CHAPTER 2 - SECTION 4 BIOMES

What are Biomes? Biomes are regions in the world that share similar climates and organisms.

How Many Biomes Are There? Scientists disagree over the exact number of biomes, but in general they include around 8-10 biomes. We will focus on 6 land biomes.

The six major biomes that most ecologists study include: Rain Forest, Desert, Grassland, Deciduous Forest, Boreal Forest and Tundra WE CLASSIFY DIFFERENT BIOMES MOSTLY BY CLIMATE (TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION) AND BY THE ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN THE AREA.

Rain Forest Biomes Temperate Rain Forests: Moderate temperatures (average = 500F) Found on the northwestern coast of the United States. (Olympic Rain Forest in Washington) Receive more than 300 centimeters of rain per year. Huge trees and abundant wildlife.

Temperate Rain Forests US

Temperate Rain Forest Life

Tropical Rain Forest Over 100 inches (250 centimeters) of rain per year Warm and humid (between 68 – 930F) all year More species of plant and animal life than the other land biomes

Tropical Rain Forests

Tropical Rain Forest Life

Desert Biomes Receives less than 25 centimeters of rain per year Average yearly temperature is 640F Large shifts in day and night temperatures Plants and animals must adapt to extreme temperatures and dry conditions.

Desert Biomes Life

Grassland Biomes Grasslands = Prairie and Savanna 25 to 75 centimeters of rain per year (Savanna can get as much as 125 cm of rain per year) Temperatures mostly comfortable and mild than the desert but can reach 1000 F in summer and -300F in winter. Plants include mostly grasses, small shrubs and trees Grazing animals – Some of the largest in the world (Elephants, bison, giraffes, rhinos)

World Grasslands

Grassland Biomes Life

Deciduous Forest Biomes Deciduous, hardwood trees that lose their leaves in the fall At least 50 centimeters of rain per year and seasonal temperatures that vary Average temperatures of 500 F however well below freezing in winter Large variety of plant and animal life

World Deciduous Forest Map

Boreal Forest Biomes Also called the TIAGA! Cold forest 30 – 85 centimeters of rainfall per year -650 to 300 F in winter About 500 F in summer Most trees are coniferous (pine cones and needles for leaves) Spruce, hemlock and tamarack trees Seed eating animals, predators and herbivores

Boreal forests, or taiga

Taiga Plants Balsam Fir Black Spruce Douglas-fir Paper Birch Eastern Red Cedar Jack Pine Siberian White Fir White Poplar Spruce White Spruce

Taiga Animals American Black Bear Bald Eagle Bobcat Canadian Lynx Gray Wolf Grizzly Bear Long-Eared Owl Red Fox River Otter Snowshoe Rabbit Wolverine

Tundra Biomes Coldest of the biomes 40 centimeters of precipitation per year Winter temperatures average – 340F Summer temps average 37 – 500 F Soil is permafrost – frozen all year Plants are dwarfs, stunted by the cold Mosses, grasses, shrubs and small trees Animals must adapt to extreme cold temperatures Caribou, foxes, wolves, Arctic hares

Tundra: The Not-So Barren Land

Tundra Biomes Life