Major Ecosystems of the World Part 1 Chapter 6 Major Ecosystems of the World Part 1

Earth’s Major Biomes

Earth’s Major Biomes Type of biome controlled by temperature and precipitation

Earth’s Major Biomes Tundra

Earth’s Major Biomes Tundra Characterized by: Very short growing season Little precipitation (10-25 cm / yr) Permafrost Low species diversity

Earth’s Major Biomes Boreal Forest (Tiaga)

Earth’s Major Biomes Boreal Forest (Tiaga) Characterized by: Short growing season Low precipitation (~50 cm / yr) Dominated by conifers (spruce, fir), but also has aspen, birch

Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Rain Forest

Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Rain Forest Characterized by: Cool; high precipitation (~127 cm / yr) Dominated by evergreens (hemlock, spruce, cedar) Heavily logged

Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Deciduous Forest

Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Deciduous Forest Characterized by: Hot summers, cold winters Moderate precipitation (75-150 cm / yr) Dominated by oaks, hickory, maple Commonly converted to agriculture

Earth’s Major Biomes Grasslands

Earth’s Major Biomes Grasslands Characterized by: Hot summers, cold winters Low to moderate precipitation (25-75 cm / yr) Dominated tallgrass or shortgrass prairies Heavily converted to agriculture

Earth’s Major Biomes Chaparral

Earth’s Major Biomes Chaparral Characterized by: Dry summers, mild winters Frequent fires Dominated by short pines, evergreen shrubs, scrub oak (but varies worldwide)

Earth’s Major Biomes Deserts

Earth’s Major Biomes Deserts Characterized by: Wide daily variations in temperature Very dry (<25 cm precipitation / yr) Sparse plant coverage

Earth’s Major Biomes Savanna

Earth’s Major Biomes Savanna Characterized by: Precipitation 76-150 cm / yr, but very seasonal with extended dry periods Dominated by grasses, with occasional trees African most famous for herds of wildebeest, antelope, zebra

Earth’s Major Biomes Tropical Rain Forests

Earth’s Major Biomes Tropical Rain Forests Characterized by: Very high precipitation 200-450 cm / yr Very nutrient-poor soil Extremely high primary productivity Extremely high species richness

Earth’s Major Biomes Vertical Zonation: The Distribution of Vegetation on Mountains

Aquatic Ecosystems Fundamental division: Freshwater vs. Saltwater But, both contain 3 ecological category of organisms: Free floating plankton Strongly swimming nekton Bottom-dwelling benthos