Biomes
Factors that determine biome distribution Climate Temperature Moisture Wind Ocean currents Geography – Latitude and altitude Soil type
Moisture - Precipitation Type Rain Snow Fog Amount Season Monsoon Rainshadow
Topographic Features
WindPatterns
Ocean Currents
Now…for the rest of the period As a group, produce a document (scrawl on a piece of paper) indicating Your project choice and format What you have done so far What you still need to do to get a 100% on the project
The Terrestrial Biomes
Tropical Rain Forest 200-400 cm annual rainfall Warm – found around the Equator High species diversity Soil infertile Many plants are epiphytes AKA jungle Threatened by logging
Desert Less than 25 cm annual rainfall Temperature extremes Vegetation sparse Caused by rainshadowing
Savanna Tropical grassland Annual rainfall 90-150 cm, seasonal Open landscape with widely spaced trees Often large herding animals
Temperate Deciduous Forest Annual precipitation 75-250cm. Distinct seasons Hardwood trees that shed their leaves Eastern North American, Western Europe Threaten by logging, development
Temperate Grasslands AKA prairie, pampas Moderate climate Annual rainfall less than deciduous forest, more than desert Populated by large herding animals Threatened by agriculture and development Fire climax
Taiga Northern conifer forests Cold, wet Threatened by logging
Tundra Annual precipitation 25 cm Cold, treeless Permafrost Home to migratory waterfowl, large mammals and mosquitoes Threatened by mining and oil exploration
Chaparral Mild moist winter Hot dry summer “California climate” Adapted to fires
Temperate Rain Forest Pacific Northwest Mild wet winters, cool foggy summers Old growth trees, mosses Threatened by logging
Aquatic Biomes 75% of the earth’s surface is covered by water Characterized by Salinity Temperature Light levels
Freshwater Communities Lakes cover 1.8% of the Earth’s surface Rivers and streams cover .8% of the earth’s surface
Mountain Stream Swift flowing water Rocks, Mosses Cold
Freshwater Lake Still water Distribution of life depends on light and oxygen levels
Swamp Flooded forest
Marsh Wet grassland “Nature’s kidneys”
Marine Communities Shallow waters Surface Depths
Estuaries Where freshwater and saltwater mingle Bays, lagoons, inlets Organisms found here have to tolerate changes in salinity
Beaches and Shores Organisms need to handle tidal extremes and wave action
Kelp Forest
Coral Reef http://www.surfline.com/video/vids/2002/dec/jsps/tues_wm.cfm