2. Terrestrial Biomes
Types of Climax Communities (last stage of succession)

3. What are the 2 abiotic factors that determine which biome will form?
Temperature
Precipitation
Climate

4. Desert <25 cm/yr precipitation
Temperature varies greatly in 24 hours
Average temperature is above freezing

5. Desert Climatograph

6. Deserts are located at ~ 30N?S latitudes

7. Why are most deserts located at 30oN/S latitudes?

8. Adaptations of Desert Animals
Most animals are
active at night to
avoid the heat 
Digging burrows allows the
animal to avoid heat of the
Day.
Big ears allow heat to dissipate

9. Desert Plants Adaptations
Plants adapt to dry climates by:
Store water (succulents)
Spines/Thorns
Shallow/deep roots
Waxy layer

10. Human Impact on Deserts
Damage by off road vehicles

11. Irrigation of Crops

12. Storage of Radioactive waste
The Clive Facility in Utah's west desert

13. Grasslands, Steppes and Prairies

14. Temperate Grasslands *Warm/cold change of season
*drastic temperature change
with seasons
*<75cm precipitation/year
*Precipitation is evenly distributed
*plants and animals have
adapted to fire

15. Grassland climatograph

16. Temperate Grassland Plants
The primary types of plant in the grassland are grasses and wild flowers
No trees due to the lack of sufficient water.

17. Animals of the Temperate Grassland

18. Adaptations of Grass
How do grass plants survive a wildfire and grazers?
Rhizomes are underground stems
They are protected from fire since
they are underground.
New sprouts from new plants.

19. Savanna (Tropical Grassland)

20. Savanna Wet/dry season *Scattered trees with grasses
Temperature is warm and constant

21. Savanna Climatograph

22. Compare Grassland and Savanna

23. Animals must adapt their reproductive cycle with the rainy season

24. Human Impact on Grasslands
Conversion to agriculture

25. Used as Range Land

26. Human Impacts : Desertification
Converting of grasslands to deserts due to overgrazing and poor farming techniques

27. Forests

28. Tropical Rainforest
Located near the equator
equator

29. >200cm precipitation/year
Temperature is warm and constant
High species diversity

30. Tropical Rainforest Climatograph

31. Emergent layer Canopy Understory layer Forest floor
Soil is nutrient poor so bad for farming
Little light reaches the floor
Most primary productivity (photosynthesis) occurs in the canopy
Emergent layer reaches above the canopy
Forest floor

32. Plant Adaptations
Grow fast
Kudzu vine
Grows up to a
1 foot/day!!

33. Grow tall
For support, tree form buttresses

34. Emergent Layer Most trees are 45-55 meters (80-125ft)
Life must adapt to high temperatures and wind
Eagles, butterflies and monkeys

35. Canopy Layer This layer has the highest species diversity
Most trees grow to 30-45meters
Bats, sloths, macaws, pythons

36. Understory Layer Receives < 5% of the sunlight
Plants have large leaves
Typical animals are lizards, jaguar, leopard
Plants must pollinate using animals since wind can not help in pollination

37. Forest Floor < 2% of the sunlight reaches the floor
Soil is very nutrient poor
Decomposition occurs very quickly
Warm temperatures and high moisture content

38. Warm/cold seasons
Trees lose their leaves in winter
175cm precipitation/year

39. Temperate Deciduous Forest

41. Adaptation of Plants Trees drop their leaves in winter (oak, maple)
Reduces evaporation during winter when liquid water is in short supply

42. Deciduous Forest Animals

43. (Coniferous Forest-produce cones)
Long snowy winter
Short cool summers
<75cm precipitation/yr

44. Taiga Climatograph

45. Located north of deciduous forest

46. Adaptation of Plants Leaves are needles = reduces evaporation
Needles are wax covered
Branches are flexible
Trees are triangular
Roots are shallow to absorb
water when available

48. Animals of the Taiga
Animals will migrate or hibernate to avoid the worst of winter

49. Human Impact on Forest Clear Cutting-for lumber and farming
Increases erosion
Decreases species diversity

50. Tundra (Polar region)

51. Not just Snow and Ice

52. Most northern biome
<25cm precipitation/year
Average temperature below freezing
permafrost

53. Tundra Climatograph

54. Tundra Plants
Grow close to the ground
Due to wind and permafrost

55. Tundra Animals

56. Human Impacts on Tundra
Drilling for Oil