Biomes

Tropical RainForest Facts: home to more species than all other biomes combined. Leafy tops of the tall trees create a canopy, while shorter trees and vines on the bottom form an understory. Organic matter that falls to the forest floor quickly decomposes, and the nutrients are recycled. Abiotic: hot and wet year round, nutrient poor soil. Biotic: plants – broad leaved evergreen trees; ferns, vines, climbing plants; orchids and bromeliads. Animals – herbivores: sloths, tapirs, and capybaras. Predators: jaguars, anteaters, piranhas, fresh water fish, and reptiles like boa constrictor. Geographic distribution: parts of south and central America, southeast Asia, parts of Africa, southern India, and northeastern Australia.

Tropical Rainforest

Tropical Dry Forest Facts: Rainfall is highly seasonal rather than year-round. During the dry season, trees drop their leaves to conserve water. Trees that drop their leaves are called deciduous. Abiotic: warm year-round. Alternating wet and dry season. Rich soils subject to erosion. Biotic: plants – tall deciduous trees that form a dense canopy during wet season; drought resistant orchids and bromeliads; aloe, succulents. Animals – herbivores: elephants, rhinoceros, and hog deer. Predators: tigers, and monkeys; birds such as hornbills, pelicans; insects like termites; and reptiles such as snakes and monitor lizards. Geographic distribution: parts of Africa, South and Central America, Mexico, India, Australia, and tropical islands.

Tropical dry forest

Tropical Savanna Facts: Receives more rainfall than deserts but less than tropical dry forests. This biome has a cover of grass, with isolated trees and small groves of trees and shrubs. Compact soil, fairly frequent fires, and large animals like rhinoceros prevent some savanna areas from turning into dry forest. Abiotic: warm temperatures, seasonal rainfall, compact soil, frequent fires set by lighting. Biotic: Plants – tall perennial grasses, drought and fire resistant trees and shrubs. Animals – herbivores: elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes, antelope, baboons and zebras. Predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals; birds such as eagles, ostriches, and storks; insects like termites. Geographic distribution: parts of eastern Africa, southern Brazil, and northern Australia.

Tropical savanna

Desert – defined based on precipitation(less than 25 cm/year) Facts: Deserts vary greatly from one another, based on elevation and altitude. Extreme temperature changes during the course of the day (hot/cold). Organism in this biome can tolerate extreme conditions. Abiotic: low precipitation, variable temperatures, soil rich in minerals but poor in organic material. Biotic: plants – cacti and succulents. Brush and plants with short growth cycles. Animals – herbivores: mule deer, kangaroo rats, bats, roadrunners, antelope. Predators: mountain lion, gray fox, and bobcat; insects like ants, beetles, butterflies, and wasp; reptiles such tortoise, rattlesnakes and lizards. Geographic distribution: Africa, Asia, Middle East, United States, Mexico, South America, and Australia.

Desert

Temperate Grassland Facts: Rich mix of grasses and some of the world’s most fertile soil. Plains and Prairies. Periodic fires, and heavy grazing by large herbivores. Abiotic: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate, seasonal precipitation, fertile soils and occasional fires. Biotic: plants – lush perennial grasses and herbs. Most resistant to drought, fire and cold. Animals – herbivores: mule deer, antelope, prairie dogs, and bison. Predators: coyotes, badgers, wolves and grizzly bear; birds such as hawks, owls; insects like ants and grasshoppers; and reptiles such as snakes. Geographic distribution: Central Asia, North America, Australia, central Europe, and upland plateaus of South America.

Temperate grassland

Temperate woodland and shrubland Facts: Semiarid climate, and a mix of shrub and open woodlands. In the open woodlands, large areas of grasses and wildflowers such as poppies. Parts dominated by shrubs is called chaparral. The growth of dense, low plants that contain flammable oils makes fires a constant threat. Abiotic: hot dry summers; cool moist winters. Thin, nutrient poor soils, periodic fires. Biotic: plants – woody, evergreen shrubs with small, leathery leaves. Herbs that grow in the winter but die in the summer. Animals – herbivores: black tailed deer, rabbits, and squirrels. Predators: coyotes, foxes, bobcat and mountain lions; birds such as hawks, quail, and warblers; and reptiles such as snakes, lizards, and butterflies. Geographic distribution: western coasts of North and South America, and areas around the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, and Australia.

Temperate woodland and shrubland

Temperate forest Facts: Has a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees. Cold winters that halt plant growth for several months. Soils rich in humus, a material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter that makes soil fertile. Abiotic: cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year-round precipitation; fertile soil. Biotic: plants – broadleaf deciduous trees; some conifers; flowering shrubs; herbs; moss and fern. Animals – deer; black bears; bobcats; squirrels; omnivores such as raccoons and skunk; numerous song birds and turkey. Geographic distribution: eastern North America, southeastern Canada, most of Europe; and parts of Japan, china and Australia.

Temperate forest

Northwestern coniferous forest Facts: Mild moist air from the Pacific Ocean provides abundant rainfall to this biome. Forest made up of conifers, ranging from giant redwoods to spruce, fir and hemlock. Moss often covers the tree trunks and the forest floor. Flowering trees are abundant. Sometimes called the “temperate rain forest”. Abiotic: mild temperatures; abundant precipitation during the fall, winter, and spring; relatively cool, dry summer; rocky, acidic soils. Biotic: plants – Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, redwood. Animals – large herbivores: elk and deer. Predators: owls, bobcats, and members of the weasel family; beavers. Geographic distribution: Pacific coast of northwestern United States and Canada, from California to Alaska.

Temperate coniferous forest

Boreal forest Facts: Semiarid climate, and a mix of shrub and open woodlands. In the open woodlands, large areas of grasses and wildflowers such as poppies. Parts dominated by shrubs is called chaparral. The growth of dense, low plants that contain flammable oils makes fires a constant threat. Abiotic: long, cold winters; short, mild summers; moderate precipitation; high humidity; acidic, nutrient poor soils. Biotic: plants – needle leaf coniferous trees such as spruce and fir; some broadleaf deciduous trees; small, berry-bearing shrubs. Animals – large herbivores mammals; moose and other large herbivores. Predators: lynxes, timber wolves and members of the weasel family. Songbirds and migratory birds; beavers. Geographic distribution: North America, Asia and northern Europe.

Boreal forest

tundra Facts: permafrost (layer of permanent frozen subsoil).Short, cool summer, the ground thaws to a depth of a few centimeters and becomes soggy and wet. In the winter, the top soil freezes again. This cycle of thawing and freezing, which rips and crushes plant roots, is one reason that tundra plants are small and stunted. Cold temperatures, high winds, the short growing season, and humus-poor soil also limit plant height. Abiotic: strong winds; low precipitation; short and sorry summers; long, cold, and dark winters; poorly developed soil and permafrost. Biotic: plants – ground hugging plants such as mosses, lichens, sedges, and short grasses. Animals – a few resident birds and mammals that can withstand the harsh conditions; migratory waterfowl, shore birds, musk ox, Artic foxes, and caribou; lemmings and other small rodents. Geographic distribution: northern North America, Asia and Europe.

tundra

Biomes map