ARCTIC TUNDRA: TREELESS, COLD DESERT

ARCTIC TUNDRA: VERY COLD, LONG WINTERS

ARCTIC TUNDRA: SHORT SUMMERS

PERMAFROST: BELOW THE TOP FEW INCHES, SOIL REMAINS PERMANENTLY FROZEN ALL YEAR

FOUND AT HIGH ELEVATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD ALPINE TUNDRA

Location: Polar Zone, poles, mountain tops Average temperature: Average precipitation: less than 25 cm/year (< 10 inches) TUNDRA FACTS -12° C (10 °F)

ARCTIC TUNDRA: ADAPTATIONS PLANTS: LOW, DARK- COLORED TO ABSORB HEAT, SHALLOW ROOTS THICK, HEAVY COATS SMALL EARS TO PREVENT HEAT LOSS, COATS CHANGE COLOR WITH SEASON

TAIGA- COLD, SNOWY CONE- BEARING EVERGREEN FORESTS

TAIGA: SHORT SUMMER, NO PERMAFROST

TAIGA FACTS Location: Temperate Zone, just south of the tundra Average temperature: Temperature range: -50°C to 20 °C (-58 ° F to 78 °F) Average precipitation: 35 cm – 100 cm/year (14 “ – 40”) -5° C (25 °F)

TAIGA ADAPTATIONS PINE NEEDLE SHAPE SHEDS SNOW, KEEPS IN WATER SUPER- STRONG JAWS TO EAT FROZEN MEAT LONG LEGS AND WIDE FEET TO GET THROUGH DEEP SNOW

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST: 4 SEASONS, TREES LOSE THEIR LEAVES IN WINTER

Temperate Deciduous Forest Location: Temperate Zone, North America, Europe, parts of Asia and South America Average temperature: below freezing to above 25°C ( 78°F) Average Precipitation: cm/year (30” – 60”/year)

Temperate Deciduous Forest: Adaptations camouflage migration Trees drop leaves to prevent snow damage & save water

DESERTS: DRIEST BIOME, BUT NOT LIFELESS

DESERTS: USUALLY HOT, CAN BE COLD,

Plants are widely spaced with wide, shallow roots to maximize water

DESERT FACTS Location: Temperate & Tropical Zones, across the globe Temperature Range: can vary from hot to cold. Often hot by day, cold by night Average temperature: 20°C - 25°C (68°F – 78°F) Precipitation: <25 cm/year (<10”/year) may not rain for years

DESERT ADAPTATIONS Store water Nocturnal to avoid sun, big ears to shed heat Scales or thick coverings to keep in moisture

Tropical rain forest: wettest, most diverse biome

Tropical rain forest: filled with life

Tropical rain forest: needs lots of Sun energy to support all the organisms

Tropical rain forest facts Location: Tropical Zone, Near the equator in South & Central America, Africa and Asia Climate: almost no temperature change from day to night or season to season Average temperature: 25°C (80°F) Precipitation: cm/year (this is a HUGE amount: 6.5 ft.- 20 ft. per year!)

Tropical Rain Forest Zones Emergents Canopy Understory Forest Floor Scientists divide the rain forest into 4 zones based on the types of plants and animals that live there

Life in the tropical rain forest zones Forest floor: insects, jaguars, tapirs Understory: above ground but under canopy- many plants, insects, reptiles like snakes Canopy: the upper, leafy part of trees- insects birds, snakes, mammals like sloths and monkeys Emergents: large trees that stick up above the canopy- birds & insects

Rain forest soil quality 1.nutrients are washed out of the soil by rain. 2. so many plants mean nutrients are taken out of the soil as soon as decomposers make them available 2 2 Although TRFs support a huge variety of organisms, the soil of the rain forest contains few nutrients:

Human impact on the rain forest Recently, rainforest land has been cleared for farming and logging. Crops quickly use up the few nutrients in the soil, and the farmers must clear more land. The cycle of clearing, farming & more clearing is destroying large areas of TRF habitats anet.in.peril/brazil.html

TROPICAL RAINFOREST ADAPTATIONS LEAVES HAVE POINTED “DRIP TIPS” TO CHANNEL WATER OFF LEAF STRONG CLAWS AND TAILS TO GRASP BRANCHES BIRDS HAVE SHORT WING SPANS FOR MORE MANUEVERIBILITY THROUGH TREES INSECTS MIMIC LEAF SHAPES

TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST: AN ANCIENT, RARE BIOME

Temperate rain forests get much of their moisture in the form of fog- rain shadow effect!

These forests are dominated by huge conifer trees- logging is still a huge industry here

Temperate rain forest facts Location: Temperate Zones New Zealand, southern Chile, and the Pacific Northwest Average temperature: 40–50 °F (5°C – 10°C) Precipitation: cm/year (this is a HUGE amount, about 6 to 13 ft/year)

Temperate rain forest adaptations Dark colors to blend into forest floor Rounded body shapes conserve heat Tall, wide trees serve as nurse logs to their seedlings after they fall, providing decades of water and nutrients as they slowly decay.

GRASSLANDS: ROLLING, OPEN AREAS WITH FEW TRESS

GRASSLANDS: also called prairies, savannas, steppes or pampas

Most grasslands have a large, dominant grazing animal vicuna bison kangaroo wildebeest yak

Grasslands facts Location: world-wide, tropical & temperate areas Climate: often have a dry season & wet season Temperature: varies, ranging from 35°C ( 95°F) Precipitation: Gets between 25 cm (10”) and 75 cm (30”) of rain each year

Grassland adaptations Prairie plants have strong, deep roots to anchor plant and reach groundwater Grass grows from the bottom, not the tip, so it can continue to grow after being grazed on Lots of animals burrow for shelter and protection