N. American Biomes
READ and THINK!!!
The map must be
colored specific
colors.
N
E
S
W
Biomes of the World
Plant and Animal Adaptations
Hot
ColdTe
mp
era
ture
Rainy DryPrecipitation
Tundra
Taiga/Boreal Forest
DesertTropical Rainforest
TemperateForest
Grassland
What two factors cause the climate of a biome?
Temperature
Precipitation
Desert – Climate
<25cm of rain per year
Temperature Range
– High 20 – 50oC (68 – 122oF)
Hot, dry summers; cooler winters
A lot of direct sunlight and strong winds
Desert Plants
Flowers open at night
Succulents – store water in stems and leaves
Most plants have no leaves or reduced leaves(spines)
Long roots to reach groundwater
Desert Animals
Migrate
Active at dawn & dusk or are completely nocturnal when it is cooler.
Burrow into the soil/sand
Hibernate
AKA - Grasslands
Savanna (Africa),
Chapparal (Mediterranean and Australia),
Prairie (N. America)
Steppes (Eurasia)
Pampas (S. America)
Grassland – Climate 2 seasons
– Dry (most of the year)
– Rainy (short)
20-100cm of rain per year
Temperate Grasslands
– -40 – 35oC (-40 – 950F)
Tropical Grasslands
– 10 – 35oC (50– 950F)
Wildfires during the dry season
Grassland PlantsDeep & extensive
root systems
– Roots survive wildfires and grazing
Narrow leaves reduce water loss
Wind pollinators (strong winds)
Grassland AnimalsMigrate to find water
Teeth and digestive systems adapt to a grass diet
Burrowers and nocturnal to avoid predators
Skin colors blend with plants (camouflage)
Grassland Animal Examples
Temperate Grasslands (Prairies)
– Bison, deer, mice, birds, snakes, spiders, and insects
Savannas
– Lions, hyenas, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, birds, insects
Tropical Rainforest – Climate
20oC – 30oC (680F – 86oF)
200-1000cm of rain per year
Intense sunlight at canopy level, but little or no sunlight below the canopy
Same year round (1 season)
Tropical Rainforest Plants
Leaves have drip tips and waxy surfaces to remove water.
Some plants grow on or climb others to reach the sunlight.
Plants (even trees) have shallow roots to get the nutrients in the top layer of soil
Kapok tree
Strangler fig ↓
Bougainvillea ↑Coconut
tree
Bamboo ↓Durian ↓
Strangler Fig
Tropical Rainforest Animals
Huge diversity!
INSECTS GALORE!!!
Bengal Tiger ↓
Chimpanzee ↓
Dawn Bat ↑
Toco Toucan ↑
Temperate Forest – Climate
-10 – 35oC (14 – 95oF)
75 – 125cm of rain per year
Four distinct seasons
Temperate Forest Plants
Deciduous trees
– broad, thin leaves to capture as much sunlight as possible
– drop their leaves in the fall to prevent water loss and breakage in winter
Thick bark protects against cold winter weather
Temperate Forest Animals
Animals must deal with the cold and lack of food during winter
– Migrate
– Hibernate
– Cache – Store Food
Taiga – Climate
Aka – Boreal Forest
-30 – 20oC (-22 – 68oF)
30 – 50 cm of rain per year
Short summers and long, dry winters
Taiga Plants
Conifers/Evergreens
– Dark-colored needles absorb more sunlight
– keep their leaves all year
•Plants can do photosynthesis immediately when it warms up
– Needles prevent water loss
Taiga AnimalsAnimals must deal with
the cold and lack of food during winter
– Migration
– Hibernation
– Fur/feather coats
Tundra – Climate -40oC – 10oC (-40 – 50oF)
Cold year round
<25 cm of rain per year
Permafrost – permanently frozen sublayer of soil
Short, soggy summers; long bitterly cold winters
During parts of the year, days/nights last 24-hours
Tundra – PlantsSmall to keep from freezing
Dark colors help absorb solar heat
Plants grow in clumps
– Shields the wind and cold
Examples – short grasses, shrubs, and mosses
Animals must deal with the cold and lack of food during winter
– Migration
– Hibernation
– Fur/feather coats
Tundra – Animals