I. Land Biomes 1. Different animals live in different areas. a. Polar bears do not live in the desert and snakes do not live in the arctic.

II. The Earth’s Land biomes 1. Biome is a large area characterized by its climate and the plants and animals that live in that area.

III. Forests 1. These biomes are often found in areas that have mild temperatures and plenty of rain

2. There are three types of forests Deciduous forests Coniferous forests Tropical rain forests

A. Temperate deciduous forests 1. The word deciduous comes from the Latin word that means “to fall off” a. This word describes how the leaves can fall off of the trees.

2. Deciduous trees shed their leaves during the winter or dry season to conserve water. 3. Animals that can live in a deciduous forest are bears, snakes, and woodpeckers for example.

B. Coniferous forests Conifers are the trees that live in this type of forests. 2. These types of trees produce their seeds in the shape of cones

3. The leaves are heavily coated in a waxy substance. a. This helps the leaves from drying out b. Helps the leaves from being damaged from the cold.

4. These trees stay green all year long. 5. Animals that live here include finches, jays, porcupines, elk, and moose.

C. Tropical Rain Forests The most biologically diverse place on earth More plants and animals than any other land biome Over 100 different types of trees can grow in an area as small as ¼ of a football field.

4. Most animals live in the canopy or treetops. 5.Because of the diversity the rainforest has very nutrient-rich soil. 6. Because of how thin the soil is most trees will grow above ground roots to stabilize themselves.

IV. Grasslands. Examples: Steppes, prairies, and pampas. On every continent except Antarctica. Often flat or have gently rolling hills.

A. Temperate Grasslands Include plants such as grass and flowering plants. Have very few trees Fires, drought, and grazing prevent the growth of trees and shrubs. Home to seed-eating animals such as prairie dogs and mice, also large grass eating animals.

B. Savannas This is a grass land with scattered clumps of trees The weather here is described as seasonal rains. Mostly found in parts of Africa, India, and South America.

4. The “dry season” occurs and the grass turns yellow because it dries out. 5. Because of a large root system these grasses may be able to live months without added water. 6. Large herbivores such as elephants, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests can be found to call a savanna home

C. Deserts This is a very dry and often hot place. An average of less than 10 inches of rain per year. Organisms have special adaptations to live in these places. Plants grow far apart so that they do not compete for the same water.

5. Some plants have shallow wide spread roots. 6. Other plants such as the cactus have soft, “fleshy” stems and leave so that they may store water. 7. Animals maybe only active at night when the temperatures are cooler.

8. Other animals will bury themselves into the dirt and hibernate during the “dry season” 9. Desert tortoises eat flowers and store the water under their shells.

V. Tundras 1. Very cold temperatures and little rain fall. 2. Two types a. Polar b. Alpine

A. Polar tundra 1. Near North and South Poles. 2. Second layer of soil is always frozen. a. Called the permafrost

3.During the short summers only the surface soil will thaw. 4. Grasses and shrubs are common 5. Under these shrubs mosses and lichens may grow. 6. Animals include musk oxen, wolves and caribou

Alpine Tundra Also has a permafrost Tops of mountains Above the tree line a. Trees cannot grow this high in altitude Lots of sunlight and precipitation

Section 2: Marine Bioem

Life in the Ocean Shaped by abiotic factors. Include water temperature, depth, and amount of sunlight that passes into the water. Plankton is a type of animals that floats near the surface of the water and many of them are producers. The base of the ocean’s food chains.

Temperature A. Decreases with depth 1. The further down you go the colder the water gets

B. Not a gradual change ocean is split into 3 zones. Surface zone - the top layer extends to 300 m below sea level. a. The sun heats the top 100 m and the currents mix this with the rest of the top 300 m.

2. Thermocline zone - from 301 m. - 700 m. a. In this zone the temperature drops quicker with depth more than any other zone.

3. Deep zone – from 701 m. and beyond. c). Averages a chilling 2o C

C. Areas of water near the equator are warmer than areas close to the poles. D. Temperature can affect if some animals can eat. E. Sudden change in water temperature can kill some animals.

