1. Introducing Biomes Honors Biology - Chapter 3 General Biology – Chapter 4

2. What is a Biome? A large region with a characteristic climate and plant/animal communities Marine/AquaticTundra/Polar Plain/prairie/savannaDeciduous/chapparalconiferous

5. Biome a major regional terrestrial community with its own type of climate, vegetation, and animal life Ecotone boundary between two biomes

7. Tropical Rain Forest

8. -found near the equator -temperature varies little from approximately 23°C -the length of daylight varies from 12 hours by less than one hour -rainforest>2000mm Tropical Rain Forest

9. - canopy trees up to 55 m tall -largest biome, on an area basis -soils are generally unfertile -nutrients and carbon stored in plant biomass, not soils

10. Tropical Savanna/Seasonal Forest

11. -found in the tropics (but > 10° latitude) -pronounced dry season with <5 cm rainfall in some months Tropical Savanna/Seasonal Forest

12. -scattered trees and grass -fire & grazing by animals also contribute to predominance of grasses

13. Temperate Forest

14. -distinct winter season, frost a defining feature -summer season usually moist with ppt > evapotranspiration Temperate Forest

15. -relatively large tree biomass -also called the deciduous forest, but contains evergreen needle trees as well

16. Temperate Grassland/Shrubland

17. -similar to tropical savanna, but with cold winter -relatively hot summer -potential evapotranspiration > ppt

18. Temperate Grassland/Shrubland -scattered trees and shrubs -trees are short statured -fire & grazing by animals also contribute to predominance of grasses, but that depends on climate

19. Desert

20. -hot or cold deserts exist -low precipitation <25cm, sporadic -potential evapotranspiration > ppt

21. Desert -thorny plants -other adaptations to conserve water

22. Chapparal

23. -mild winters -seasonal rainfall winter rain, summer drought -maritime influence cold ocean currents continental winds

24. Chapparal -sclerophyllous plants -adaptations to fire

25. Boreal Forest

26. -severe winters, MAT can be < 0 deg C -ppt is low, but evapo- transpiration low -short growing season

27. Boreal Forest -10-20 m trees evergreen needle and deciduous -second largest biome, on an area basis -fire dominated, but on longer timescale than grassland -more nutrients and carbon stored in soils than plants

28. Tundra

29. -severe winters -short growing season, cool summer -arctic or alpine Tundra

30. -no trees sedges,low shrubs mosses -permafrost

32. What is a climatogram? Summarizes temperature and precipitation averages for a biome/location

33. Rules for a climatogram Similar scales for all to make them comparable –Temperature on the right axis, precipitation on left –Same units of measurement, convert if necessary Bar graph for monthly precipitation Line graph for monthly temperatures Labelled –Location –Biome type –Axes (name and type of measurement) Handmade or computer generated should be comparable