Biomes: A Research Guide
A biome is a plant and animal community that covers a large geographical area that is determined by climate. Plants and animals have features and characteristics that allow them to thrive in their home biome. Important land biomes include the tundra, coniferous and deciduous forests, grasslands, savannas, deserts, chaparral, tropical rain and seasonal forests. The material listed below will help you to gather information on biomes and why they are so important to all living creatures. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library’s catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.
General Resources
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, 2nd ed. edited by Anne O’Daly. 13 vols. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2004. ISBN: 0761474420.
Illustrated encyclopedia with articles on agriculture, anatomy, biochemistry, biology, genetics, medicine, and molecular biology.
U·X·L Encyclopedia of Biomes edited by Marlene Weigel. 3 vols. Detroit: UXL, 2000. ISBN: 0787637327.
Covers subject of biomes for all types of environments, their characteristics, creation, and continuity.
Types of Biomes
Coral Reefs by Lesley A. DuTemple. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. ISBN: 1560065974.
Provides an overview of coral reefs as an ecosystem. Discusses their creation, functions, and the organisms that inhabit them.
Deserts by Michael Allaby. New York: Facts On File, 2001. ISBN: 0816039291.
Deals with every aspect of deserts, their inhabitants, their food chains and their biome characteristics.
Grassland by April Pulley Sayre. New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 1997. ISBN: 0805028277.
Includes information on biome characteristics, food webs, and animal and plant life.
Lake and Pond by April Pulley Sayre. New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 1997. ISBN: 0805040897.
Discusses the regions, life forms, and functions of a freshwater pond. There are also pages that discuss biomes and food chains specifically.
Mountains and Valleys by Steve Parker and Jane Parker. London: Chrysalis Children’s, 2003. ISBN: 1841389056.
Informative resource on mountains and valleys and the animals and plants that live within this ecosystem.
Oceans by Trevor Day. New York: Facts On File, 1999. ISBN: 0816036470.
Examines every aspect of oceans: their inhabitants, their food chains, and their biome characteristics.
The Prairie by Alison Ormsby. New York: Benchmark Books, 1999. ISBN: 0761408975.
Investigates prairie wildlife and ecosystem, includes several pages of food chains.
River and Stream by April Pulley Sayre. New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 1997. ISBN: 0805040889.
Discusses the life forms, functions, biome characteristics, and food webs for rivers and streams.
Seashore by April Pulley Sayre. New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 1997. ISBN: 0805040854.
Investigates the seashore biomes and the life forms to be found there.
Temperate Forests by Michael Allaby. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 1999. ISBN: 0717293475.
Deals with forests, their inhabitants, their food chains, and their biome characteristics.
Tropical Rainforest by Arnold Newman. New York: Checkmark Books, 2002. ISBN: 0816039739.
A look at tropical rainforests from all aspects, including food webs, habitats, and endangerment of the rainforest.
Wetlands by Peter D. Moore. New York: Facts On File, 2000. ISBN: 0816039305.
Investigates all aspects of the wetlands, including the animals that inhabit it and its functions. Contains many helpful charts, tables and pictures.
Web Sites
Food Chains
Resource for food chains, pictures, and cycles.
The World’s Biomes
An introduction to the major biomes on Earth.
Subject Headings
•biology
•biotic communities
•ecology
•endangered ecosystems
•food chains
•habitat (ecology)
•life sciences
•life zones
•nature—effect of human beings on