Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity

I consist mostly of cone-bearing trees, I can be found south of the Arctic tundra in northern America, Asia, and Europe, my trees waxy leaves can withstand the intense cold and snow because my winters are long and cold. What biome am I?

I can be found along coastal areas as well as parts of the Appalachian Mountains. On the west coast I consist mostly of redwoods and Douglas firs. I get plenty of rainfall, some place receive 14 feet of rain a year. Very little light reaches my forest floor. What biome am I?

I am a fragile biome. My growing season is only 6 to 8 weeks. Soil and vegetation recover very slowly here. Animals in my area have thick fur and short extremities to help them keep warm. Tall trees and plants cannot survive in my area. The permafrost prevents trees from taking root. What biome am I?

My winters are cold and my summers are dry and hot. I am a great biome for growing crops and raising cattle. The grasses in my area are drought-tolerant and fire-resistant. My animals are quick and agile or they can dig holes to avoid predators. I can be found mainly in the American mid-west. My area is prone to wind erosion when humans remove my grass to grow their crops. What biome am I?

I have moderate average temperatures with abundant precipitation throughout the year. My trees, such as oaks, hickories, poplars, and maples, drop their leaves in the Fall. My forest floor is covered with decaying leaves that are storehouse of nutrients for future growth. What biome am I?

People like living here because of my moderate, sunny climate with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. I have a thin layer of soil which is not very fertile. I have dense growths of low- growing evergreen shrubs with leathery leaves that reduce evaporation. Because of my frequent fires many of my plants have adapted by storing food reserves in their fire-resistant roots and they have seeds which sprout only after fires. What biome am I?

As you can see I do not have much vegetation. My winters are cold and my summers are hot. I have very little precipitation. I am the result of a rain shadow effect caused by the Himalaya Mountains. My animals have thick outer coatings to help retain moisture. What type of desert am I?

I am dotted with widely scattered clumps of trees covered with thorns to keep the herbivores away. I have alternating dry and wet seasons. I have occasional fires caused by lightning which allows nutrients to be added back to the soil. I have many species which migrate in large herds. My animals are far-sighted, swift, and stealthy. What biome am I?

I am found near the equator. I have uniformly warm temperature year around. I am dominated by a variety of broadleaf evergreen plants. My trees are very large with wide bases and shallow roots. My dense canopy prevents light from reaching the forest floor. My soil is acidic and low in nutrients. Pollination depends on bats, butterflies, birds, and bees because there is little wind. What biome am I?

CLIMATE: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION Weather is a local area’s short-term physical conditions such as temperature and precipitation. Climate is a region’s average weather conditions over a long time. –Latitude and elevation help determine climate.

Four major factors determine global air circulation patterns Uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the Sun Seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation Rotation of the earth on its axis – Coriolis effect Properties of air, water, and land

What color roof do you want on your home if you live in the southwestern part of the United States? Support your answer.

Ocean Currents: Distributing Heat and Nutrients Ocean currents influence climate by distributing heat from place to place and mixing and distributing nutrients.

Polar ice Equator Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Cancer High mountains Polar grassland (arctic tundra) Temperate grassland Tropical grassland (savanna) Chaparral Coniferous forest Temperate deciduous forest Tropical forest Desert

DESERT BIOMES Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate and cold deserts.

Desert Plant Adaptations Drop their leaves during hot and dry spells to survive dormant state Succulent plants – fleshy plants store water Some have deep roots to tap into groundwater Some have widely spread, shallow roots to collect water during brief rain showers Spines to guard against predators Wax coated leaves to reduce water loss Grasses and wildflowers store their biomass in seeds

Desert Animal Adaptations Small Hide in burrows during day and hunt at night Dormant during periods of extreme heat and drought Insects and reptiles thick outer coverings Insects and reptiles feces is dry and a dried concentrate of urine to minimize water loss Get water from dew Dry feces Dry urine

Saguaro (“sah-WAH-ro”) cactus No leaves Store water and synthesize food in their expandable fleshy tissue Reduce water loss by opening their stomata only at night to take up CO 2 -Grow up to 50 feet tall -Live up to 200 years -Grow a few inches a year -Branches around 50 years

Why are desert ecosystems fragile?  Soils take a long time to recover  Slow plant growth  Low species diversity  Slow nutrient cycling  Lack of water

GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL BIOMES Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue).

GRASSLANDS Grasslands occur in areas too moist for desert and too dry for forests.

Savanna Grasslands Scattered clumps of trees Animals farsighted, swift, stealthy Large herds of hoofed animals Seasonal droughts Occasional fires

Temperate Grasslands The cold winters and hot dry summers have deep and fertile soil that make them ideal for growing crops and grazing cattle.

Chaparral Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of spiny shrubs are subject to periodic fires.

Why is the tundra a fragile biome?  Short growing season  Soil and vegetation recovers slowly  Human activities leave scars that persist for centuries

Which of the following adaptations describes insects and reptiles which live in the desert? I. Thick outer coverings to prevent water loss II. Hunt during the day when it is warmer and hide in burrows at night III. To prevent water loss their feces is dry along with their urine being dry A. I onlyC. I and II onlyE. I, II, and III B. II onlyD. I and III only

FOREST BIOMES Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate, and polar forests.

Bromeliad

buttress

Rafflesia – world’s largest flower which smells like rotting flesh Dense vegetation = little wind Rainforest depends on others to spread seeds and pollen

Tropical Rain Forest Filling such niches enables species to avoid or minimize competition and coexist Stratification of specialized plant and animal niches

Temperate Rain Forests Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing evergreen trees such as redwoods and Douglas fir in a cool moist environment.

Taiga (Boreal) Forest Long winters Coniferous trees Low plant diversity High soil acidity Soil nutrient poor

A B C D E F LetterName the biome A B C D E F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral B C D E F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral BTaiga (Boreal) C D E F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral BTaiga (Boreal) CTropical Rainforest D E F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral BTaiga (Boreal) CTropical Rainforest DTaiga (Boreal) E F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral BTaiga (Boreal) CTropical Rainforest DTaiga (Boreal) ESub-Tropical Desert (Sahara) F

A B C D E F LetterName the biome AChaparral BTaiga (Boreal) CTropical Rainforest DTaiga (Boreal) ETropical Desert (Sahara) FTemperate Desert (Saguaro NP)

Human impact tropical rainforest

Human impact on deserts

Human impact on grasslands

Human impact on forests

The End

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