Differential Solar Heating

Hadley Cells of Rising and Falling Air

Hadley Cells and the Major Winds Hadley cell anim

Coriolis Effect Objects Moving in a Circle and Along a Straight Line are Seemingly Deflected when Moving Across Areas Moving More Slowly

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Biomes as a Function of Temperature vs. Precipitation

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Tropical Rainforest Greater than 80" of rain per year Huge biodiversity Rapid organic decay, nutrients largely in the vegetation instead of the soil (soil relatively poor) Dense foliage, parasitic plants Animals: butterflies, toucans, anacondas, orangutans, tigers, chimpanzee, gorilla, piranha Found in Brazil, Central Africa, Central America, Philippines

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Savanna (Tropical Grassland) inches of rain per year Sod grasses hold moisture year-round Severe dry season and short wet season Frequent fires Scattered and few trees Animals: Herds of gazelles, zebras, giraffes, and kangaroos (in Australia) Found in Central Africa, Eastern South America, Australia

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Desert Found at 30 o N or S latitude or in rain shadows < 10 inches (25 cm) of rain per year Both hot and cold deserts exist (tundra a cold desert) Plants are often spiny with minimal leaves and thick cuticles Animals are nocturnal, living burrows, conserve water (e.g. lizards, kangaroo rats, coyotes) Found in the Mojave of California, the Sonoran of W. Central America, the Chihuahuan in Texas, the Great Basin of Utah, the Sahara of Egypt, the Gobi of Australia

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Chaparral Long, hot and dry summers Mild, rainy winters Frequent fires and drought Spiny shrub adapted for fire like manzanita, coyote brush, ceanothus, live oak Animals include lizards, mule deer, cinnamon towhees

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Temperate Grasslands: Prairie, Steppes, Pampas Distinct hot/cold seasons Fewer fires than in the savanna No trees except around water courses Sod grasses hold soil and water - fertile and under cultivation in the US Animals include prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, meadowlarks, mice

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Temperature Deciduous Forest Warm/mild summers Moderate rainfall in the winters (light snow) Trees are broadleaf, deciduous and include oak, birch, maple, and cottonwoods Rich soil Animals include bobcats, foxes, chipmunks, raccoons, and wolves Found in Eastern US, Europe

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Northern Coniferous Forest Coniferous-evergreen trees including firs, pines, larches and spruces Cold hard and long winters with much snow Animals include moose, caribou, hares, jays, beaver, bears Northernmost edge of con. forest sometimes classified as a different biome (taiga) with stunted trees

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Tundra Short grasses, herbs, dwarf shrubs, lichens Relatively flat with some low hills Permanently frozen soil (permafrost) extending some 300 feet deep in northern areas Short growing seasons, huge explosion of insect populations Animals include caribous, reindeer, foxes, lemmings Very sensitive ecologically; soil disturbance produces ponds and lakes that take several hundreds of years to return to tundra

Map of the Major Biomes of the World

Marine and Aquatic Waters Fresh water provinces Plants include lilies, algae, milfoil, Elodea Animals include frogs, salamanders, turtles May freeze over in the winter Saltwater (marine) provinces - the ocean Covers 3/4 of the earth's surface Huge gradient in sunlight and temperature Huge gradient in pressure Large amount of photosynthesis at the surface Animals include whales, dolphins, otters, fish, arthropod crustaceans

Altitude and Biome-like Communities Every 1000 feet gain in altitude equivalent to + 10o N or S latitude

Biomes Map Used on Exams