CLIMATE, WATER, VEGETATION, SOIL, AND LANDFORMS ENVIRONMENTS

WHAT IS AN “ENVIRONMENT”? An environment is an area on Earth in a specific area of land or water. It includes all of the plants and animals in that area. It has its own characteristics, such as : Weather Climate Amount of water Soil Landforms

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTS Desert Polar/Tundra Wetlands Aquatic Oceans Freshwater Grasslands Forests Tropical rainforests Temperate rainforests Urban

DESERT There are four different classifications of deserts: Hot and dry Semiarid Coastal Cold Examples: Mojave (USA), Sahara The Great Basin (USA) Atacama, Chile Antarctic and Greenland

DESERT Features: Less than 20” precipitation per year Plants and animals have special structures that help them survive. Soil has an abundance of nutrients, but has little organic material. Very few large mammals

DESERT Adaptations may include: Being nocturnal (Most activity is at night.) Long appendages (legs, tails, and feet) and large ears Light colors Long eyelashes and thick eyebrows Nostrils that can close

DESERT

POLAR / TUNDRA Examples: Northern regions of Canada Northern regions of Russia Alaska Features: Permanently frozen soil Low growing plants: moss, lichens, and heath Two seasons: winter and summer Very windy Rainfall is between 6”–10” per year.

POLAR / TUNDRA Adaptations may include: Thick layer of fat under the skin Short appendages Mammals often have white fur. Have special padding on their feet to help them move on ice and snow

POLAR / TUNDRA

WETLANDS Examples: Amazon River Basin Pantanal in South America Florida Everglades Peat bogs in Scotland Features: There is generally water on the ground all year. Can be fresh water or salt water Called marsh, swamp, bog, or fen Aquatic plants and reeds Diverse plants and animals

WETLANDS Adaptations may include: Birds have webbed feet. Many birds have specialized beaks. Have the ability to survive in water and on land Have the ability to survive in fresh or salt water

WETLANDS

FRESH WATER Examples: Streams Rivers Ponds Lakes Features: Very low salt content in the water Precipitation keeps water in the lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. Changes temperatures depending on the season Large variety of organisms

FRESH WATER Adaptations may include: Obtaining oxygen through gills Having the ability to swim

FRESH WATER

OCEANS Examples: Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Southern Ocean Arctic Ocean Many major seas Features: There are five ocean biomes. The average temperature is 39°F. There are many plants and animals in the ocean: whales, sharks, fish, and sea urchins. The water can be very shallow and up to 36,200 feet deep.

OCEANS Adaptations may include : Obtaining oxygen through gills Having the ability to swim Some mammals have much smaller ears than land animals. Fins and flukes to assist with movement Waterproof feathers Beak adaptations to catch food

OCEANS

GRASSLANDS Examples: Russian steppes African savanna North American tall- grass prairie South American grasslands Features: Can be tall-grass or short grass Average rainfall is between 10”–30” in temperate grasslands and 25”–60” in tropical grasslands. Vegetation is dominated by grasses.

GRASSLANDS Adaptations may include: The ability to run fast Coats that help the animal blend with their surroundings Migration to find food Strong hooves to run across the savanna

GRASSLANDS

DECIDUOUS FORESTS Examples: Eastern USA and Canada Northern California Parts of China Europe Southern coast of South America Features: Growth is dependent on either rainy/dry seasons or because of seasonal temperatures. Rainfall is between 30”–60” per year. Trees, mosses, and wild flowers are common. The soil is usually very rich in nutrients and organic material.

DECIDUOUS FORESTS Adaptations may include: Larger leaves on plants to absorb more sunlight Ability to survive in a variety of temperatures, although some animals will hibernate or migrate Storing food (squirrels storing nuts) Specialized beaks and feet on birds to obtain food

DECIDUOUS FORESTS

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS Examples: Amazon Basin, South America Congo Basin, Africa New Guinea Queensland, Australia Hawaii, USA Features: Warm: Temperatures stay above 64°F all year. Rainfall is between 66”–390” per year. Home to half of the living species on the planet

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS Adaptations may include: Specific plant/animal relationships (An example is an (Azteca) ant and the Acacia tree.) Variety of seed dispersal methods Ability to live in trees Great agility and specialized body parts, such as tails. Brightly colored skin or feathers or Camouflage

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS Examples: Olympic Rainforest in Washington state (USA) Chiloé Island, Chile Te Anau, New Zealand Wielangta Forest, Tasmania Features: Lots of rain (140”–167“) Moderate temperatures Plants growing on other plants (mosses and ferns) Large, old trees

TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS Adaptations may include: Migration, hibernation, and dormancy Camouflage Ability to withstand both warm and very cold temperatures Eat a variety of food

TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS

URBAN