Terrestrial Biomes

By Emily Rueber

Deciduous Forest

Average annual rainfall: 75-150 cm (30-60 in)

Average temperatures: Summer: 28°C (82°F)

Winter: 6°C (43°F)

Climate: Four distinct seasons with mild summers and cool winters. Rain falls throughout the year.

Landforms: Coastal plains, piedmont,

and mountains

Deciduous Forest P lants

American beech

Fagus grandifolia

White oak

Quercus alba

Carpet moss

Mnium hornum

Deciduous Forest Animals

Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephatus

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Fat dormouse

Myoxus glis

Desert Average annual

rainfall: 25 cm(10 in)

Average temperatures:Summer: 38°C (100°F), Winter: 7°C (45°F)

Climate: Very dry and hot. It is hot during the day and cold at night.

Landforms: Flat sandy plains.

Desert P lants

Barrel cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni

Ocotillo

Fonquieria splendens

Triangle leaf bursage

Ambrosia deltoidea

Desert Animals

Cactus ferruginous pygmy owl

Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum

Gila monster

Heloderma suspectum

Kangaroo rat

Dipodomys agilis

Grasslands

Average annual rainfall: 25-75 cm (10-30 in)

Average temperatures:Summer: 30 C (86 F)Winter: 0 C (32 F)

Climate: Hot summers and cool winters. Landforms: Gently rolling hills and flat plains.

Plants of the Grasslands

Buffalo grass

Buchloe dactyloides

Lisianthus

Eustoma grandifolium

Purple coneflower

Echinea purpurea

Animals of the Grasslands

American bison

Bison bison

Swift fox

Vulpes velox

Prairie dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

Savanna Average annual

rainfall: 150 cm

(59 in)

Average temperatures:

Dry season: 34°C

(93°F)

Wet season: 16°C (61°F)

Climate: There are two seasons, wet in the summer

dry in the winter.

Landforms: Flat plain with small hills.

Plants of the Savanna

Kangaroo paw

Anigozanthus manglessi

Bermuda grass

Cynodon dactylon

Candelabra tree

Euphorbia ingens

Animals of the Savanna

Elephants

Loxodonta africana

Zebra

Equus burchelli

Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

Taiga Average annual

rainfall: 30-84 cm (12-33 in)

Average temperatures:Summer: 14°C (57°F), Winter: -10°C (14°F)

Climate: It is cold with winds blowing from the arctic, most rainfall occurs during the hot. summer. Winters are freezing cold.

Landforms: Mountaintops, valleys and forests

Plants of the Taiga

J ack pine

Pinus banksiana

White spruce

Picea glauca

Douglas fir

Pseudotsugamenziesii

Animals of the Taiga

Long-eared owl

Asio otus

Red fox

Vulpes vulpes

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

Tropical Rainforest

Average annual rainfall:

400 cm (158 in)

Average temperature:

34°C (93°F)

Climate: Very humid, it

rains everyday and is

warm throughout the year.

Landforms: The terrain consists of both mountains and flat plains.

Rainforest P lants

Banyan tree

Ficus benghalensis

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea nyctaginaceae

Kapok tree

Ceiba pentandra

Rainforest Animals

Bamboo pit viper

Trimeresurus gramineus

Golden lion tamarin

Leontopithecus

rosalia

J ambu fruit dove

Ptilinopus J ambu

Tundra

Average annual rainfall: 30-50 cm (12-20 in)

Average temperatures: Summer:12°C (54 °F)

Winter: -26°C (-14°F)

Climate: Long, cold winters and short, cool

summers

Landform: Flat plain

Plants of the Tundra

Arctic moss

Calligeron giganteum

Arctic willow

Salix arctica

Tufted saxifrage

Saxifraga caespitosa

Animals of the Tundra

Arctic hare

Lepus arcticus

Grizzly bear

Ursusarctos horribilis

Snowy owl

Nyctea scandiaca

PHOTO RESOURCES:

Blue Planet Biomes

National Geographic

Smithsonian Institution

UGA Forestry Department

USDA Plants Database

Wikipedia