Biomes are a group of ecosystems with similar abiotic and biotic factors. (example: hot/dry desert in Nevada and North Africa)

Rain Forests found near the equator

Abiotic Factors: Warm temps (Avg. 25° C, 77° F) Large Amounts of Moisture (Humidity Avg. 88%) High levels of Rainfall (more than 100 inches per year: 8 feet) Very Poor Soil (nutrients washed away/lots of plants)

Rainforests have more biodiversity than any other biome. Biotic Factors: Rainforests have more biodiversity than any other biome. Animals that can live in trees (tails, fly, grip) Organisms that need a lot of moisture (frogs/fungi) Organisms that don’t need a lot of light (under the canopy)

Rainforests make 40% of the Earth’s oxygen. Biotic Factors: Rainforests make 40% of the Earth’s oxygen. Not a lot of light under canopy/ need to absorb light/ lots of vines 300 different types of species of trees every 2 acres, 70% of the plants are trees

Desert Biomes

Desert Biomes

Drastic Temp changes from day to night Abiotic Factors: Drastic Temp changes from day to night (49°C, 120°F to -18°C, -1°F) Windy Very dry (less than 9 in. of rain a year, less than one foot) Sand/ Little or no topsoil

In the Desert Biome, plants (cactus) have the ability to hold water for later use and most animals (scorpion) are nocturnal.

Animals usually have thick shells or skin Get water from food, or store water (plants) Come out at night and burrow during the day

Grassland

Grassland

Abiotic Factors: Temperatures vary throughout the year, warm summer, cold winter Windy Has a rainy season and a dry season (10 to 30 in. a year, not enough rain to naturally support trees, but plenty for grass and shrubs) Nutrient-rich soil

Dominated by grasses Grazing animals Plants and Animals that can adjust to fit season- ex. thicker coats in winter, burrow during extreme temps

Deciduous Forest

Abiotic Factors: Temperatures vary greatly- very cold winter, hot summer Four distinct seasons Annual rainfall (50-300cm, 19-118 in.) Soil- rich top layer, deep clay layer

Deciduous Forest The weather in this area changes with the seasons. It becomes very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. There is enough rainfall to support large trees.

Trees in this biome drop their leaves in the fall/winter and new ones sprout each spring.

Nesting birds Diverse animals Animals that can adjust to fit season- thicker coats in winter, hibernating during extreme temps A lot of brown and green organisms

Taiga: also known as northern coniferous

Abiotic Factors: Long, Very cold winter season, below freezing for six months out of the year. Cold season, Rainy Season Snow is the main precipitation Soil- poor in minerals and acidic

Coniferous trees- aspen, birch Large animals Animals with thick fur and that hibernate in severe conditions

Tundra

Tundra Abiotic Factors: Very cold (avg. -70°) very windy Dry, Little annual rainfall Soil- underneath thin topsoil- frozen ground, no nutrients in the soil

Treeless land Limited organisms due to low vegetation and extreme cold Only shallow-rooted grass and small plants Migration animals, very insulated Lot of white animals