The Tundra Biome The Tundra Biome

Northern Most Land Biome

The Tundra Biome- Abiotic Coldest Biome on Earth Less than ten inches of Rain each Year Soil is permanently frozen- Permafrost Soil is Nutrient- poor Summer Season is under 10 degrees Fahrenheit Winter Season averages –30 degrees Fahrenheit Strong Winds- make temperatures very cold and low diversity of life

Cotton Grass Field in Tundra

Plant Life Cotton Grass Artic Moss Lichen Artic Willow

Plant Adaptations Most of the plants are small, grow close together and close to the ground. This protects them from the cold temperatures and the strong winds

Some flowering plants have fuzzy coverings on the stems, leaves and buds to provide protection from the wind. Some have woolly seed covers.

Other Plant Adaptations Others are dark colored so the plants can absorb more solar heat. Only the top layer of soil thaws out so plants have shallow roots. Small leaves help the plants retain moisture. Lichen and some mosses can survive on bare rock

Plant Life Cotton Grass Artic Moss Lichen Artic Willow

Snowy Owl Animals Caribou Artic Fox Polar Bear Musk Ox

Animal Adaptations Long Thick Fur Migration- Caribou, birds, and others Short Legs- (Many Rodents in the Tundra) Small activity during the winter Camouflage- Artic fox and snowy owl Store up food Large amounts of Fat to stay warm Underground Tunnels- Under Snow to stay warm

Coniferous Forest Forests that contain conifer trees. Conifer trees are trees that produce cone shaped seeds and have needle shaped leaves. long cold winters, -40° to 68°, average summer temperature is 50° 12

Canada, Alaska, Northern Europe, and Russia http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/images/taiga/taiga_500.jpg 13

Coniferous Forest- Abiotic Factors Long cold winters, short mild summers. Moderate amount of Rainfall Frozen Soil for several months keeps plants from getting water. Artic Winds create temperatures that stay under 50 degrees for most of the year.

Plant life in the Coniferous Forest- Biotic Factors - “Cone –bearing plants” Plants include- Pines, evergreens, spruce, etc. Adaptations- Cone shape of tree and long thin needles prevent snow accumulation Don’t lose leaves and have to grow new ones (use less energy) Less rainfall than the deciduous forest- long thin needles means less surface area to lose water Thick Bark that conserves water loss.

Picture taken by Ms. B http://www.ourbc.com/travel_bc/bc_cities/yellowhead_hwy/photos/terrace/cedar_tree_01_640.jpg Usually only one or two types of conifers, evergreen trees. Pine, Cedar, Red-wood, spruce. http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2008/01/08-15/redwood-forest.jpg http://sprucetreesforsale.com/williams_spruce_trees001005.jpg 16

Animals Black Bears, Wolves, Foxes, Eagles, Bobcats Adaptations: ?

Animals Black Bears, Wolves, Foxes, Eagles, Bobcats Adaptations: Thick fur Hibernation Birds migrate where food is more available and climate is warmer. Store up food during warmer seasons

Elk, brown bear, beaver, deer, lynx, wolf, woodpeckers, hawks, shrews http://www.smouse.force9.co.uk/fa_elk.jpg Elk, brown bear, beaver, deer, lynx, wolf, woodpeckers, hawks, shrews http://www.wildabouttheworld.com/gallery/data/505/Brown-Bear.jpg http://www.lindaslearninglinks.com/beavers3.jpg 20

Amount of Precipitation Tundra Taiga

Yearly Temperatures in Celsius. Tundra Taiga

Succession in Ecosystems

I. Succession- a series of changes in a community in which new populations of organisms gradually replace existing ones

A. Primary succession- colonization of new sites by communities of organisms – takes place on bare rock

Primary succession- New bare rock comes from 2 sources: 1. volcanic lava flow cools and forms rock

Primary succession- New bare rock comes from 2 sources: 2. Glaciers retreat and expose rock

B. Pioneer organisms- the first organisms to colonize a new site Ex: lichens are the first to colonize lava rocks

Primary Succession- Rock

C. Climax community- a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no succession

Climax community- Ex: In most of Georgia, the climax community would be a deciduous forest (oak, elm, maple and hickory                                                                                                                                 

Primary succession-

Secondary succession- sequence of community changes that takes place when a community is disrupted by natural disaster or human actions – takes place on existing soil

Secondary succession- Ex: A fire levels portions of a forest

Secondary succession- Ex: A farmer plows his field

Secondary succession-

Secondary succession-

Pond Succession

Pond Succession