Just to refresh your memory… Biosphere You are here  Biome Ecosystem Community Population Organism

 A large geographical area that is characterized by its climate and the flora (plants) & fauna (animals) that live in there.  A biome contains related ecosystems. For example: the temperate deciduous forest biome contains ecosystems in the tree-tops, the forest floor, and mid-canopy.

1. Temperate Deciduous Forest 2. Coniferous Forest (aka: Taiga, Boreal Forest) 3. Tropical Rainforest 4. Temperate Grassland (e.g.. Prairies, Pampas, Steppes) 5. Tropical Grassland (e.g.. Savanna, and some in S. America, and Australia.) 6. Deserts…hot like the Sahara, Sonora, etc., and cold like the Gobi. 7. Tundra (Polar & Alpine)

Characterized by:  Climate …NOT weather!  What lives there? Not just animals…plants too.  What is the topography of the area…the landforms.

This Y- axis shows the avg. ppt. The bars! This Y- axis shows the avg. TEMP. The line! Here’s where you see the month…X- axis Here’s your KEY…tells you what’s what.

Temp. Grassland Tropical Grassland S. America

 This is where we live! Well…not actually in the forest. That’d be camping. Location:Mid-latitudes (between the poles and the tropics) PrecipitationYearly Avg: cm ( inches) Temperature Summer Avg: 28 ⁰ c (82 ⁰ f) Winter Avg.: 6 ⁰ c (43 ⁰ f) Not too hot…not too cold There are seasons here! FloraOaks, Maples, Hickory, Beech, Poplar, Sweetgum, and other decid. trees. Woody shrubs, flowers, ferns, mosses. FaunaMammals (deer, bear, raccoon, squirrel) Birds Reptiles, Amphibians, and Inverts.

 Temp. Decid. Forests

Coniferous Forest (aka: Taiga, Boreal Forest) Lots and lots of pine trees! Get it pine cone … con iferous? Of course you do…you’re smart like dat Location:Northern hemisphere. High latitudes near the poles. Relatively unpopulated. PrecipitationYearly Avg: 35-75cm ( inches) Temperature Summer Avg: 14 ⁰ c (57 ⁰ f) Winter Avg.: -10 ⁰ c (14 ⁰ f) Cold winters…cool summers. FloraPines, firs, spruce (all cone bearing) are dominant here. FaunaMammals (wolf, lynx, bobcat, weasels, rabbit, squirrel, deer, elk) Birds-migratory Inverts.

 Coniferous Forest

Tropical Rainforest Greatest diversity of any land biome. “Come for our venomous snakes…stay for the oppressive humidity!” Leave your winter jacket at home…bring your malaria kit. Location:Equatorial...ummm…near the equator. Soil is nutrient poor…it’s all in the plants! PrecipitationYearly Avg: up to cm ( inches). Greatest ppt. of any biome! TemperatureNo Seasons. It’s near the equator…think about it! Night: 20 ⁰ c (68 ⁰ f) Day:34 ⁰ c (93 ⁰ f) FloraAll types of trees, vines, flowers. There really is no dominant species like in the other types of forests. FaunaMammals: depends which TRF, but…Jaguars, monkeys, tapirs, sloths, rodents. Lots of reptiles and amphibians. Birds-colorful, vocal, fruit-eating. Insects: the largest group in this biome.

 Tropical Rain Forest

Temperate Grassland There are a few. The Steppes of Asia, The US Prairies, and Las Pampas de Argentina…that’s Spanish for the Pampas of Argentina. Location:Mid-latitudes. Interior of continents. Rolling hills with few trees. PrecipitationYearly Avg: up to cm ( inches). Usually there only dormant (colder) and growing (warmer) seasons. Temperature Avg Summer: 30 ⁰ c (86 ⁰ f) Avg Winter: 0 ⁰ c (32 ⁰ f) FloraGrasses and flowers. Very few trees. FaunaMammals: bison, antelope, coyotes, wolves, Reptiles. Birds-seed and insect-eating. Insects and other inverts. Sea anemones…just making sure you’re payin’ attention.

 Temperate Grassland

Tropical Grassland(Savanna) Rolling grassy terrain (like prairies). Clumps of trees here and there. A long dry season and a rainy season. LoactionFound north and south of the Equator, on the edges of TRF’s. Africa, India, & S. America. PrecipitationYearly Avg: 150 cm (59 inches). Usually there only dormant (colder) and growing (warmer) seasons. Temp: Dry Season: 34 ⁰ c (93 ⁰ f) Avg Winter: 16 ⁰ c (61 ⁰ f) FloraGrasses and flowers. Very few trees. In Africa…acacia trees. FaunaMammals: Lions, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, antelope, giraffe…those are all African Savannah. Reptiles. Birds-seed and insect-eating. Insects and other inverts. Unicorns and talking fish…checking again.

 Tropical Grassland

Alpine & Arctic Tundra From the Finnish word for barren land. Fairly low diversity with simple food chains. As dry or even drier than deserts! ARCTIC has characteristic PERMAFROST…it’s what it sounds like Location-Arctic: High, middle, and low Arctic zones. -Alpine: northern hemisphere at high elevation Precipitation<10 inches (25 cm) per year. Temp: Avg. Summer: 12 ⁰ c (54 ⁰ f) Avg. Winter: 32 ⁰ f) FloraShrubs, dwarf trees, grasses, lichen, mosses, liverwort, angiosperms (flowering plants). FaunaBirds: ptarmigan, grouse, migratory birds Mammals: polar bear, wolves, foxes, lemmings, caribou, arctic hares, squirrels, marmot, pikas, mtn goat, sheep elk. Insects, some fish…that’s about it.

H ot Deserts Hot fudge sundaes…apple pie…oh… deserts ! That’s cool…I knew that. Greatest daily differential of any biome. Very hot days and cold nights. Location-Under zones of high atmospheric pressure - West coasts of continents between 20° and 30° latitude - Rainshadows of high mountain ranges & interiors of continents. Precipitation<10 inches (25 cm) per year. Temp: Day: 38 ⁰ c (>100 ⁰ f) Night: 7 ⁰ c (45 ⁰ f) FloraShrubs w/small leaves, spines, or thorns are dominant (evergreen or deciduous). Shallow but extensive root systems to max. rainwater xerophytes -adapted to tolerate extreme drought. Phreatophytes -plants with long taproots. Succulents -like cacti. FaunaRodents and some larger mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and other inverts. Behavioral Adaptations: living underground ( fossorial ), noctornal (active at night), crepuscular (dawn and dusk). Physical Adaptations: long ears, concentrated urine, no sweat glands, fat deposits.