Biosphere Part (II) The 8 Terrestrial Biomes found on Earth.
Chapter 8: Biosphere Biomes
Transcript of Chapter 8: Biosphere Biomes
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Chapter 8: Biosphere Biomes
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BiomesThe biosphere is not the same everywhere on Earth.
It is divided into large climatic regions, each characterized by its own typical fauna (animal life) and flora (plant life). These regions are called biomes.
Biomes are large regions of the world with distinctive climates, wildlife and vegetation.
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BiomesThere are two main categories of biomes:
• Terrestrial Biomes
• Aquatic Biomes
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BiomesFactors that affect terrestrial biomes:
• Latitude
• Altitude
• Temperature
• Precipitation
• Soil type
• Solar energy (exposure to sunlight)
• Winds
• Proximity to bodies of water
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BiomesFactors that affect aquatic biomes:
• Salinity
• Turbidity (water clarity)
• Temperature
• Direction and strength of the current
• Presence of oxygen, and carbon dioxide for respiration and photosynthesis
• Solar energy (exposure to sunlight)
• Nutrients (type, amount, etc)
• Water depth
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Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial biomes are described mostly in terms of precipitation and temperature.
These factors determine which plant species can live in an environment.
Vegetation then dictates which animal species can share the same habitat.
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Terrestrial Biomes Temperate Forests
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Terrestrial Biomes Grasslands and Shrublands
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Terrestrial Biomes Alpine Biomes
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Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic biomes cover a large part of Earth's surface (approximately 75%).
Aquatic Biomes are divided into two categories:
Freshwater Biomes (2.5%) Salinity is less than 0.05%
Aquatic Biomes (97.5%) Salinity is greater than 3%
The salinity level is what determines which species can live in freshwater biomes and which ones can live in aquatic biomes.
Aquatic biomes can be found almost anywhere on Earth. However freshwater biomes tend to be more numerous in regions of high precipitation, such as tropical forests.