BiomesBiomes

What is a biome? Aka What is a biome? Aka ecosystems- large area of ecosystems- large area of land characterized by land characterized by certain soil and climate certain soil and climate conditions, and particular conditions, and particular assemblages of plants assemblages of plants and animals. and animals.

Biomes located on land Biomes located on land are called terrestrialare called terrestrial

Those located in oceans, Those located in oceans, lakes, streams, or ponds lakes, streams, or ponds are called aquaticare called aquatic

Terrestrial biomes Terrestrial biomes Tundra,Tundra, Taiga (Boreal) Taiga (Boreal) DesertDesert Grassland Grassland Savannah (Temperate Savannah (Temperate

woodland)woodland) ChaparralChaparral Temperate Deciduous Forest,Temperate Deciduous Forest, Northwestern Coniferous Northwestern Coniferous

Forest,Forest, Tropical Rain Forest,Tropical Rain Forest, Tropical Dry Forest Tropical Dry Forest Mountains and Ice CapsMountains and Ice Caps

BiomesBiomes

Aquatic Biomes Aquatic Biomes include ….include ….

Marine, estuary, Marine, estuary, and freshwater.and freshwater.

BiomesBiomes

BiomesBiomes

Biomes are closely Biomes are closely tied to the climate in tied to the climate in which illustrate. which illustrate.

A climatogram is a A climatogram is a graph used to graph used to illustrate both the illustrate both the amount of rainfall and amount of rainfall and temperature of a temperature of a specific area within a specific area within a given time period. given time period.

BiomesBiomes

TundraTundra

Treeless land. Treeless land. Short soggy summers; Short soggy summers;

long, cold, dark winterslong, cold, dark winters Strong windsStrong winds Temperature never Temperature never

rises above freezing for rises above freezing for long.long.

Permafrost- Permafrost- Permanently frozen Permanently frozen subsoilsubsoil

Only topmost layer of Only topmost layer of soil thaws during the soil thaws during the summersummer

Poorly developed soilPoorly developed soil Grasses, shallow-Grasses, shallow-

rooted plantsrooted plants

TundraTundra

Bearberry is a Bearberry is a common plant that common plant that can be found in the can be found in the Tundra.Tundra.

This is in the warm This is in the warm season.season.

TundraTundra

Mosses, lichens, Mosses, lichens, sedges, sedges, bearberry, and bearberry, and short grassesshort grasses

Waterfowl, musk Waterfowl, musk ox, arctic foxes, ox, arctic foxes, caribou, caribou, lemmingslemmings

TundraTundra

TundraTundra

TundraTundra

TundraTundra

TundraTundra

TaigaTaiga

Also known as Boreal Also known as Boreal Forest.Forest.

Bitter cold winter; but Bitter cold winter; but mild summers. mild summers.

The land will thaw The land will thaw during summertime.during summertime.

Nutrient poor soilNutrient poor soil

Plant Life-Plant Life- Land Land of mixed pine, fir, of mixed pine, fir, hemlock, and hemlock, and spruce trees.spruce trees.

Animal Life-Animal Life- Bears, elk, deer, Bears, elk, deer, beavers, owls, beavers, owls, bobcatsbobcats

TaigaTaiga

TaigaTaiga

TaigaTaiga

DesertDesert All deserts are dry…Little All deserts are dry…Little

and unpredictable and unpredictable rainfall..usually 25 cm of rainfall..usually 25 cm of rain or less annually.rain or less annually.

Deserts vary greatly Deserts vary greatly depending on location.depending on location.

Cold and hot deserts Cold and hot deserts exist.exist.

Soil is rich in minerals but Soil is rich in minerals but poor in organic matter.poor in organic matter.

DesertDesert Arid region with Arid region with

sparse plant life.sparse plant life. Occupy about 1/5 of Occupy about 1/5 of

the Earth’s surface.the Earth’s surface. Animal Life-Animal Life-

Diamondback, Desert Diamondback, Desert Tortoise, Tortoise,

Plant LifePlant Life -Cactus, -Cactus, mesquite, creosote mesquite, creosote bushbush

Deserts may be found throughout the Deserts may be found throughout the world. Organisms can tolerate extreme world. Organisms can tolerate extreme temperature and lack of water. temperature and lack of water.

DesertDesert

DesertDesert

DesertDesert

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Characterized by a rich of mix grasses and some of the worlds fertile soil.

