2. Major Land Biomes

3. Biome- complex of terrestrial communities that cover a large area; characterized by soil, climate, plants, and animals
Plants and animals vary by tolerance to temperature and precipitation
7 Major Biomes include: Rainforest, Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Forest, Desert, Savanna, Temperate Grassland

4. Rain Forest
Hot and Wet
close to equator so warm temperatures year round
Over 250 cm rain per year
Boa constrictor
Toucan
Black Jaguar
Sloth
Jaguar
Orchids
Tapir

5. Rain Forest Most species of plants & animals (species diversity)
Soil lacks nutrients
Plants: broad leaved evergreen trees, large woody vines, climbing plants, orchids, bromeliads
Animals (photos)
Boa constrictor
Toucan
Black Jaguar
Sloth
Jaguar
Tapir

6. Rain Forest Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Plants grow in layers (canopy receives most light)
Shallow roots since soil is thin with poor nutrients
Many symbiotic relationships
Animals have camouflage to blend Ex: Insects shaped like leaves
Some animals have bright colors
Ex: Poison arrow frogs are
poisonous

7. Savanna Seasonal rainfall: 100-150 cm per year Warm year round
Frequent fires
Grasses, short trees, shrubs, drought/fire resistant plants
Giraffe
Storks
Aardvark
Hyena
Lion

8. Savanna
Plants: Tall perennial grasses, small trees and shrubs that are often drought-tolerant and fire-resistant
Animals: (photos)
Giraffe
Storks
Aardvark
Hyena
Lion

9. Savanna Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Drought tolerant and fire resistant plants can retain water or survive the frequent fires of this biome
Thorns to protect against predation
Animals migrate as necessary
Baobab
Umbrella Thorn Acacia

10. Desert Dry, less than 25 cm of rain a year
Kangaroo rat
Dry, less than 25 cm of rain a year
Extreme changes in temperature throughout the day
Extremely hot during the day and cold at night
Roadrunner
Mule deer
Mountain lion
Desert big horned sheep
Golden eagle
Creosote bush

11. Desert
Kangaroo rat
Plants with short growth cycles that can retain water: cacti, succulents, creosote bush
Animals with high tolerance to temperature changes
Roadrunner
Mule deer
Mountain lion
Desert big horned sheep
Golden eagle
Creosote bush

12. Desert Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Reptiles have thick, waterproof skin to hold in water
Cacti and other succulents have thick fleshy leaves that can hold large amounts of water for a long time
Plants have a shallow root system
Animals are nocturnal (active at night) and in shade or burrow during the day.
Animals are smaller and have large ears to help dissipate heat

13. Temperate Grassland Moderate precipitation: 25-75 cm per year
Pronghorn antelope
Moderate precipitation: cm per year
Hot summers & Cold winters
Periodic fires
Polecat
sunflowers
Bison
Coyotes
Black-tailed prairie dog
Blazing stars
Badgers

14. Temperate Grassland
Pronghorn antelope
Plants: lush grasses and herbs, drought and fire-resistant plants
Animals: many herbivores and carnivorous predators (photos)
Polecat
sunflowers
Bison
Coyotes
Black-tailed prairie dog
Blazing stars
Badgers

15. Temperate Grassland Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Drought and fire-resistant plants
Plants with long roots to allow for regrowth after fire and animal grazing
Rich soil allows many lush grasses to grow and makes this biome excellent for farming.
Animals live in herds for protection

16. Temperate Forest Warm summer with cold, moderate winters
Raccoon
Warm summer with cold, moderate winters
Four distinct seasons
Year around rain: cm per year
Skunk
Turkey
Black bear
Bobcat

17. Temperate Forest
Deciduous Trees- trees that lose their leaves during the winter( also called broadleaf)
Ex: oak and maple
Coniferous trees- trees that bear cones
Ex: pine
Maple
American Beech
Oak

18. Temperate Forest Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Deciduous trees lose their leaves when winter approaches to keep them from freezing.
Some animals migrate or hibernate during the winter
Some animals shed their winter coat during the summer
Squirrels, chipmunks, and some jays store large supplies of food for winter when food is scarce.

19. Taiga Also known as the boreal forest or coniferous forest
Northern hemisphere
Long, cold winter, short summers
Moderate precipitation: cm per year, mostly snow

20. Spruce
Taiga
Snowshoe hare
Plants: Needle leaf coniferous trees, broad leaf deciduous trees, small berry bearing shrubs
Animals: migratory animals and large herbivores (photos)
Moose
Timber wolves
Lynx

21. Taiga Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Waxy coating on conifers to retain water.
Animals such as bears hibernate during the coldest months.

22. Tundra Northern hemisphere
Characterized by permafrost- permanently frozen snow
Cold & windy
Little precipitation: cm per year (almost as little as desert)
Artic willow
Caribou
Polar bear
Bearberry
Artic fox

23. Tundra Plants: small with short roots because of permafrost, no trees
Caribou
Plants: small with short roots because of permafrost, no trees
Animals: Migratory animals or animals with high tolerances for harsh conditions
Polar bear
Snowy owl
Artic fox

24. Tundra Adaptations of Plants and Animals
Animals such as the arctic fox have white fur to camouflage themselves in the snow.
Animals have small ears and thick coat to conserve heat
Plants have adapted to grow with short roots because they cannot grow deep roots in the permafrost.
Yellow Tundra Flower
Lichen