IX. Biomes Biomes = a large group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms. Two factors that will determine which biome will be dominant on land: 1.Temperature 2.Precipitation

What do you think the Tundra would look like?

1. Tundra A flat, treeless, arctic region where the ground is permanently frozen. Characteristics: treeless, long cold winters, little winter sun, poor soil, little rain (less than 5 in) Location: Canada, Russia, Alaska Vegetation: grasses, moss, lichen

Tundra Animals: fox, caribou, reindeer Permafrost – permanently frozen ground

What do you think the tiaga looks like?

2. Taiga Taiga: driest and coldest forest biome, largest of all the land biomes. Characteristics: coniferous forest, poor soil, long severe winter, temps below freezing Location: Canada, N. Europe, N. Asia Vegetation: pine, fir, hemlock, spruce Animals:, lynx, caribou, moose, wolverine What is Coniferous? Trees that don’t drop their needles in the winter so that they can soak up as much sunlight as possible. These trees are conebearing.

What do you think a temperate forest looks like?

3. Temperate Deciduous Forest (where we live!) No extreme temps, temps in the middle. This is the biome in which we live!! Characteristics: deciduous trees, 4 seasons, fertile soil, in. rain per yr. Location: SE and NE US, Europe, Japan Vegetation: Maple, Oak, Birch, Hickory

3. Temperate Deciduous Forest (where we live!) Animals: bear, deer, robin, raccoon Deciduous: Trees that lose their leaves during winter. Temperate: having mild temps.

What do you think a tropical rain forest would look like?

4. Tropical Rain Forest Hottest of forest biomes, warm climates, lots of rain Characteristics: warm, wet, humid, most diversity, up to 17 ft of rainfall yearly Location: equatorial regions such as Africa, S. America, Brazil Vegetation: broad lush plants, flowers, vines, palms, fruit trees

4. Tropical Rain Forest Animals: monkey, sloth, frogs, snakes, parrots

What is Canopy: Top layer of the trees in a rainforest, the branches and leaves form an umbrella over the rest of the layers. Most of the Animals live on this layer. What is Understory: middle layer, Found beneath the canopy What is Forest floor: bottom layer, Found beneath the understory What is diverse: Showing a great deal of variety, because of this, half of Earth’s plants and animals live in the Tropical Rain Forest

What do you think a grassland would look like?

5. Grassland Wide areas of land filled with grasses and wild flowers, no trees Characteristics: ideal growing season, good soil quality, little rain, very few trees support trees.

5. Grassland Location: central area of US, Africa, S. America What is a Savanna? A grassland that is located close to the equator. What is a prairie? This is what we call grasslands in the USA

5. Grassland Vegetation: grass, grains, crops, wildflowers Animals: bison, prairie dogs, birds, lions, elephants

What do you think a desert would look like?

6. Desert Defined by amount of rainfall in the area. Not all deserts are hot and dry, there are also deserts that are cold and icy. Characteristics: dry & arid, less than 10 in of rainfall Location: Sahara in Africa, Mojave and Colorado Desert both in US, Antartica

6. Desert Vegetation: cacti, sagebrush

6. Desert Animals: lizards, snakes, rodents, hawks, scorpions