Tuesday May 15, 2011 Objective: You will know what a biome is and that Earth is made up of different biomes.

What is a Biome? Biome- a geographic area on Earth that contains ecosystems with similar biotic and abiotic features. Ecosystem- All the biotic and abiotic factors that interact in an area Biotic Factors- The living parts of an ecosystem (animals, birds, plants, etc.) Abiotic Factors- The nonliving parts of an ecosystem (soil, rocks, sunlight, water, air, etc.)

Land Biomes Desert Grassland Tropical Rain Forest Temperate Rain Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Taiga Tundra

What is Part of a Biome? When describing biomes, scientists observe and describe the location, climate (temperature and water), soil, and life. Today, you will be taking notes on the location, climate, and soil of Earth’s many land biomes.

Desert Found in areas that receive very little precipitation Temperatures vary, extremely dry Porous soil (does not hold water well)

Grassland Found in areas where grasses are the dominant plants Grasslands can vary in temperature and have a wet and dry season Grasslands have deep, fertile soil

Tropical Rain Forest Found near the equator Climate is warm and wet year-round Soil is shallow and easily washed away

Temperate Rain Forest Found between the tropics and the polar circles Winters are mild and rainy, summers are cool and foggy Soil is rich and moist

Temperate Deciduous Forest Found where summer and winter climates have more variation Winter temperatures are below freezing with snow, summers are hot and humid Soil is rich in nutrients

Taiga Exist only in the northern hemisphere Winters are long, cold, and snowy, summers are short, warm, and moist Soil is thin and acidic

Tundra Found south of the North Pole and in high altitude places Winters are long, dark, and freezing, summers are short and cool Soil is locked in a frozen layer called permafrost

Aquatic Ecosystems Streams and Rivers Ponds and Lakes Wetlands- ecosystems that have a thin layer of water covering soil that is wet most of the time Estuaries- regions along the coast where streams or rivers flow into the ocean Ocean http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8371