Biomes

Biomes are regions in the world that have their own kind of climate, soil, plants, and animals.

VOCAB Marine - Covers about three-fourths of the earth’s surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Forest - A large area covered mainly with trees and undergrowth. There are three types of forest classed by latitude: Tropical, Temperate, Boreal Terrestrial – Found only on landforms Fauna - All the wildlife in a particular region or time period Flora - The plant life in a particular region or time period

Major biomes: Taiga Deciduous Forest Tropical Rainforest Desert Tundra Grassland Marine Freshwater

Taiga: Coniferous Forest A cool forest biome of conifers in the upper Northern Hemisphere. Also called the boreal forest The largest terrestrial biome Temperatures are very low Less than four months out of the year average temperature reaches over 50 degrees Precipitation is primarily snow 12-33 in per year Soil is nutrient poor and acidic Flora is mostly conifers .

Animals of the Taiga Rodents, snowshoe hares, lynx, sables, ermine, caribou, bears, wolves, birds in summer

Deciduous Forest Has four distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall Most deciduous forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia.  Following rainforests, deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches  The average yearly temperature is 50°F Summers average is about 70°F , winter temperatures are often well below freezing. Flora: oak, beech, maple, flowers, mosses

Animals of the Deciduous Forest Wolves, deer, bears, and a wide variety of small mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

Tropical Rain Forest A hot, humid biome near the equator, with much rainfall and a wide variety of life. Lots of rain,  80 to 400 inches per year The average temperature in tropical rainforests ranges from 70 to 85°F Highly diverse species Soil is nutrient-poor and acidic Tropical rainforests are generally found between 30°N and 30°S latitudes, covering 6 - 7% of the Earth’s land surface

Animals of the Tropical RainForest More species of insects, different types of colorful birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals are found here as compared to any other place.

Desert A sandy or rocky biome, with little precipitation and little plant life. Animals are small; Many animals are nocturnal Temperatures can be very hot or very cold Plants are adapted to conserve water i.e. cactus, brittle bush, Joshua tree Rain is often light, or in short concentrated bursts. Most of the time evaporation rates are faster than rainfall rates. Sometimes the rain evaporates before even hitting the ground. Average rainfall is usually 3 - 5 inches (8 - 13 cm)

Animals of the Desert Rodents, snakes, lizards, tortoises, insects, and some birds. The Sahara Desert in Africa is home to camels, gazelles, antelopes, small foxes, snakes, lizards, and gerbils.

Tundra A cold biome of the far north; the ground is frozen even in summer The tundra biome is the coldest of all biomes  In the winter the temperature can reach -50°F There is very little rainfall in the tundra; it rains less than ten inches a year. Covers about 1/5 of land Low diversity but there are some plants like  lichens, mosses, and small shrubs Short growing season – lasts up to 60 days

Animals of the Tundra Musk oxen, migrating caribou, arctic foxes, weasels, snowshoe hares, owls, hawks, various rodents, occasional polar bear.

Grassland A biome where grasses, not trees, are the main plant life. There are two types of grasslands: Tropical grasslands (Savannah) and the Temperate grasslands. Grassland biomes are large, rolling terrains of grasses, flowers and herbs. Savannah has a wet and dry season  temperatures range from 68° to 86°F annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches  Temperate grassland has hot summers and cold winters Sometimes the summers can reach over 100°F Yearly average rainfall is about 20 - 35 inches, mostly falls as snow in the winter

Grassland animals American Grasslands: Prairie dogs, foxes, small mammals, snakes, insects, various birds.

Grassland animals African Grasslands: Elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes.

Marine Biome Consists of oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries The ocean is the largest of all ecosystems. The ocean contains a diverse array of plants and animals at various depth zones. Coral reefs consist mainly of coral. Estuaries are areas where fresh and salt water environments converge. Mangroves, oysters, crabs and marsh grasses are examples of species in this environment.

Freshwater Biomes Includes ponds, and lakes; streams and rivers, and wetlands. Ponds and lakes have well lit zones and a variety of fish dominate this zone. Streams and rivers move in one direction. Wetlands are areas of standing water that support aquatic plants.