Terrestrial (Land) Biomes

Biome

• An area of land like an

ecosystem, but on a bigger

scale…has a spec. climate.

• Animals/plants have adapted

to living in these envs.

Has permafrost: frozen layer of soil; H2O does not penetrate

no trees

• 10% of Earth’s land

• Treeless, lack of sun & water, freezing!

• Winters: long and dark

• Summers: 84 days of constant light, tilt!

• Has permafrost: frozen layer of soil; H2O does not penetrate

Tundra Summer

Tundra Winter

Tundra

Tundra Climate

Tu

nd

ra

Tu

nd

ra

Tundra

WE Tundra

Pru

dh

oe

Ba

y, A

las

ka

!

Taiga

• 20% of Earth

• Climate: Cooler with elevation

• Adaptations: hibernate, compact bodies, thick fur, feathers

Conifers =

Evergreen

Timber/Tree

Line

Rainshadow Effect

Windward

Leeward

Taiga

Taiga

Taiga

Human Uses: Timber!

Human Uses: Hydroelectricity

TEMPERATE

DECIDUOUS FORESTS

Temperate Deciduous Forest

• Snow in winter,

hot summers

• High humidity

• 4 seasons

• East Coast US

Deciduous= TREES DROPS

LEAVES!! Why???

Temperate Deciduous Forest

TDF: Spotted Salamander

TDF: Bull Elk

Human

Uses:

Logging

(99%

previously

cut)

Human

Uses:

Mining

GRASSLANDS

AND

SAVANNAS

Location

• Grasslands: Mid-latitudes

• Savannas: Near equator

Grasslands

• Flat/rolling land

• Richest soil

• No trees, many grazers

• Humans: agriculture

Th

e O

ther

Wh

ite

Me

at!

Human Uses: Agriculture

Overused!

Pesticides!

Fertilizers!

Animal

Feces!

Global

Warming!

Energy

Waste!

Soil Compaction

Tropical Rain Forest

Tropical Rain Forest

• Evergreen, broad leaf

• > 92 inches rainfall/yr

• Along Equator

• Top: Canopy (Most light)

Look

How

Huge!

Why?

Peruvian Amazon

Human Uses: Drugs!

• Contains 25% of prescription drug

ingredients

• Rosy Periwinkle: 99% success in

remission of childhood leukemia

• Leads to an increase in greenhouse

Gases (CO2)

Used for Cattle Grazing, Agriculture, and

Timber

Human Impacts: Deforestation

Technique: Slash and Burn

Returns Nutrients temporarily back to

soil plant!

Chaparral/

Mediterranean

Chaparral

• 30 - 35 N and S,

along coasts

• Hot, dry summers

and mild, wet

winters

• Fire-dependent:

plants require

fire to germinate

(sprout)

Weste

rn F

en

ce

Liz

ard

Manzanita

Human Uses: Urbanization

Loss of Habitat

for Orgs.

Intro of Non-

Natives

Air Pollution

Water Pollution

Increase in

Disease

Deserts

Deserts

• Areas where evaporation > rainfall (12 in.)

• Drought-adapted plants

• Low Diversity

• Found on backs of mtns (rainshadow)

De

se

rts:

Meerk

ats

Human

Uses:

Mining