CHAPTER 6: BIOMES

SECTION 6.1 WHAT IS A BIOME? A BIOME IS A LARGE REGION CHARACTERIZED BY TWO FACTORS: CLIMATE AND PLANT LIFE. CLIMATE IS THE WEATHER CONDITIONS (TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION) IN AN AREA OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

PLANT LIFE THE TWO MAIN FACTORS THAT DETERMINES WHAT TYPE OF PLANTS GROW IN A BIOME ARE TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION.

LATITUDE VS. ALTITUDE LATITUDE ALTITUDE THE DISTANCE NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR MEASURED IN DEGREES. THE HEIGHT OF AN OBJECT ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

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SECTION 6.2: FOREST BIOMES

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST LOCATED ON OR NEAR EQUATOR WARM YEAR ROUND LOTS OF PRECIPITATION MOST BIODIVERSITY OF ANY BIOME SOIL IS NOT NUTRIENT RICH

LAYERS OF THE RAIN FOREST Emergent layer is on top with direct sunlight = tallest trees Canopy (lower and upper) has lots of animals, flowers, fruits and epiphytes. Understory gets very little light so plants adapted to shade live here.

THREATS TO THE RAINFOREST HABITAT DESTRUCTION TRADING OF EXOTIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS

TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST LARGE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL HIGH HUMIDITY MODERATE TEMPERATURES LOCATED IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST LOCATED ALONG EAST COAST HAS FOUR SEASONS MOSTLY DECIDUOUS TREES THAT LOSE LEAVES IN WINTER PLANTS ARE ADAPTED FOR SEASONAL CHANGES AND ANIMALS ARE ADAPTED TO USE FOREST FOR FOOD AND SHELTER

TAIGA LOCATED JUST BELOW THE ARCTIC CIRCLE LONG WINTERS LITTLE PRECIPITATION ACIDIC SOIL CONIFEROUS TREES ANIMALS MIGRATE AND USE CAMOUFLAGE AS ADAPTATIONS

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SECTION 6.3: GRASSLAND, DESERT, AND TUNDRA

TWO DIFFERENT GRASSLANDS TROPICAL GRASSLANDS TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS SAVANNAS OF AFRICA HAVE WET AND DRY SEASONS PLANTS AND ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTATIONS BASED ON THESE SEASONS PRAIRIES IN U.S. MOSTLY GRASSES WHERE WE GROW OUR CROPS FERTILE SOIL GRAZING ANIMALS

THREATS TO THE TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS FARMING LEADS TO SOIL EROSION OVERGRAZING ALSO LEADS TO SOIL EROSION

CHAPARRAL TEMPERATE WOODLAND BIOME MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE PLANTS HAVE SMALL LEATHERY LEAVES. PLANTS ARE ADAPTED TO FIRE ANIMALS USE CAMOUFLAGE.

DESERT RECEIVE VERY LITTLE RAIN VERY HOT DURING DAY BUT COLD AT NIGHT PLANTS CONSERVE WATER ANIMALS RETAIN WATER AND BURROW IN GROUND

TUNDRA NORTHERN ARCTIC PERMAFROST THIN SOIL PLANTS HAVE WIDE, SHALLOW ROOTS GROW CLOSE TO GROUND ANIMALS MIGRATE OTHERS ARE WELL INSULATED AND USE CAMOUFLAGE

THREATS TO THE TUNDRA OIL EXPLORATION POLLUTION DISRUPTING THE SIMPLE FOOD CHAINS OF THIS VERY FRAGILE BIOME

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