Biomes of the World

Classified by:1) the animals that live there2) the plants that grow there

3) the climate

Alpine

Alpine

Climate: cold, snowy & windyPlants: low growing wildflowers & mossesAnimals: mountain goats & snowshoe hareLocation: high elevations / mountainsInteresting Fact: less oxygen as you increase in elevation

Tropical Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest

Climate: very humid, warm, lots of rainPlants: “thick, tangled jungle” of trees and vinesAnimals: monkeys, parrots, insectsLocation: near the equatorFact: called the “lungs” of our planet because the trees supply much of our oxygen

Savanna

Savanna

Climate:warm all year / dry winter /wet summerPlants: grasses, shrubs and short treesAnimals: lions, zebras, elephants, giraffesLocation: Africa / flat plainFact: a type of grassland (Think of The Lion King)

Taiga

Taiga (coniferous forest)

Climate: winter is cold and snowy – summer is warm, rainy and humidPlants: coniferous trees – needles for leaves such as evergreens (Christmas Trees)

shaped like a cone with flexible branchesAnimals: lynx, bobcat, moose, elk, bearLocation: top of North America and EurasiaFacts: also called Coniferous Forest

Deciduous Forest

Deciduous Forest

Climate:four seasons –fall, winter, spring & summerPlants: broadleaf trees – oak, maple, walnut

trees lose their leaves and go into dormancy in the winter months

Animals: deer, squirrels, raccoons, miceLocation: eastern half of the US – middle of EuropeFacts: this is the biome we live in

Grassland

Grassland

Climate: hot summers & cold wintersPlants:covered in tall & short grasses w/ flowers Animals: bison, geese, eaglesLocation: Mid-west of North America, flat plainsFacts: also called plains, prairies, steppes, pampas

Desert

Desert

Climate: hot and dry – very little rainPlants: brittle bush and prickly pear – very rareAnimals: horned vipers, insects, small nocturnal carnivoresLocation:near Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn Fact: animals are nocturnal to survive the heat

Tundra

Tundra

Climate: coldPlants: no trees, moss, dwarf shrubs, lichensAnimals: caribou, reindeer, wolves, polar bearsLocation: top of Northern Hemisphere and AntarcticaFacts: frozen ground called permafrost

chaparral

Chaparral

Climate: hot and dry Plants: shrubs, cacti and tumbleweeds Animals: lizards, coyotes, jack rabbitsLocation: West Coast of US – West Coast of SAFact: used in movies for the “wild west”

Marine (Ocean)

Marine (Ocean)

Climate: saltwaterPlants: kelp and seaweedAnimals: fish, dolphin, whale, & sharkLocation: covers ¾ of the Earth’s surfaceFact: low and high tides – has currents

freshwater

Freshwater

Climate: no salt – speed of the water flow affects itPlants: lily pads, algae (pond scum)Animals: salmon, bass, & troutLocation: rivers, lakes, ponds and streamsFact: dependent on run-off water from the land

Estuary

Estuary

Climate: saltwater meets freshwater- called brackish water

Plants: cattails, cord grassAnimals: egrets, geese, heronsLocation: a bayOther facts: rest stop for migratory birds