1. Biome Notes (Chapter 6)

2. Areas of similar climates tend to have similar ecosystems.
Biome – A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities.

3. Tropical Rainforest

4. Tropical Rainforest Found near the equator Warm year-round
Lots of rainfall –350 cm/year (That’s ~138 inches!)
Ideal growing conditions for many plants
Hosts the greatest biodiversity on Earth
Unique species provide food, medicine, and valuable products
Currently being clear-cut for
lumber and housing

5. Layers of the Rainforest

6. Savanna

7. Savanna Also found near the equator AKA: Tropical Grasslands
Mostly grasslands with a few scattered trees
Provides food for grazing animals, such as zebras
Warm climate with alternating wet and dry seasons

8. Desert

9. Desert Receive less than 30 cm of rain/year (That’s ~11.8 inches)
Temperature can vary
Can be very hot; Gobi Desert, Sahara Desert
Or very cold; Antarctica
When plants are able to grow, they are usually small shrubs and cacti.

10. Chaparral

11. Chaparral Temperate coastal biome dominated by dense evergreen shrubs
Mild, rainy winters
Hot, dry summers
California is an example
Brushfires happen often

12. Temperate Grassland

13. Temperate Grassland Deep, nutrient rich soil
Hosts a variety of grass species
Called “prairies” in the US
Other names: Steppes, Pampas, Velt

14. Taiga (Coniferous Forest)

15. Taiga (Coniferous Forest)
Towering cone-bearing evergreen trees
Evergreen needles help prevent water loss
Long, cold winters with heavy snowfall

16. Tundra

17. Tundra Very, very, very cold Found in arctic and high elevations
High winds
Has permafrost
Lemmings, caribou, reindeer, owl and hares are examples of animals that live here

18. Temperate Deciduous Forest

19. Temperate Deciduous Forest
Mostly large deciduous trees
Cold winters
Hot summers

20. Biomes and Vegetation
Biomes are usually described using the plants that live there
The plants found in an area determine the type of animals that live there
Each organism in a biome has adapted to that exact environment

21. Biomes and Climate Climate includes temperature and precipitation
Animals have adapted to the specific range of temperatures in their ecosystem
Plants are also adapted to the specific conditions and growing season of their ecosystem
They cannot survive if the temperatures become too cold or too hot

23. Latitude vs. Altitude Latitude – Distance north or south from equator
Altitude – Distance above or below sea level
Climates vary with altitude and latitude
Climates tend to get colder as you move away from the equator
Climates tend to get colder as you move higher above sea level

24. Latitude vs. Altitude

25. The Eight Major Biomes

26. Review Questions What is a biome?
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where are tropical rainforests found?
3. What is the climate like in a tropical rainforest?
4. Why are tropical rainforests important?

27. Review Questions 5. What are the layers of a tropical rainforest?
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Where are savannas found?
7. What is another name for a savanna?
8. What types of animals live there?

28. Review Questions 9. What type of climate does the savanna have?
________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What is the climate like in a desert?
11. Are deserts always hot? If no, give an example.
12. How might an animal escape the heat in a desert?

29. Review Questions 13. What types of plants grow in a chaparral?
________________________________________________________________________________________
14. What is the climate like in a chaparral?
15. What are other names for grasslands?
16. What type of trees grow in a taiga?

30. Review Questions 17. Why do the trees in a taiga have needles?
________________________________________________________________________________________
18. What is the climate like in a taiga?
19. How are animals adapted to living in a taiga?
20. Where are tundra found?

31. Review Questions 21. What is the climate like in a tundra?
________________________________________________________________________________________
22. What is permafrost?
23. What plants are found in a temperate deciduous forest?__________________________________________________________________________________
24. What is the climate like in a temperate deciduous forest? ______________________________________ ____________________________________________

32. Review Questions 25. How are biomes described?
________________________________________________________________________________________
26. What is climate?
27. What happens to organisms if the climate in their ecosystem changes too much? ___________________ ____________________________________________
28. How are altitude and latitude different?

33. Review Questions
29. Describe how the climate and biomes would change from the equator to the North Pole.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
30. Describe how the climate and biomes would change from sea level to the top of the tallest mountain. ___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________