Chapter 6 – Biomes Living World Unit

Major world biomes Desert Tropical Rain Forest Deciduous Forest (temperate and tropical) Savannah/Grasslands (temperate and tropical) Taiga (aka Boreal forest, coniferous forest) Tundra Mountains

Biomes Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Semidesert, arid grassland Arctic tundra (polar grasslands) Desert Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen coniferous forest (e.g., montane coniferous forest) Tropical rain forest, tropical evergreen forest Mountains (complex zonation) Temperate deciduous forest Tropical deciduous forest Ice Temperate grassland Tropical scrub forest Dry woodlands and shrublands (chaparral) Tropical savanna, thorn forest

Biomes Altitude Latitude Mountain Ice and snow Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest Latitude Tropical Forest Tropical Forest Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Polar ice and snow

Desert General Geographic region: Typically near 30oN and 30oS latitude Near interior of continents 30% of Earths surface Climate information: Evaporation exceeds precipitation Tropical desert: hot and dry year round Temperate desert: cooler in winter; more vegetation; more precipitation than tropical Cold desert: cold winters/hot summers

Desert General fauna: Lizards, snakes, kangaroo rat, roadrunner, jack rabbit Most animals are small, active during cool parts of day and night, wastes contain little water General flora: Cactus, yucca, agave 3 adaptations: no leaves, store water, open stomata only at night. Lifecycles: bloom, seed, and die quickly

Desert Environmental concerns: Deserts are expanding (desertification) Storage of toxic wastes Testing for nuclear weapons Pictures:

Grasslands General Geographic region: Continent interiors Climate information: Enough precipitation to support grasses and shrubs, but fewer trees Can be tropical, temperate, or polar

Grasslands General fauna: Hoofed herbivores, grazing animals Giraffe, elephant, warthog, gazelle, tiger General flora: Mostly grasses with deep roots, fewer trees that are drought tolerant Plants must be able to re-grow after frequent fires

Grasslands Environmental concerns: Frequent fires, overgrazing, desertification Pictures:

Tropical Rain Forest General Geographic region: Found near equator. Covers 2% of Earth Climate information: Lots of warmth and direct sunlight Lots of precipitation

Tropical Rain Forest General fauna: HUGE biodiversity Monkeys, frogs, snakes, macaw, etc Stratification to reduce competition Contains half of terrestrial species General flora: HUGE biodiversity Ground layer, shrub layer, understory, canopy, emergent layer

Tropical Rain Forest Environmental concerns: Deforestization, Slash and burn agriculture Pollution/resource depletion Pictures:

Tropical Rain Forest 45 Emergent layer 40 35 Canopy 30 Height (meters) Harpy eagle 40 35 Toco toucan Canopy 30 Height (meters) 25 20 Understory Wooly opossum 15 10 Brazilian tapir Shrub layer 5 Black-crowned antpitta Ground layer Tropical Rain Forest

Deciduous Forest General Geographic region: Further from equator Between 30o and 60o N and S latitude Climate information: Significant change in temperatures during seasons. Precipitation fairly evenly spread over year. Warm summers, cold winters

Deciduous Forest General fauna: Many top predators have been extirpated (wolves, cougars, bear) Deer, raccoons, squirrel, (our area animals) General flora: Trees drop leaves in winter Fewer tree species than TRForests, but more ground level plant life

Deciduous Forest Environmental concerns: Loss of biodiversity Large predators removed Deforestization Pictures:

Taiga (Boreal Forest) General Geographic region: Found in the north Just south of the arctic tundra Climate information: Winters are long, dry, and very cold. Winter sunlight is 6-8 hours a day. Mild summers with 19 hours of sunlight a day.

Taiga (Boreal Forest) General fauna: Moose, wolves, rabbits, bear, eagles General flora: Coniferous trees, some wildflowers and grasses

Taiga (Boreal) Forest Environmental concerns: Drilling for oil Deforestization Air pollution Pictures:

Mountains General Geographic region: Frequently on continent edges; where tectonic plates collide 25% of Earth’s surface Climate information: Varies depending on elevation. Higher elevation = colder Leeward side of mountains gets less precipitation

Mountains General fauna: Big horn sheep, mountain goats, taiga animals at lower elevations General flora: Little flora at high elevation, lichen, conifers as you go down in elevation

Mountains Environmental concerns: Air pollution Mining Pictures: