Standard: S7L4.e Students will describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes.                                                                                                                                                                           

I can identify the characteristics of each of the terrestrial biomes? Learning Target I can identify the characteristics of each of the terrestrial biomes?

Biomes of North America Chaparral or Scrub Coniferous Forest Taiga Desert Tundra Tropical Rain forest Deciduous forest Temperate Rain forest

                

Terrestrial means land or Earth. Terrestrial Biomes Terrestrial means land or Earth.

What is a biome? They are major types of ecosystems. Similar biomes are found around the world. They occupy large geographic areas. Each biome has a characteristic group of species.

What defines these major climate regions known as biomes? Temperature Precipitation

Types of Biomes Desert Chaparral Grassland Tropical Rain Forest Temperate Rain Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Taiga/Coniferous Forest Tundra

Tundra 1. The tundra is a cold, dry, treeless region with long winters found just south of the North Pole. The soil is poor in nutrients. 2. The average temperature is -40 to 18°C (-40 F to 64 F) 3. A layer of frozen soil called permafrost lies beneath the surface. 4. The average amount of precipitation is 150 - 250mm per year.

Tundra Producers include mosses, grasses, small shrubs, and lichens. (No Deep Roots) Animals include snowy owls, caribou, migratory birds, and arctic hares. These animals are adapted to this environment. During the short summers, the snow and ice melt to leave meltwaters.

Alpine tundra is found above the tree-line on mountains. The permafrost underneath stays frozen all year.

Taiga Lying south of the tundra, it is the world’s largest biome. This biome is also called Coniferous forest. It is found stretching across upper Canada, northern Europe, and Asia. It is a cold, forested region of mostly cone-bearing, evergreen trees.

Taiga 4. Precipitation averages 300-900 mm of rain per year. The temperature ranges from -400 C to 200C. Most soil thaws completely during the summer, so trees can grow Moose, lynx, shrews, and bears are some animals of the taiga.

Temperate Deciduous Forests These forests have four distinct seasons each year. They can be found in the Eastern U.S., the middle of Europe, and in Asia. Most of the trees lose their leaves, examples: beech, elm, sweet gum, oak Precipitation throughout the year ranges from 75 cm-150 cm or 39 in to 59 in.

Temperate Deciduous Forests The temperatures range from -300 C to 300C (-220 to 860 F), hot summers and cold winters. White-tailed deer, various insects, rodents, bears, foxes, and birds are found in the forest. Deciduous means to lose leaves.

Temperate Rain Forest This biome is characterized by the tall trees with needlelike leaves. New Zealand, southern Chile, and the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. are some of the places this ecosystem will be found.

Temperate Rain Forest The average temperature ranges from 9°C to 12°C or 48°F to 54°F. The precipitation is between 200 cm-400 cm/year or 7 feet-13 feet. Among the animals of this biome are amphibians and bobcats.

Tropical Rain Forest This biome is the most biologically diverse of all the biomes and is near the equator. It is hot with an average temperature of 25°C or 77°F. It is also wet with precipitation ranging from 200 cm-500 cm/yr or 7 feet-16 feet.

Tropical Rain Forest forest floor There are four zones: forest floor understory (above the ground, but under canopy) Canopy - upper part of trees) Emergent - trees higher than canopy trees. Farmers and loggers are destroying these habitats.

Desert Deserts have less than 8 in. or 20 cm of rain per year. The temperatures vary from hot (30 C or 86F in daytime) to cold (-3.90 C or 25F at night.) The soil is thin, sandy, or gravelly - very little organic matter. Plants like the cactus (succulents) are well-adapted to obtaining and storing water. Some plants have a waxy coating to conserve water. The animals are able to minimize water loss and are often active at night/nocturnal.

Grasslands These are prairies or plains and are dominated by grasses. These may be temperate or tropical. The precipitation ranges from 500mm to 900 mm/yr or 10 in-29 in. There are the prairies of North America, the steppes of Asia, the savanna of Africa, and the pampas of South America. Grazing animals are the most prominent animals of this biome.

Chaparral (Scrub/Shrubland) Coastal Area: West Coast of U.S., West Coast of S.A., Western Coast of Australia Hot, Dry Summer Cool, Mild, Rainy Winters Poor Soil, Scrub Trees & Shrubs Animals are mainly grassland and desert types. Examples: Jack Rabbit, Coyotes, Mule Deer, Lizards, Toads, and Insects

Notice the chaparral areas.                                                                                                                                        

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/graphindex.html

Daily Science Which would be the most prominent plant in a deciduous forest? Oak or Pine Why? Think of the Walrus. What are some adaptations of an animal that lives in the Arctic and hunts in the oceans? In this food web, the snake gets energy directly from the ____.