1. Essential Question: How do scientists classify ecosystems on land?
Ch. 6 Terrestrial Biomes
Essential Question: How do scientists classify ecosystems on land?

2. Key words in today’s notes
Weather Climate Latitude Altitude Tropical
Temperate Polar Deciduous forest Coniferous forest Permafrost
Define these words – Chapter 6, starting on page 152.

3. Weather
The day to day changes in temperature and precipitation

4. Climate The average weather conditions in an area
Climate is affected by
Latitude
Landmasses
Proximity to water

5. Climate Zones
Tropical
Temperate
Polar

6. Latitude
The distance north or south of the equator on the surface of Earth

7. Latitude
Shape of Earth at different latitudes causes unequal heating of its surface

8. Biomes Characterized by climate
Climate influences the vegetation present (some plants can not tolerate some climates)
Vegetation influences the animal communities present (animals depend on plants for food)

9. Tropical Climate Near equator (0-30o latitude) Warm year round
Lots of rain per year
Include: savanna (grassland) and rainforest biomes

10. Temperate Climate 30o and 60o latitude
Seasonal temperatures: cold winters and warm summers
Average and seasonal precipitation
Include: deciduous forests, northern coniferous forests, and grasslands

11. Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest
“Coniferous forest trees confide in their leaves”.
“Deciduous trees decide to lose their leaves”

12. Polar Climate North of Arctic Circle (60-90o latitude) Dry and cold
Permanently frozen soil (permafrost)
Include: tundra and polar ice caps

13. Altitude Elevation (above sea level)
Air is thinner at higher elevations so there’s less heat transfer and it’s generally colder and drier

15. Terrestrial Biomes Tropical Rainforest Tropical Savanna
Temperate Rainforest
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Tundra
Taiga
Desert
Chaparral

16. What would happen if we moved a rainforest fern to a desert or a cactus to a rainforest?

17. KEY TERMS Climate Biome (review term) Adaptations Others Tropical
Temperate
Polar
Biome (review term)
Rainforest
Taiga
Tundra
Savanna or Grassland
Desert
Adaptations
Coniferous
Evergreen
Deciduous
Succulents
Others
Latitude
Permafrost

18. The Biosphere
Regions around the world receive unequal distribution of heat and precipitation, i.e. climates.
Climate dictates the type of resources and inhabitants found in an ecosystem.
The major terrestrial regions found in the biosphere are called biomes.

19. Tropical Rainforests Occur in a belt near equator
Moderate temperatures & rainfall
Moist, thin topsoil; low in nutrients
Broad-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs & arboreal inhabitants

20. Temperate Deciduous Forest
Between 30o and 50o latitude
Seasonal temperatures with moderate precipitation
Moist, moderate nutrient levels
Broad-leaved trees and shrubs; deciduous plants drop leaves each fall (winter dormancy)

21. Temperate Rainforest Between 0o and 30o latitude
Warm temperatures with heavy to moderate precipitation
Moist, limited nutrient levels
Broad-leaved evergreen trees and arboreal plants

22. Temperate Grasslands
Found in interiors of continents (prairies, steppes, pampas)
Seasonal temperatures with moderate precipitation
Deep layer of topsoil; very rich in nutrients
Dense, tall grasses in moist areas; short clumped grasses in drier areas

23. Boreal Forest or Taiga Northern arctic circle
Subfreezing temperatures (6-10 month winters) & ice precipitation but ground thaws in summer
Needle-leaved (coniferous) evergreen trees allow snow to slide off leaves & flexible stems to bend

24. Tundra North of Arctic Circle Very cold, very dry
Nutrient poor permafrost (permanently frozen soil); slightly acidic
Mosses, lichens, dwarf woody shrubs

25. Savanna (Tropical grasslands)
Found near equator
Hot with moderate, seasonal precipitation
Dry, thin topsoil; porous, low in nutrients
Tall grasses, scattered trees

26. Chaparral
West coast of the U.S., west coast of S. Am., Cape Town area of South Africa, western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean.
Lay of the land: flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes. Think "Wild West“ movies.
Climate: very hot and dry; winter is very mild (about 10 °C), summer is so hot and dry (40 °C) that fires and droughts are very common.
Most of the plants have small, hard, waxy, sometimes succulent leaves which hold moisture; e.g. poison oak, Yucca and other shrubs, trees and cacti.

27. Deserts Very hot during day & cold at night
Little precipitation (less than 10 inches/year)
Dry, often sandy; nutrient poor
Succulent plants and scattered grasses with shallow roots