions in an
  area over a long period of time
• Most organisms have adapted to live within a
  particular range of temperatures
• Would you find a polar bear living in Brazil? A
  naked mole rat in Alaska? A salamander in the
  desert?
• Adaptations for an organisms habitat are
  important to their survival!

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Kinds of Biomes

• Aquatic
• Marine (Saltwater)
• Freshwater
• Wetlands
• Estuaries

• Terrestrial
• Tropical
• Temperate
• High-Latitude

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Major Biomes of The World
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Aquatic Biomes Marine

• Examples
• Kelp forests, tidal pools, coral reefs, sea grass
  beds, etc
• Animals adapted to deal with high salt
  concentrations, water temperatures
• Phytoplankton serves as the base of these biomes
• Large predators include whales, sharks, and
  dolphins

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Aquatic Biomes Marine
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Aquatic Biomes Freshwater

• Lakes, rivers, ponds, streams
• Wide variety of plants and animals
• Fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates,
  grasses and shrubs
• As depth increases, less light available
• no photosynthesis and no plants, decomposers at
  the bottom recycle nutrients

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Aquatic Biomes Freshwater

• Estuaries
• Area where freshwater mixes with salt water
• Usually where a river empties into the ocean
• Very productive ecosystems because they are
  always receiving fresh nutrients from the river
  AND the ocean

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Aquatic Biomes Freshwater
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Aquatic Biomes Freshwater

• Wetlands
• Area that is flooded or saturated for most of the
  year
• Bogs, marshes, swamps
• Transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic
  habitats
• Provide homes for LOTS of types of organisms
• Act as flood protection for lower lying areas
• Act as buffer zone or filter for pollutants

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Aquatic Biomes Freshwater
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Terrestrial Biomes

• Major terrestrial biomes can be grouped by
  latitude
• Tropical
• Near the equator
• Temperate
• Between 30 and 60 latitude
• High-latitude
• 60 and higher polar regions

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Terrestrial Biomes Tundra

• Climate long summer days and short periods of
  winter. Very little rain
• Plant Life shallow rooted grasses, mosses, and
  lichens. Few trees because of lack of water and
  growing season
• Soil shallow, most moisture not available since
  its frozen for most of the year--permafrost
• Animals mosquitoes, lemmings, weasels, foxes,
  owls, hawks, oxen, caribou, reindeer

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Terrestrial Biomes Tundra
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Terrestrial Biomes Taiga

• World's largest terrestrial biome
• Climate long severe winters, short summers
• Plant Life mostly evergreen trees with some
  deciduous trees
• Soil thin and nutrient poor due to long term
  cold temperatures. High acid content due to
  fallen evergreen needles
• Animals bears, foxes, lynx, wolves, caribou,
  moose, birds of prey

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Terrestrial Biomes Taiga
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Terrestrial Biomes Temperate Forest

• Climate cool/cold winters and warm summers with
  plenty of rain
• Plant Life deciduous trees in lower latitudes,
  evergreen trees in higher latitudes
• Soil fertile, enriched with decaying litter
• Animals squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds,
  deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox,
  and black bear
• Adaptations bears and some rodents store up fat,
  and then hibernate during the cold winters.
  Birds and fish migrate to the south to escape
  temperatures that can be below zero

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Terrestrial Biomes Temperate Forest
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Terrestrial Biomes Tropical Rainforest

• Climate warm temperature, lots of rain
• Two seasons wet and dry
• Plant Life LOTS of different tree species,
  orchids, bromeliads, vines, ferns, mosses, etc
• Soil thick wet mat on surface, most nutrients
  concentrated right at surface
• Animals amazing amount of biodiversity
• Layers of the forest contribute to biodiversity
• At least HALF the earths species live in the
  rainforest
• Still many, many undiscovered species

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Terrestrial Biomes Tropical Rainforest
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Terrestrial Biomes Grasslands

• Can be tropical (savannas) or temperate
  (praries/steppes/pamas)
• Climate Dry. Usually experiences all 4 seasons
• Plant Life Grasses and other non-woody plants
  some trees
• Soil Nutrient rich
• Animals bison, coyotes, rodents, birds,
  reptiles, large herbivores

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Terrestrial Biomes Grasslands
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Terrestrial Biomes Deserts

• Climate dry, can be temperate (Great Basin
  Desert and SW US) or tropical (Sahara, parts of S
  America)
• Plant Life almost nonexistent, cacti. In
  temperate deserts wildflowers bloom seasonally
• Soil dry, rocky, sandy
• Animals coyotes, hawks, owls, snakes, lizards,
  spiders, scorpions
• Animals adapted for life with little water, can
  get most of the water they need from food they eat

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Terrestrial Biomes Deserts