Ecosystems of the World

TUNDRA

…describe it!

• VERY cold winters (also very LONG)• Few trees or plants• Ground is FROZEN beneath the surface• Animals…

– Few birds or fish– Bears, foxes, wolves– Goats and sheep– Squirrels

TAIGA

… describe it!

• VERY cold winters and cool summers• More rain and snow than the Tundra• Pine trees and evergreen trees live

here• Animals…

– Hawks, woodpeckers– Moose and bears– Deer and chipmunks

Grasslands

… describe it!

• Cold winters and HOT summers• More rain and snow than the Taiga and

Tundra• RICH soil!• Mostly grass, few trees or shrubs• Animals…

– Snakes, mice, and worms– Buffalo– Ground squirrels, hawks, foxes– Giraffes, lions, zebras

MILD FOREST LANDS

…describe it!

• Mild winters and mild summers• Plenty of rain and snow• Trees lose leaves in winter (LOTS of

trees)• Animals…

– Squirrels, rabbits, birds, deer– Black bears, foxes, mountain lions

DESERT

…describe it!

• VERY hot days ALL YEAR!• Very little rain• Plants and animals adapt to conserve

water! (Cactus plants!)• Animals…

– Camels– Mice– Snakes and other reptiles

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

…describe it!

• Hot and rainy all year!• Poor soil (not a lot of sun gets to the

soil)• Many different types of plants and

animals!• Animals…

– Birds like toucans and parrots– Bats and small mammals

What about the water???

SALTWATER

…describe it!

• Many organisms live where the water level changes from high tide to low tide

• Animals…– Crabs, clams, snakes– Seals– Small fish

FRESHWATER

…describe it!

• Habitats are along the shore and river bottom

• Animals…– Crawfish, crabs, lobster– Catfish, minnows, bass– Snakes, Turtles, frogs

FRESHWATER LAKES

…describe it!

• Organisms are at the shore, on the water surface, and under the water

• Animals…– Trout, bass– Frogs– Pelicans

OPEN SEA

…describe it!

• Lots of light at the top, no light at the bottom

• rich in nutrients• Many different populations of

organisms live here…– Sharks, whales, dolphins, barracuda– Coral, sea sponges, mollusks

What about LOUISIANA?

…describe it!

• Includes swamps, marshes, and flood plains.

• Cypress trees, lily pads, algae• Animals

– Alligators, crocodiles, snakes, turtles– Egrets, ducks, geese– Nutra rats, musk rats