Polar Grasslands (Artic Tundra) Bitterly coldBitterly cold Frigid winds, ice, snowFrigid winds, ice, snow Low PrecipitationLow Precipitation No trees!No trees! Short growing season, low biodiversityShort growing season, low biodiversity Permafrost: permanently frozen ground

Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer All consumers and producers to decomposers Lemming Arcticfox Horned lark Mosquito Grizzly bear Long-tailed jaeger Caribou Willow ptarmigan Snowy owl Dwarf willow Mountain cranberry Moss campion PolarGrasslands (Artic tundra)

Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra Overgrazing by livestock Release of CO 2 to atmosphere from grassland burning Conversion to cropland Grasslands Natural Capital Degradation

Temperate Shrubland or Chaparral Dense growth of low- growing, evergreen shrubsDense growth of low- growing, evergreen shrubs Mild wintersMild winters Long, hot, dry summersLong, hot, dry summers Referred to as “Mediterranean climate” along coastal areasReferred to as “Mediterranean climate” along coastal areas People like to live in this biomePeople like to live in this biome

Chaparral Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of spiny shrubs are subject to periodic fires. Figure 5-18

Temperate coniferous forests Temperate deciduous forests Tropical rain forests Forest Biomes

FOREST BIOMES Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate, and polar forests.

Tropical rain forest forest (Manaus, Brazil) Temperate deciduous forest deciduous forest (Nashville, Tennessee) Polar evergreen coniferous forest (boreal forest, taiga) (Moscow, Russia)

Tropical Rain Forests Warm temperaturesWarm temperatures High humidityHigh humidity Heavy daily rainfallHeavy daily rainfall Most biologically diverse biomeMost biologically diverse biome Nutrient poor soilsNutrient poor soils

Shrublayer Canopy Emergentlayer UnderstoryUnderstory Ground layerGroundlayerHarpyeagle Tocotoucan Woolyopossum Braziliantapir Black-crownedantpitta Height (meters) stratification

Temperate Rainforest Occurs in coastal temperate areasOccurs in coastal temperate areas –Coast of North America from Canada to northern California Ample rainfall or moist, dense ocean fogsAmple rainfall or moist, dense ocean fogs Spruce, Douglas fir, redwoodsSpruce, Douglas fir, redwoods

Temperate Deciduous Forest Long, warm summersLong, warm summers Cold wintersCold winters Abundant precipitationAbundant precipitation Nutrient rich soilsNutrient rich soils

Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer All producers and consumers to decomposers Bacteria Fungi Wood frog Racer Shagbark hickory White-taileddeer White-footedmouse White oak Graysquirrel Hairywoodpecker Broad-wingedhawk Long-tailed weaselLong-tailedweasel May beetle Mountain winterberryMountainwinterberry Metallic wood-boring beetle and Metallic wood- boring beetle and larvae

Evergreen Coniferous Forests ‘Boreal’ or ‘Taiga’ 60° N Latitude60° N Latitude Long, dry and extremely cold wintersLong, dry and extremely cold winters Short, mild summersShort, mild summers Plant diversity is lowPlant diversity is low Deep layer of decomposed conifer needles provide rich source of peat bogsDeep layer of decomposed conifer needles provide rich source of peat bogs Boreal = NorthernBoreal = Northern

Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer All producers and consumers to decomposers Bacteria Bunchberry Starflower Fungi Snowshoehare Bebbwillow Moose Wolf Balsam fir Blue jay Great horned owlGreathornedowl White spruceWhitespruce Pine sawyer Pine sawyer beetle and larvae MartenMarten

Human impacts on forests Clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, livestock grazing, and timberClearing of tropical forests for agriculture, livestock grazing, and timber Clearing of temperate deciduous forests for timber, agriculture and urban developmentClearing of temperate deciduous forests for timber, agriculture and urban development Clearing of evergreen coniferous forestsClearing of evergreen coniferous forests Conversion of diverse forests to less diverse tree plantationsConversion of diverse forests to less diverse tree plantations

Tree Plantation (monoculture)

MOUNTAIN BIOMES High-elevation islands of biodiversity Often have snow- covered peaks that reflect solar radiation and gradually release water to lower- elevation streams and ecosystems.

Natural Capital Degradation Mountains Agriculture Timber extraction Mineral extraction Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs Increasing tourism Urban air pollution Increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone depletion Soil damage from off-road vehicles

HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIOMES Human activities have damaged or disturbed more than half of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems. Humans have had a number of specific harmful effects on the world’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

Wetlands Saturated soil, all or part of the year Anaerobic conditions Swamps, marshes, bogs Very biodiverse! Water purification

Fresh Waters Ponds, lakes, streams & rivers Phytoplankton Debris from land

Other Aquatic biomes… Intertidal = the most awesome biome Open ocean = low productivity (no nutrients or phytoplankton) Benthos = bottom of the ocean, no photosynthesis Coral reefs = high biodiversity, high productivity (increase in temp causes bleaching) Upwellings = off coast, bring nutrients from the depths, very productive! (El Nino disrupts it) Thermal vents, black smokers = chemosynthetic, diverse divergent plate boundaries

Climatogram shows temperature and precipitation patterns

What causes distribution? Evolution – Natural selection Geography Climate Chance

Biomes and Diversity Species diversity within a biome is directly related to – Availability of moisture/water – Temperature – Net Productivity

There are common themes in climate that will help you determine what biome you’re seeing!

Tundra!

Temperate or Mid-Latitude

Tropical

Desert

Rainforest

Savannah

Deciduous Forest

BiomePrecipitationTemperatureSoilDiversityTreesGrasses Tropical Rain Forest HighHotPoorHighDensesparse Tropical Dry Forest VariableMildRichModerateMediummedium Tropical Savanna VariableMildClayModerateSparsedense DesertLowVariablePoorModerateSparse Temperate Grassland ModerateSummer hotRichModerateAbsentdense Temperate woodland & shrubland Summer low, winter moderate Summer hotPoorLowMediummedium Temperate forest ModerateSummer moderate, winter cold RichHighDensesparse Northwestern coniferous forest HighSummer mild, winter cool Rocky, acidic LowDenseSparse Boreal ForestModerateSummer mild, winter cold Poor, acidic ModerateDensesparse TundraLowSummer mild, winter cold PoorLowAbsentmedium