Biomes of the WorldBiomes of the World

Two major Types of BiomesTwo major Types of Biomes

1.1. Terrestrial BiomeTerrestrial Biome – Those biomes – Those biomes found on land, mainly characterized found on land, mainly characterized by plant life.by plant life.

2.2. Aquatic BiomeAquatic Biome – Those found in – Those found in water, mainly characterized by water, mainly characterized by physical features.physical features.

Biomes are characterized byBiomes are characterized by

1.1. ClimateClimate

2.2. VegetationVegetation

3.3. Animal LifeAnimal Life

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

1.1. Tropical Rain Forest – Tropical Rain Forest – Found near the Found near the equator. Receives large amount of rain equator. Receives large amount of rain and is mainly dominated by very tall and is mainly dominated by very tall trees.trees.

2.2. Deserts- Deserts- Found between 15 Found between 1500 and 30 and 3000 north and south. Terrain is mainly rock, north and south. Terrain is mainly rock, sand, and poor soil. Very little rainfall so sand, and poor soil. Very little rainfall so plant life is very specialized.plant life is very specialized.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

3.3. Temperate Deciduous Forest - Temperate Deciduous Forest - Found up to about 60Found up to about 6000 north and north and south. Has cold winters, warm south. Has cold winters, warm summers, and abundant rainfall. summers, and abundant rainfall. Dominant life form is the Dominant life form is the deciduousdeciduous tree that must lose its tree that must lose its leaves each winter.leaves each winter.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

4.4. GrasslandsGrasslands – These biomes have – These biomes have the most fertile and deepest top the most fertile and deepest top soil. They are mainly used for soil. They are mainly used for agriculture. Called the bread agriculture. Called the bread baskets of the world.baskets of the world.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

5.5. ChaparralChaparral - Temperate shrub land - Temperate shrub land biome. Dominated by short shrubs, biome. Dominated by short shrubs, which are adapted to destruction by which are adapted to destruction by fire. A dry region that does not have fire. A dry region that does not have much precipitation in the summer.much precipitation in the summer.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

6.6. Temperate Rain ForestTemperate Rain Forest – Found on – Found on the West coast of North America. the West coast of North America. High amounts of rain all year and High amounts of rain all year and has a temperate climate. has a temperate climate. Dominated by tall Dominated by tall coniferousconiferous trees. These trees do not lose their trees. These trees do not lose their needles.needles.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

7.7. TaigaTaiga – This is a northern coniferous – This is a northern coniferous forest. Long cold winters, short forest. Long cold winters, short growing season. Most precipitation growing season. Most precipitation falls as snow. Coniferous tree falls as snow. Coniferous tree needles are designed to maximize needles are designed to maximize water retention.water retention.

Major Land BiomesMajor Land Biomes

8.8. TundraTundra – Found far north. This is a – Found far north. This is a treeless biome. Most of the year it treeless biome. Most of the year it is dark and dry, for a few weeks in is dark and dry, for a few weeks in the summer they have 24 hours of the summer they have 24 hours of sunlight.sunlight.

Freshwater BiomesFreshwater Biomes

Consists of fresh water found in lakes Consists of fresh water found in lakes rivers streams and bogs. They rivers streams and bogs. They contain a very small portion of the contain a very small portion of the earth’s water. Provide habitats for a earth’s water. Provide habitats for a variety of fish, insects, algae, and variety of fish, insects, algae, and plants.plants.

Marine BiomeMarine Biome

There are 5 major types of Ocean There are 5 major types of Ocean Biomes:Biomes:

1.1. Coastal WatersCoastal Waters

2.2. Near Shore ZonesNear Shore Zones

3.3. Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

4.4. Open OceanOpen Ocean

5.5. Vent CommunitiesVent Communities

Coastal WatersCoastal Waters

Shallow enough to allow sunlight to Shallow enough to allow sunlight to reach a variety of forms of algae.reach a variety of forms of algae.

Animals must survive exposure to Animals must survive exposure to both air and water because of tides.both air and water because of tides.

This is known as an This is known as an inter-tidal zoneinter-tidal zone

Coastal WatersCoastal Waters

Near Shore ZoneNear Shore Zone

Found out beyond coastal waters.Found out beyond coastal waters.

It is more stable because it is not It is more stable because it is not affected by the tides.affected by the tides.

Organisms are mainly aquaticOrganisms are mainly aquatic

Abundant quantities of kelp.Abundant quantities of kelp.

Near Shore ZoneNear Shore Zone

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

Found in warm water.Found in warm water.

Reefs formed from the skeletons of Reefs formed from the skeletons of various species of coral.various species of coral.

A very diverse variety of plants and A very diverse variety of plants and animals.animals.

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

Open OceanOpen Ocean

Large quantities of different species Large quantities of different species of small microscopic organisms: of small microscopic organisms: phytoplankton, zooplankton.phytoplankton, zooplankton.

Various species of fish and sea Various species of fish and sea mammals rely on phytoplankton and mammals rely on phytoplankton and zooplankton.zooplankton.

Open OceanOpen Ocean

Vent CommunitiesVent Communities

Lie in the great of the ocean. Not much life Lie in the great of the ocean. Not much life here, but more than scientists once here, but more than scientists once thought.thought.

Very cold temperatures and no sunlight.Very cold temperatures and no sunlight.

Vents are openings in the earths crust that Vents are openings in the earths crust that provide heat and nutrients for very provide heat and nutrients for very specialized organisms.specialized organisms.

Vent CommunitiesVent Communities

Requirements of a BiomeRequirements of a Biome

1.1. NutrientsNutrients

2.2. Energy – sunEnergy – sun

3.3. WaterWater

4.4. Temperature Range.Temperature Range.