Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Biome – area with a distinctive climate and organisms. Canopy – layer of rain-forest trees that absorbs most of the sunlight. Chaparral – located primarily in coastal areas. Climate – determines the plants that live in an area. Prairies, steppes, & pampas – temperate grasslands.

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Savannas – grasslands of West Africa Taiga – has animals that migrate, burrow, or grow white fur to survive the winters. (Canada, US, Russia, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, etc.) Temperate rain forests – forests found along the northwest coast of North America. Tropical rain forest – has most nutrients in the plants, not the soil.

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Tundra – dry, treeless lands north of Arctic Circle. Biomes – describe by their vegetation Tropical Rain Forests -located near equator (Central/South America, Southeast Asia, India, Borneo, Philippines) -species of animals with specialized ways of surviving in order to avoid competition -threatened by human activities such as logging, agriculture, trading of exotic animals/plants

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Temperate Deciduous Forests -soil is rich & plants cover much of forest floor -animals find food in the form of nuts, berries and leaves -plants lose their leaves in the fall Taiga -located in areas near the Arctic Circle; Canada, US (Alaska), Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Savanna -dominated by smaller plants due to little precip. -supports large herds of grazing animals – rhinos, zebras, gazelles. Temperate Grasslands -fertile soil but only grasses & wildflowers -are threatened by soil erosion because native grasses have been damaged/destroyed by plowing and overgrazing

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Desert -often formed on the dry side of mountain ranges -animals usually nocturnal -many plants have shallow/widespread roots for maximum rain absorption -reptiles/insects have scaled skin that prevents water loss -some animals estivate during hot summer

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Tundra -one of the most fragile biomes on planet due to severe conditions, ecosystem easily disrupted -has a layer of soil that is permanently frozen The greater the latitude, the colder the climate. Animals burrow in desert, temperate grasslands, as well as the tundra.

Environmental Science – Chapter 6 Essay Choose any biome and describe what someone would see/experience as they move through the biome you have chosen. Include descriptions of animals and plants and their adaptations as well as descriptions of the physical landscape. You may copy down notes to use during the test for this question only. Notes must be approved before test.