Land Biomes Chapter 20

Biomes Geographic area characterized by certain types of plant and animal communities Contains smaller ecosystems Rainfall and temperature are the major factors determining what biome is in a region Not specific to a place Ex. Desert biome doesn’t refer to one desert in particular but to any of them

Forests Needs enough rain and right temperature Three types Not too hot, not too cold Three types Temperate Deciduous forest Coniferous forest Tropical Rain forest

Temperate Deciduous This is where you live Deciduous = leaves that fall off Producers include trees, grass, moss, ferns Animals include bears, birds, rodents and even the platypus

Temperate Deciduous Rain 75-125 cm a year Temperature Summer 28 C Winter 6 C

Coniferous Forest Don’t change much from winter to summer Long cold winters Coniferous = pine trees with cones

Coniferous Forest Producers include pine trees mostly and some flowers, moss, wild potato Animals include yak, llamas, goats, birds, snow leopards

Coniferous Forest Rain – 35-75 cm Temperature 14 C in summer, -10 C in winter Also called Boreal forest or Tiaga

Tropical Rain Forest More diversity than any other biome Some animals only live in the tree tops (canopy) while others live on the ground. Most nutrients are found in the vegetation

Tropical Rain Forest Producers include bamboo, various trees such as coconut, lianas or vines, flowers and strangler fig Animals include elephants, tigers, monkeys, bats and insects

Tropical Rain Forest Rain – up to 400 cm a year Temperature -> 34 C during the day 20 C at night Also called the jungle

Grasslands Also called steppes, pampas, prairies Found between deserts and forests Found on every continent Most are flat with rolling hills

Temperate Grassland Prairie Rain 25-75 cm a year Temperature – 30 C in summer 0 C in winter

Temperate Grassland Producers include GRASS, and small flowering plants Animals include prairie dogs, birds, mice, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, insects

Savanna Tropical Grassland 150 cm in rain a year Temperature – Dry season 34 C Wet season 16 C

Savanna Producers include GRASS with scattered trees Animals include elephants, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, leopards, lions and hyenas

Savanna Think of the Lion King

Desert Hot, dry area Plants and animals have adapted to gain and conserve water Rain – less than 25 cm a year Temperature- 38 C in the summer, 7 C in the winter

Desert Producers include cactus, small flowering plants such as aster, and bushes Animals include rodents, birds, bobcats, reptiles such as snakes, lizards, tortoise and gila monsters

Desert

Tundra Far North on tops of mountains Too cold for trees to grow Permafrost – permanently frozen ground below the surface Keeps water from draining keeping surface soggy and wet

Tundra Producers include moss, grasses, berries, tea, small willow shrubs and lichens Animals include caribou, musk oxen, lemmings, shrews, hares, birds, bears, fox and wolves

Tundra Rain – 30-50 cm a year Temperature 12 C in summer -26 C in winter