World’s Major Communities:

Biomes

Biomes

• There are two main types of biomes– Land– Aquatic (water)

• We will speed through both today

Land Biomes

• Land biomes1. Tropical Rain forest2. Tropical Dry Forest3. Tropical Savanna4. Desert5. Temperate Grassland6. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland7. Temperate Forest8. Northern Coniferous Forest 9. Boreal Forest or Taiga10.Tundra

Tropical rain forest

Tropical dry forest

Tropical savanna Temperate woodlandand shrubland

Desert

Temperate grassland

Boreal forest(Taiga)

Northwesternconiferous forest

Temperate forest Mountains and

ice caps

Tundra

Ten Major BiomesBiome Precipitation Temperature Soil Diversity Trees GrassesTropical Rain Forest

high hot poor high dense sparse

Tropical Dry Forest

variable mild rich moderate medium medium

Tropical Savanna

variable mild clay moderate sparse dense

Desert low variable poor moderate sparse sparseTemperate Grassland

moderate summer hot rich moderate absent dense

Temperate woodland and Shrubland

summer low, winter moderate

summer hot poor low medium medium

Temperate Forest

moderate summer moderate, winter cold

rich high dense sparse

Northwestern Coniferous Forest

high summer mild, winter cold

rocky, acidic

low dense sparse

Boreal Forest moderate summer mild, winter cool

poor, acidic moderate dense sparse

Tundra low summer mild, winter cold

poor low absent medium

Aquatic biomes

• There are 3 main types of aquatic biomes.

• Can you guess what might be the difference in the water for each biome?– Salt content

• The 3 main types of aquatic biomes– Freshwater– Marine (saltwater)– Estuaries

Spoonbill

Duck

DragonflyPhytoplankton

FrogWater lilies

Mosquitolarvae

SnailDivingbeetle

Trout

Pickerel

Duckweed

Snail Benthiccrustaceans

Hydra

Frogs lay eggs in the shallowwater near shore.The eggs hatch in the water as tadpolesand move to the land as adults.

The shore is lined with grasses that provide shelter and nestingplaces for birds and otherorganisms.

The roots of water liliescling to the pond bottom,while their leaves, on longflexible stems, float on thesurface.

The bottom of the pond isinhabited by decomposers andother organisms that feed onparticles drifting down from thesurface.

Fish share the pondwith turtles and other animals. Many of them feed on insectsat the water’s edge.

Plankton and the organisms thatfeed on them live near the surfacewhere there is enough sunlight forphotosynthesis. Microscopic algaeare among the most importantproducers.

Section 4-4

Freshwater Pond Ecosystem

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Crayfish

landCoastalocean

Openocean

Oceantrench

Aphotic zone

Photic zone

Continentalshelf

Continental slope andcontinental rise

Abyssalplain

200m

1000m

4000m

6000m

10,000m

Section 4-4

Figure 4-17 Zones of a Marine Ecosystem

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Tundra

• Tundra– Located near the poles– Treeless biome covered by moss, lichens,

and grasses– Permafrost – a layer of permanently frozen

subsoil

Boreal Forest

• Boreal Forest or Taiga– Covered by coniferous (cone bearing) trees. – Bears, wolves, moose, elk are some of the

typical animals

Temperate Forest

• Temperate forest– Plants change during the seasons (leaves

change color)

Grasslands

• Grasslands– Most of the rainfall occurs in one part of the

season– Hot summers, cold winters

Tropical Rain Forest

• Tropical rain forest– Receive 200-400 centimeters of rain a year– Constant temperature. – Home of the most types of animals than any

other biome. Many colorful

Deserts

• Deserts– Less than 25 cm of rain falls a year– Both plants and animals must be able to

retain moisture. – Birds, lizards, snakes, insects are typical– Cactus and sagebrush sparsely cover the

area

Freshwater biomes

• Rivers, streams, and lakes

Marine Biomes

• Includes all of the ocean

• Marine biomes are divided into 4 subcategories– Intertidal zone– Neritic zone– Open-sea zone– Deep-sea zone

Estuaries

• Estuaries are the boundaries between freshwater and saltwater.

• Since it is a mix of the two, a variety of organisms can be supported.

• Examples of estuaries– Delta, swamp, lagoon