Biomes

• Kella Randolph M.Ed.

There are seven main biomes.

Defining Biomes

• Biomes Classification of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems based on regional climate communities.

• Major biomes include:

• tropical rain forest,

• tropical dry forest,

• tropical grassland/savanna/shrubland,

• desert,

• temperate grassland,

• temperate woodland and shrubland,

• temperate forest,

• northwestern coniferous forest,

• boreal forest,

• tundra.

The Major Biomes

• All biomes have both abiotic and biotic factors.• Abiotic factors are non-living such as climate and soil type.

• Biotic factors are living or formerly living such as plant and animal life.

Directions: For the problem below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem. Think about it for a moment, then check your answers on the next slide.

Ecosystem:• Biotic factors

Home• Abiotic factors

Directions: For the problems below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem.

Ecosystem:

• Biotic Factors:

• man, woman, dog

Home

• Abiotic Factors:

• carpet, lamp and television

Factors that affect global climate

• latitude

• heat

• area’s proximity to an ocean or mountain range.

Defining BiomesThe map shows the locations of the major biomes.

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

home to more species than all the other biomes combined.

get at least 2 meters of rain a year!

Animals of tropical rainforests

• www.upf.edu900 × 600

TROPICAL RAIN FORESTCanopy:

Tall trees

dense, leafy covering

50 to 80 meters above the forest floor.

Understory:

below the canopy,

shorter trees and vines

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Many use camouflage to hide from predators or to match their surroundings.

• Animals that live in the canopy have adaptations for climbing, jumping, and/or flight.

TROPICAL DRY FOREST

• Abiotic Factors

• warm year-round, with alternating wet and dry seasons.

• rich soils which are subject to erosion.

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

• Adaptations:

• extra thick waxy layer on leaves to reduce water loss,

• or they store water in their tissues.

• seasonal loss of leaves to survive the dry season.

• A plant that sheds its leaves during a particular season is called deciduous.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Adaptaions:

• Emigration of animals in dry season

• reduce need for water by estivation.

• Estivation long period of inactivity.

• similar to hibernation, but typically takes place during a dry season.

• TROPICAL DRY FOREST

• Snails in estivation

TROPICAL

GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND

Abiotic Factors

–warm, with seasonal rainfall.

–Compact soil

–frequent fires set by lightning.

TROPICAL

GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

Adaptations

waxy leaf coverings to

prevent water loss.

seasonal leaf loss.

Some grasses have a

high silica content that

makes them less

appetizing to grazing

herbivores.

TROPICAL

GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLANDBiotic Factors – Animal Life

Adaptations:

Migration in dry season to search for water.

Some smaller animals burrow and remain dormant during the dry season.

DESERTAbiotic Factors

low precipitation and variable

temperatures.

Their soils are rich in

minerals, but poor in organic

material.

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

Adaptations:

Plants like cacti store water in

their tissues

Small leaf surface area to cut

down on water loss.

Cactus spines are actually

modified leaves.

DESERTBiotic Factors – Plant Life

–Modified photosynthesis--some plants leaf pores open only at night, so they can conserve moisture on hot, dry days.Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–get the water from the food they eat.

–nocturnal—to avoid the day time heat.

–Large or elongated ears, many blood vessels close to the surface to help the animal lose body heat and regulate body temperature.

Long-eared Jerboa,

TEMPERATE GRASSLAND

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

–Grasses are resistant to grazing and fire.

–Wind dispersal of seeds

–grassland plants help establish and retain deep, rich, fertile topsoil.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–Open, exposed environments make predation a constant threat for smaller animals.

–Camouflage and burrowing are two common protective adaptations.

TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLAND

–Communities that are

more shrubland than

forest are known as

chaparral.

Abiotic Factors

–hot dry summers

–cool moist winters.

–thin, nutrient-poor soils

–periodic fires.

TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLAND

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

–tough waxy leaves that

resist water loss.

–Some seeds are fire

resistant

–Some seeds need fire

to germinate.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–varied diets of grasses, leaves, shrubs etc.

–camouflage is common.

TEMPERATE FORESTS

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life

• Deciduous trees drop their leaves and go into a state of dormancy in winter.

• Conifers have needlelike leaves that minimize water loss in dry winter air.

• Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Some animals hibernate,

• Others migrate to warmer climates.

• Animals that do not hibernate or migrate may be camouflaged to escape predation in the winter.

• Abiotic Factors

• cold to moderate winters and warm summers.

• year-round precipitation and fertile soils.

• The fertile soils are rich in humusmaterial formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter.

NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST

–moist air from the Pacific

Ocean influenced by the

Rocky Mountains provides

abundant rainfall to this

biome.

–Due to the lush

vegetation it is sometimes

called a “temperate rain

forest.”

NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST

• Abiotic Factors

• mild temperatures

• abundant precipitation in fall, winter, and spring.

• Summers cool &dry.

• Soils rocky & acidic.

• Variation in seasonal temperature results in less diversity.

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life

• Trees among the world’s tallest.

• Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Camouflage helps insects and ground-dwelling mammals avoid predation. .

• Many animals eat a varied diet—an advantage in an environment where vegetation changes seasonally.

BOREAL FORESTAlso called taiga.

Occurs mostly in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere.

The word boreal comes from the Greek word for “north.”

BOREAL FOREST

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life• conical shape of conifers sheds snow,• wax-covered needlelike leaves

prevent excess water loss.• dark green color of most conifers

absorbs heat energy.• Biotic Factors – Animal Life• Most have small extremities and

extra insulation in the form of fat or downy feathers.

• Migrate in winter.

Abiotic Factors

long cold winters and short mild summers.

moderate precipitation and high humidity.

soil is acidic and nutrient-poor.

TUNDRA

• characterized by permafrost

• permafrost a layer of permanently frozen subsoil.

TUNDRA

Abiotic Factors –strong winds and low precipitation. –short and soggy summers–long, cold, and dark winters–Poorly developed soil

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

–mosses and other low-growing

plants.

–Seed dispersal by wind.

–legumes, which have

symbiotic bacteria on their roots

that fix nitrogen to the soil

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–Some migrate to warm areas.

–Those that live here year-

round display adaptations such

as

natural antifreeze,

small extremities that limit

heat loss,

a varied diet.

Mountain Ranges

–not easily classified

into a biome

–exist on all continents

and in many biomes.

–temperature,

precipitation, exposure

to wind, and soil types

all change with

elevation, and so do

organisms.

Yaks and Sherpas at the Foot of

Himalayan Mountain Range

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