Biomes By Drew Buzzell, Rebecca Forman and Nina Sevilla

Objective Question: What defines a biome? A biome is a terrestrial ecosystem that covers a large region of the earth Characterized by communities of plants, animals and other organisms that are adapted to its climate and other abiotic factors

Tropical Forest Tropical forests occur near the equator where temperatures are warm year-round One type of tropical forests--tropical rain forests--can receive as much as 350 centimeters of rainfall yearly Tall broad-leaved trees create a canopy and little light actually reaches the forest floor Tropical rain forests have the greatest diversity of life o 50% of all species on Earth Clearing forests affects global weather patterns

Savanna Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees Found in tropical regions of Africa, Australia and South America Grasses grow rapidly and are food for grazing animals Warm climate with alternating wet and dry seasons o Organisms in the savanna must be able to cope with drought

Desert Deserts are land areas that receive less than 30 cm of rain per year Some have soil temperatures of over 60 degrees C, while others are relatively cold Some have little to no plant life and others are populated by scattered shrubs and cacti

Chaparral Temperate coastal biome dominated by dense evergreen shrubs are known as chaparrals Climate consists of mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Temperate Grassland Temperate grasslands are characterized by deep, nutrient- rich soil that supports a varity of species and other plants Seasonal drought and occasional fires prevent woody shrubs and trees from growing Drier areas have shorter grass species, but wetter areas support plants that grow over 2 meters in height.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Temperate deciduous forests are characterized by dense stands of deciduous trees (trees that drop their leaves each year) Winters tend to be cold, and summers tend to be quite hot. New England falls into this category.

Coniferous Forest Coniferous forests are characterized by cone-bearing evergreen trees (pine, spruce, fir, and hemlock) These regions are also called the taiga Winters are long, cold, and have heavy snowfall Typical animals are hares, moose, elk, wolves, and bears

Tundra Tundras are characterized by extremely cold temperatures and high winds Found within the Arctic Circle and on high mountaintops at all latitudes Permafrost is the permanently frozen subsoil, during the summer only the first few inches melt

Aquatic Ecosystems

Background Nearly 3/4ths of the Earth's surface is covered with water Aquatic (water) ecosystems provide homes to many of the Earth's organisms Major abiotic factors affecting aquatic ecosystems include the amount of dissolved salt, the water temperature and the availability of sunlight

Ponds and Lakes Standing (not flowing) bodies of water Photic zone is made up by the shallow water close to shore and the upper zone of water away from shore o Water plants and Phytoplankton--microscopic algae and cyanobacteria that carry out photosynthesis--live in this zone The aphotic zone is the deep, murky areas of a lake where light levels are too low to support photosynthesis The benthic zone is what the bottom of any aquatic ecosystem is called o consists of rock, sand, and sediment

Streams and Rivers Bodies of flowing freshwater o Streams are smaller, rivers are larger Near the source, river water is usually cold, low in nutrients, and clear o Few phytoplankton inhibit this part, instead the major producer is algae on rocks o Many species of anthropds live in the benethic zone and the most common fish are trout Downstream the river becomes warmer, murkier, wider and deeper o Marshes and other wetlands are common o More phytoplankton, as well as many other species, inhabit this part o Worms and insect larvae are more abundant in the benethic zone

Estuaries An estuary is the area where a stream or river merges with the ocean There are changes in slat concentration and temperature Nutrient rich soil supports a rich diversity of life, it is one of Earth's most productive ecosystems Along the east coast of the United State, the major ecosystems found in estuaries are salt marshes In tropical areas, the typical estuary ecosystems are mangrove swamps

Objective Question: Freshwater Flowing Standing Salt and Fresh Water Aquatic Ecosystems

Ocean Zones The ocean can be divided into zones based on depth o Pelagic Zone (open water above the ocean floor)  Photic, Aphotic o Benethic Zone The ocean can also be divided into zones based on the distance from shore o Intertidal Zone o Nertic Zone o Oceanic Zone

Intertidal Zone Intertidal zone is the area of shore between high-tide and low-tide Benethic organisms in this zone must be well-adapted to the harsh conditions of the sun and wind during low tide and pounding waves during high tide o Ex. Barnicles  cement themselves to rocks  trap-door holds moisture during low-tide

Neritic Zone Neritic zone is the area of the ocean from the low-tide line out to the edge of the continental shelf Sunlight allows for seaweeds and phytoplankton Other animals include mollusks, crustatians, sponges, sea turtles, fish and marine mammals

Oceanic Zone Oceanic zone is the vast, open ocean from the edge of the continental shelf outward The photic zone is inhabited by phytoplankton and zooplankton (microscopic animals that serve as food) Swimming animals include dolphin, whales, squid and numerous species of fish that are adapted to life at different depths

Coral Reefs Visually spectacular and biologically diverse ecosystem o Equivalent to tropical rain forests on earth Contain one out of every four marine species Usually in the neritic zone Most coral reefs are formed by colonies of coral polyps

Deep-Sea Vents Hydrothermal vents are spots on the ocean floor where hot gasses and minerals escape from the Earth's interior No sunlight reaches this deep zone Vent communities use chemical energy from the Earth o The producers in this ecosystem are prokaryotes that can extract energy from sulfur compounds and use it to make carbohydrates