Grassland are found around the globe and have served as grazing areas for a large number of animals, and have been exploited as farming grounds or plantations by humans. 

Warm to hot summers’ and cold wintersWarm to hot summers’ and cold winters Moderate seasonal precipitationModerate seasonal precipitation Periodic fires and heavy grazing maintain Periodic fires and heavy grazing maintain

the characteristic plant community.the characteristic plant community.

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Dominant plantsDominant plants: : perennial grasses perennial grasses and herbs and and herbs and sunflowers, oats, sunflowers, oats, rye, wheatrye, wheat

Dominant wildlifeDominant wildlife: : coyotes badgers, coyotes badgers, deer, and rabbitsdeer, and rabbits

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Temperate Temperate GrasslandsGrasslands

Tropical Tropical SavannaSavanna

Characterized by a cover Characterized by a cover of grasses.of grasses.

Spotted with isolated Spotted with isolated trees, groves of trees and trees, groves of trees and shrubs.shrubs.

Frequent fires and large Frequent fires and large mammals.mammals.

Distinct seasons, dry and Distinct seasons, dry and wet.wet.

Many small animals are Many small animals are dormant during dry dormant during dry period.period.

Tropical Tropical SavannaSavanna

The dry season is The dry season is marked by months of marked by months of drought and fire which drought and fire which are essential to the are essential to the maintenance of maintenance of savannas. savannas.

Without the period of Without the period of drought and fire, some drought and fire, some scientists believe that scientists believe that tropical savannas would tropical savannas would eventually change into eventually change into tropical forests.tropical forests.

SavannaSavanna

Warm TemperatureWarm Temperature Seasonal RainfallSeasonal Rainfall Compact or poor Compact or poor

soilsoil Frequent fires due Frequent fires due

to lightening.to lightening.

Tropical Tropical SavannaSavanna

Tropical Tropical SavannaSavanna

Northwestern Coniferous Northwestern Coniferous ForestForest

Mild Moist air from the Mild Moist air from the Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean provides abundant provides abundant rainfall to this biome.rainfall to this biome.

Relatively cool dry Relatively cool dry summer.summer.

Northwestern Coniferous Northwestern Coniferous

ForestForest Forest is made of a Forest is made of a

variety of conifers, variety of conifers, ranging from giant ranging from giant redwoods to redwoods to spruce, fir, and spruce, fir, and hemlock. hemlock.

Moss covered tree Moss covered tree trunks and forest trunks and forest floor are common.floor are common.

Northwestern Coniferous Northwestern Coniferous

ForestForestAnimal Life-Animal Life-

Bears, large Bears, large herbivores herbivores such as elk such as elk and deer, and deer, beavers, and beavers, and bobcats.bobcats.

ChaparralChaparral

Scrubland, regions Scrubland, regions of dense shrubs of dense shrubs along coasts.along coasts.

Between 30 and 40 Between 30 and 40 degrees latitude.degrees latitude.

ChaparralChaparral

Rainy winters, Rainy winters, long dry long dry summers.summers.

Maintained by Maintained by periodic fires.periodic fires.

Deer, birds, Deer, birds, rodents, snakes, rodents, snakes, etc.etc.

Contains both Contains both deciduous and deciduous and coniferous treesconiferous trees

Rains year roundRains year round Cold to moderate Cold to moderate

winters with warm winters with warm summerssummers

Fertile soilsFertile soils

Temperate Temperate Deciduous ForestDeciduous Forest

Temperate Temperate Deciduous Deciduous

ForestForest

Broad-leaved Broad-leaved hardwood trees that hardwood trees that loose their foliageloose their foliage

Ex: Deer, Bears, Ex: Deer, Bears, Oaks, Maples, Oaks, Maples, SalamandersSalamanders

Temperate Deciduous ForestTemperate Deciduous Forest

Plant Life-Plant Life- deciduous trees and conifers, deciduous trees and conifers, flowering shrubs herbs and layers of moss and flowering shrubs herbs and layers of moss and fernsferns

Animal Life-Animal Life- Deer, black bears, bobcats, Deer, black bears, bobcats, squirrelssquirrels

Temperate Temperate Deciduous ForestDeciduous Forest

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestsForests

Most biologically diverse Most biologically diverse terrestrial biome.terrestrial biome.