III. Depth and sunlight A. In addition to temperature life in the water is affected by depth and the amount of sunlight there is.

A. The intertidal zone This is where the ocean meets the land. Exposed during the day to the air. Waves are always crashing on the rock and sand. Animals here have adaptations to survive exposure to air and to keep from being swept away by the waves.

B. The Neritic Zone Here the ocean floor will start to slope down. Home to coral, sea turtles, fish, and dolphins.

The Oceanic Zone Sea floor drops sharply. Home to fish, sharks and whales. Animals that live here can live very deep. Sometimes get their food from material that sinks to this level.

The Benthic Zone This is the ocean floor. The deepest parts of the benthic zone do not get any sunlight. Often very cold

4. Animals that call this home are fish, worms, and crabs. 5. Have special adaptations for such dark deep water. 6. Can feed off of chemicals that escape from thermal vents in ocean floor a. Thermal vents are cracks in the Earth’s crust.

A closer look A. Intertidal Areas 1. Include mudflats, sandy beaches and rocky shores. 2. Animals that live here must be able to live above and below water.

3. Animals that live on rocks may use a root like system called holdfasts to attach themselves to the rocks. 4. Other animals can attach themselves to rocks by using a glue like substance

Coral Reefs Most coral reefs are found in warm, shallow areas of the neritic zone. New corals can grow on the skeletons of old corals. Over time skeletons of coral will build up and create reefs. These reefes provide a home for many marine animals.

Including Algae Bright fish Sponges Sea stars Sea urchins

Estuaries Where freshwater from streams and rivers spill into the ocean The amount of salt in the water is always changing. Very rich in nutrient Lots of plankton, thus lots of food for other fish.

The Sargasso Sea Middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Contains floating rafts of algae called sagassum

Polar Ice Icy waters are rich in nutrients Supports large numbers of plankton Polar bears and penguins.

Section 3 Fresh Water Biomes

I. Stream and River Ecosystem The water from brooks, streams, and rivers may flow from melting snow or a spring. A spring is a place where water flows from underground to the Earth’s surface. The place where a smaller system joins a larger system is called a tributary

5. Characterized by their abiotic features 4. Each time a stream of water joins another more water is added and a larger stream is formed. 5. Characterized by their abiotic features a. The most important being how fast the water moves. 6. Streams and rivers are full of life

II. Pond and Lake Ecosystems Life near the shore The area of water closets to the edge is called the littoral zone Sunlight can heat the bottom of this level. Animals that live here are clams worms, frogs, salamanders, etc.

III. Life away from the shore B. The area that extends from the littoral zone across the top of the water is called the open-water zone. The sunlight can only go as deep as this zone is. Home to bass, lake trout, etc.

2. Under the open-water zone is the deep-water zone where no sunlight reaches. Catfish, carp, worm, crustaceans, fungi, and bacteria live here. Often feed on dead organisms that sink from above.

III. Wetland Ecosystem An area of land that is sometimes underwater or whose soil contains a great deal of moisture is called a wetland. Wetlands help replenish underground water supplies

A. Marshes A treeless wetland Found in shallow areas of lakes, ponds, rivers and even streams. Grasses, reeds, bulrushes and wild rice.

B. Swamps A wetland where trees and vines grow Found in low-lying areas beside slow-moving rivers. Willows, bald cypresses and oaks are common trees.

4. Poison ivy, will grow up tree trunks 5. Orchids may hang from branches. 6. Home to many fish, snakes, and birds.

BOO NOT REAL!!!!!

IV. From a Lake to a Forest When dead animals and plants begin to decay The bacteria that does the decaying uses a lot of oxygen in the water. Over time the water will fill with sediment because the fish can’t live without the oxygen in the water

4. Slowly the pond/lake becomes a wetland 5. The plants in the wetland use up the rest of the water 6. When it dries out it becomes forest.