Biomes Sections 22-3 & 22-4 Pages 424-434 Great Web Site to Visit https://royercenter.cwc.psu.edu/biodiversity/defined/biosphere/biomes-p1.html

The Biosphere is divided into regions called Biomes The Biosphere is divided into regions called Biomes. Each Biome is occupied by characteristic communities or ecosystems of plants and animals that share adaptations which promote survival within the biome.

Tropical Rain Forests Climate are characterized by high temperature (red) and heavy rainfall (green). - hot, wet, and humid vegetation consists mostly of tall trees that branch only at their tops, forming a spreading canopy that allows little light to reach the forest floor. (Plants: Bamboo, Banana, Sugar Cane) plants that live on other plants and vines commonly grow on the trees, but due to lack of light, little grows on the forest floor. typical animals include monkeys, lizards, snakes, and birds. Location: Tropical rainforests are near equator; temperate rainforest are near the coast lines

Tundra is extremely cold and dry Climate is extremely cold and dry short growing season and permafrost (permanently frozen soil) during the summer, the thawing topsoil supports a grassland type community with grasses, sedges (perennial plants that resemble grasses), mosses and other vegetation tolerant of soggy soils Animals include caribou, musk oxen, owls, foxes, hares, and wolves Location: Around the North Pole. 1/5 of earth’s surface.

Largest Biome in the World! Includes Canada, Europe and Asia Taiga (Boreal forest) winters are cold, and precipitation is in the form of snow. Soil is low in nutrients and highly acidic are characterized by coniferous forests (pines, firs, and other trees with needles). Animals: deer, rat snakes, turkey Climate Largest Biome in the World! Includes Canada, Europe and Asia

Deciduous Forests Climate Location: US (eastern coast), Canada, Europe, Russia, China and Japan have warm summers and cold winters (red), moderate precipitation (green), and rich soil with decaying organic matter and worms and fungi. (All four seasons) contain deciduous trees that shed their leaves during the winter (Plants: beech, birch, maple, oaks, and willows), an adaptation to poor growing conditions (short days and cold temperatures). animals include deer, fox, woodchucks, and squirrels

Grasslands Climate Location: Tropical grasslands are located near the equator; temperate grasslands are further away from the equator Big open spaces of endless grass that receive less water and are subject to lower temperatures the North American prairie is an example. Plants: Prairie grass, purple coneflowers, and milk weed Animals: Grazing herbivores like cows, buffalo; gophers, butterflies

Deserts- are hot and dry. soil is sandy and nutrient poor Climate Location: Near equator, 30º Latitude North and 30º latitude South are hot and dry. soil is sandy and nutrient poor growth of annual plants is limited to short periods following rains. other plants have adapted to the hostile conditions with leathery leaves, deciduous leaves, or leaves reduced to spines (Plants: cacti, aloe, Joshua tree.) many animals have thick skins, conserve water by producing no urine or very concentrated urine, and restrict their activity to nights. (animals: dingo, side winder snake, fennec fox)

Marine Biomes = Oceans Oceans – 5 main oceans around the world: Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, Indian, and Southern. Oceans are warmer near the equator and colder near the poles.

Ocean Zone (intertidal) (where oceans meet land) area exposed to air twice a day during low tide organisms must protect themselves from dehydration and crashing waves plants include Fucus, Laminaria, kelp, animals include crabs, mussels, sea stars, sea anemones, chitons, and snails

Ocean Zone - Neritic (area over the continental shelf) area where photosynthesis takes place most productive area of the ocean plants include plankton, and seaweeds like Sargassum animals include coral, mollusks, crustaceans, sea turtles, and fishes

Ocean Biome Pelagic Ocean zone low nutrient levels low productivity part light, part dark wide range of pressure and temperature contains fewer species producers include photosynthetic protists and bacteria at surface, and chemosynthetic bacteria at volcanic vents consumers include fish, whales, dolphins, clams, crabs, and worms

Freshwater Biomes include ponds, lakes, have low salt concentration (most freshwater biomes have less than 1% salt) plants include lilies, algae, rushes, cattails animals include birds, fish, otter, beaver two types: rich organic matter and nutrients, and murky very little organic matter Location: Found all over the world – Regional climate with limitations posed by the specific temperature and precipitation

Freshwater Biomes Streams and Rivers have low salt concentration water flows down a slope the greater the slope, the faster the current and the lower the nutrients higher concentrations of O2 plants include algae, cattails, shrubs, animals include fish, birds, snails, flatworms, insect larvae,