Found near the equatorFound near the equator Warm, wet weather Warm, wet weather

dominated by lush plant dominated by lush plant growthgrowth

Receives at least 200 cm of Receives at least 200 cm of precipitation annually. precipitation annually.

Rain is usually a daily event.Rain is usually a daily event. Dense, tangled vegetationDense, tangled vegetation

Forest exhibit the following Forest exhibit the following levels.levels.

Competition for light.Competition for light. Soil is usually poor due to Soil is usually poor due to

rapid nutrient recycling.rapid nutrient recycling. Animals are often tree Animals are often tree

dwellers.dwellers. Plant LifePlant Life: Broad leaf : Broad leaf

evergreen trees; ferns, large evergreen trees; ferns, large wood vines, and bamboo. wood vines, and bamboo.

Animal LifeAnimal Life: Sloths, Monkeys, : Sloths, Monkeys, Jaguars, parrots, and Jaguars, parrots, and anacondas. anacondas.

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestForest

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestForest

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestForest

Tropical Tropical Rain ForestRain Forest

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestForest

Tropical Rain Tropical Rain ForestForest

Tropical Dry ForestTropical Dry Forest

This biome grow in This biome grow in places where rainfall places where rainfall is highly seasonal.is highly seasonal.

In the dry season, In the dry season, nearly all the trees nearly all the trees lose leaves in order to lose leaves in order to conserve water.conserve water.

Generally warm year-Generally warm year-roundround

Tropical Dry ForestTropical Dry Forest Animal Life-Animal Life- Tigers, Tigers,

monkey, elephants, monkey, elephants, birds, snakesbirds, snakes

Plant Life-Plant Life- Tall, Tall, deciduous treees that deciduous treees that form a canopy during form a canopy during the wet season, the wet season, drought- tolerant drought- tolerant orchids and other orchids and other plants.plants.

Tropical Dry ForestTropical Dry Forest A waterhole in the dry A waterhole in the dry

season season (note the (note the absence of leaves in the absence of leaves in the taller treestaller trees),), is a magnet is a magnet to wildlife. to wildlife.

A late morning, or A late morning, or afternoon visit may yield afternoon visit may yield views of several species views of several species of monkeys, deer, of monkeys, deer, peccaries, as well as peccaries, as well as numerous birds, bees numerous birds, bees and wasps. and wasps.

AQUATIC BIOMESAQUATIC BIOMES

75% of Earth is covered in water.75% of Earth is covered in water. Divided into two categories Divided into two categories

freshwater and marinefreshwater and marine Marine BiomesMarine Biomes: : The water is salt The water is salt

water. Oceans, sea, and some inland water. Oceans, sea, and some inland lakes contain salt water.lakes contain salt water.

FreshwaterFreshwater is confined to rivers, is confined to rivers, streams, ponds and most lakes.streams, ponds and most lakes.

MarineMarine Oceans contain the Oceans contain the

largest amount of largest amount of biomass, or living biomass, or living material, of any biome material, of any biome on earth.on earth.

Many living organisms Many living organisms are small they cannot are small they cannot even be seen.even be seen.

Ecologist study marine Ecologist study marine biomes by separating biomes by separating them into different them into different zones.zones.

FreshwaterFreshwater

Ponds, lake, rivers, Ponds, lake, rivers, etc are also full of life etc are also full of life but more so around but more so around the shoreline and in the shoreline and in shallow areas.shallow areas.

Water temperature Water temperature and sunlight and sunlight penetration are penetration are factors that limits life factors that limits life in freshwater biomes.in freshwater biomes.

FreshwaterFreshwater

In the shallow waters In the shallow waters you will find plants such you will find plants such as cattails and sedges.as cattails and sedges.

These plants serve as These plants serve as food and homes for food and homes for tadpoles, aquatic tadpoles, aquatic insects, worms, insects, worms, crayfish, dragonfliescrayfish, dragonflies

Minnows, bluegill, and Minnows, bluegill, and carp also live here.carp also live here.

EstuaryEstuary

An estuary is a An estuary is a coastal body of water, coastal body of water, partially surrounded partially surrounded by land, in which by land, in which freshwater and freshwater and saltwater mix.saltwater mix.

It may extend many It may extend many miles inland.miles inland.

EstuaryEstuary

Wide range of organisms live here.Wide range of organisms live here.

North AmericaNorth America