Definition: A group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities

7 MAJOR BIOMES 1)Tundra 2) Taiga 3) Desert 4) Grassland 5) Temperate Deciduous Forest 6) Tropical Rain Forest 7) Aquatic

short cool summers, short periods of winter sunlight, no trees and little plant growth

Permafrost – layer of permanently frozen subsoil

Temperature: -30 o C to 5 o C Precipitation: < 25 cm

Vegetation: mosses, lichens, sedges and short grass Animals: arctic fox, musk ox, snowy owl, polar bear

also known as the Northern Coniferous or Boreal forest  Long severe winters and short mild summers

Temperature: -25 o C to 20 o C Precipitation: cm

Vegetation: coniferous trees, ferns, mosses, fungi Animals: snowshoe hare, black bear, woodpecker

Arid region with sparse to almost nonexistent plant life

Temperature: 10 o C to 30 o C Precipitation: < 25 cm

Vegetation: brush, cacti, small plants Animals: road runner, jack rabbit, lizards and scorpions

Large communities covered with grasses and similar small plants

 Experience a dry season with insufficient water for life  Largest biome, 100+ species per acre

Temperature: -10 o C to 25 o C Precipitation: 25 to 100 cm

Vegetation: various grasses, mosses, lichen Animals: bison, antelope, coyotes, zebra, giraffe, prairie dog

Dominated by broad- leaved hardwood trees that lose their foliage annually

 Humus – material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter

Temperature: -10 o C to 25 o C Precipitation: 75 to 125 cm

Vegetation: maple tree, pine, oak tree, flowering plants, ferns Animals: deer, rabbits, squirrels, beavers, raccoons, turkeys

Region of uniformly warm, wet weather dominated by lush plant growth

 Canopy – dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain trees

Temperature: 25 o C to 30 o C Precipitation: > 200 cm

Vegetation: broad leaf trees, ferns, tangled vines, orchids Animals: monkeys, colorful birds, jaguars, insects, anacondas

Marine and Freshwater

determined by depth, flow, temperature, and chemistry of the overlying water

 Plankton – tiny, free- floating organisms found in fresh and salt water  Phytoplankton – single celled algae (plant-like)  Zooplankton – animal-like plankton

 Photic zone  Photic zone = well-lit upper layer, 200m deep  Aphotic zone  Aphotic zone = deeper water, never receives sunlight

intertidal zone – extreme changes in surroundings (sunlight, air, temperature) coastal ocean – low-tide mark to continental shelf (photic zone with kelp and plankton) open ocean – 90% of the ocean, ,000m deep (octopus and whales)

 Abiotic factors Slight temperature range Moderate light and nutrients

 Biotic factors plankton Fish, coral, kelp, sharks, dolphins, and whales

 Estuary - wetlands formed where rivers meet the sea (mixture of fresh and salt water)  Detritus – tiny pieces of organic material that provides food for organisms

Flowing-water – rivers, streams, creeks and brooks Standing water – lakes and ponds Wetlands – water covers the soil or is present at or near the surface of the soil for part of the year

 Abiotic factors Very little sunlight below surface Moderate to cold water temps good nutrient availability

 Biotic factors Algae, mosses, lichens Insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals