1. Major Ecosystems of the World Part 1
Chapter 6
Major Ecosystems of the World Part 1

2. Earth’s Major Biomes

3. Earth’s Major Biomes
Type of biome controlled by temperature and precipitation

4. Earth’s Major Biomes
Tundra

5. Earth’s Major Biomes Tundra Characterized by:
Very short growing season
Little precipitation (10-25 cm / yr)
Permafrost
Low species diversity

6. Earth’s Major Biomes
Boreal Forest (Tiaga)

7. Earth’s Major Biomes Boreal Forest (Tiaga) Characterized by:
Short growing season
Low precipitation (~50 cm / yr)
Dominated by conifers (spruce, fir), but also has aspen, birch

8. Earth’s Major Biomes
Temperate Rain Forest

9. Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Rain Forest Characterized by:
Cool; high precipitation (~127 cm / yr)
Dominated by evergreens (hemlock, spruce, cedar)
Heavily logged

10. Earth’s Major Biomes
Temperate Deciduous Forest

11. Earth’s Major Biomes Temperate Deciduous Forest Characterized by:
Hot summers, cold winters
Moderate precipitation ( cm / yr)
Dominated by oaks, hickory, maple
Commonly converted to agriculture

12. Earth’s Major Biomes
Grasslands

13. Earth’s Major Biomes Grasslands Characterized by:
Hot summers, cold winters
Low to moderate precipitation (25-75 cm / yr)
Dominated tallgrass or shortgrass prairies
Heavily converted to agriculture

14. Earth’s Major Biomes
Chaparral

15. Earth’s Major Biomes Chaparral Characterized by:
Dry summers, mild winters
Frequent fires
Dominated by short pines, evergreen shrubs, scrub oak (but varies worldwide)

16. Earth’s Major Biomes
Deserts

17. Earth’s Major Biomes Deserts Characterized by:
Wide daily variations in temperature
Very dry (<25 cm precipitation / yr)
Sparse plant coverage

18. Earth’s Major Biomes
Savanna

19. Earth’s Major Biomes Savanna Characterized by:
Precipitation cm / yr, but very seasonal with extended dry periods
Dominated by grasses, with occasional trees
African most famous for herds of wildebeest, antelope, zebra

20. Earth’s Major Biomes
Tropical Rain Forests

21. Earth’s Major Biomes Tropical Rain Forests Characterized by:
Very high precipitation cm / yr
Very nutrient-poor soil
Extremely high primary productivity
Extremely high species richness

22. Earth’s Major Biomes
Vertical Zonation: The Distribution of Vegetation on Mountains

23. Aquatic Ecosystems Fundamental division: Freshwater vs. Saltwater
But, both contain 3 ecological category of organisms:
Free floating plankton
Strongly swimming nekton
Bottom-dwelling benthos