Earth’s Biomes
•Earth’s biomes
•Biome- a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat.
•Biomes and communities help us understand how the world functions
•Species interactions affect communities
•Biomes continued
•Dividing the world’s communities into major categories/types, or biomes, is informative in understanding how communities function.
•Climate influences the location of biomes.
•In order for scientists to determine the type of biome, they often use climate diagrams orclimatograghs.
•Climates & biomes
•Climatograph - aclimate diagram showing an area’s monthly temperature and precipitation
•Climate & biomes
•Global climate patterns cause Biomes to be in large patches in different parts of the world.
•What type of biome do you think this is?
1- Temperate deciduous forest
•Deciduous- are types of trees that lose their leaves each fall
–They remain without leaves during winter
•These forests can be found in Europe, eastern China, eastern North America
•Even, year-round precipitation
•Trees are often oak, beech, maple
•Animals: hawks, deer, red fox
•What type of biome do you think this is?
2- Temperate grassland
–Extreme temperature difference between winter and summer compared to temperate deciduous forest
•Less precipitation
•Also called prairie
–Once widespread, but has been converted to agricultural land
–Animals: Bison, prairie dogs, ground-nesting birds, pronghorn
•What type of biome do you think this is?
3- Temperate rainforest
•Coastal Pacific Northwest
•Great deal of precipitation
•Coniferous trees- trees or shrubs bearing cones
- cedar, spruce, hemlock, fir
•Moisture-loving animals: Banana slug, black bears, elk
•Logged for lumber and paper
•What type of biome do you think this is?
4- Tropical rainforest
•Southeast Asia, west Africa, Central and South America
•Year-round rain and warm temperatures
•Forest floor is dark and damp
•Lush and diverse species of vegetation
•Animals: Boa constrictor, iguana, jaguar
•What type of biome do you think this is?
5- Tropical dry forest or Tropical deciduous forest
•India, Africa, South America, north Australia
•Wet and dry seasons
- Plants drop leaves during the dry season
•Warm, but seasonal rainfall and less overall than rainforest
•Converted to agriculture
•Animals: Puma, jaguar, elephant
•What type of biome do you think this is?
6- Savanna
•Grassland scattered with trees
•Africa, South America, Australia, India
•Precipitation is only during the rainy season
•Animals gather near water holes
•Animals: Zebras, gazelles, giraffes, lions, hyenas
•What type of biome do you think this is?
7- Desert
•Minimal precipitation
•Some are bare, with sand dunes (Sahara)
•Some are vegetated (Sonoran)
•They are not always hot
–Temperatures vary widely during the day
•Animals: are often nocturnal, antelope, armadillo
•Plants may have thick skins, spines to protect their water
•What type of biome do you think this is?
8- Tundra
•Russia, Canada, Scandinavia
•Minimal precipitation
•Extremely cold winters
•Extreme variation in day length
•Permafrost = permanently frozen soil
–Melting due to climate change
•Few animals: polar bears, musk oxen, caribou, migratory birds
•Low vegetation, few trees
•What type of biome do you think this is?
9- Boreal forest or Taiga
•Canada, Alaska, Russia, Scandinavia
•Extends for large continuous areas
•A few evergreen tree species
•Cool and dry climate
–Long, cold winters
–Short, cool summers
•Animals: Moose, wolves, bears, lynx, migratory birds
•What type of biome do you think this is?
10- Chaparral
•Occurs in small patches around the globe
•Mediterranean Sea, coastal Chile, California, southern Australia
•Highly seasonal biome
–Mild, wet winters
–Warm, dry summers
•Densely growing bushes or trees, evergreen shrubs
•Animals: kangaroo, condor, elephants
•Terrestrial biomes
The world’s terrestrial biomes are:
1- Temperate Deciduous forest
2- Temperate grasslands
3- Temperate rainforest
4- Tropical rainforest
5- Tropical dry forest or Tropical deciduous forest
6- Savanna
7- Desert
8- Tundra
9- Boreal forest or Taiga
10- Chaparral