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
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