1. Section 1: What is a Biome?
Notepack 12
Section 1: What is a Biome?

2. What is a Biome?
Biomes are large regions that are characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities.
The climate and geography of a region determines what type of biome can exist in that region.

3. What is a Biome? Each biome is made up of many individual ecosystems.
Communities within the biome have adapted to the small differences in climate and the environment inside the biome.
Major biomes include deserts, forests, grasslands, tundra, and several types of aquatic environments.

4. The Fragile Biome
All living things are closely related to their environment. Over many years of evolution, these organisms have developed adaptations that helps them survive in their environment.
Any change in one part of an environment, like an increase or decrease of a species of animal or plant, can cause a ripple effect of change in other parts of the environment.
Ecosystems are very delicate, populations are independent on each other, as well as, the amount of abiotic things in its surroundings, such as, water, temperature and sunlight.

5. Understanding a Biome
To understand a world biome, you need to ask the following:
What is the climate of the region?
Where is the biome located and what is its geography?
What type of vegetation is located in that biome and what are their special adaptations?
What types of animals are found in the biome and what are their physical and behavioral adaptations to that environment?

6. Biomes and Vegetation
Biomes are described by the vegetation that dominate the region.
This is because plants that grow in an area determine the other organisms that can live there.
Plants in a particular biome have characteristics, specialized structures, or adaptations that allow the plants to survive in that biome.
These adaptations include the size, shape of their leaves, and their reproductive cycle.
Example: Tropical plants tend to have large leaves because they compete for sunlight; while pine trees have needles as leaves so they can conserve water.

8. The World’s Major Terrestrial Biomes

9. Biomes and Climate
Weather is the daily temperature and moisture characteristic of an area.
Climate is the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.
Weather is not always predictable over a long period of time, but climate is.
Example:
On October 31st 2013, we had a snow storm. The weather on that day doesn’t mean that it will snow ever Halloween. However, the climate around Halloween is usually about 55 to 65 degrees and mostly dry.

10. Biomes and Climate
Climate is the main factor is determining which plants can grow in a certain area, which in turn defines the biome.
Temperature and precipitation are the two most important factors that determine a region’s climate.

11. Temperature
Most organisms are adapted to live within a particular range of temperatures and will not survive at temperatures too far above or below their range.
These adaptations developed over many years.
Individuals in the population who had an adaptation that gave them an advantage lives and reproduced, while those individuals who did not have that adaptation died out. Over time the population changed having that surviving characteristic.

12. Precipitation
Precipitation also limits the organisms that can be found in a biome because all organisms need water, and the bigger the animal, the more water it needs.
In areas of lots of rain, some plants developed large leaves with large stomata to help eliminate excess water, while plants that live in dry areas develop large chambers inside them that store large amounts of water.

13. Temperature and Precipitation
Biomes that do not receive enough rainfall to support large trees support communities dominated by small trees, shrubs, and grasses.
In biomes where rainfall is not frequent, the vegetation is mostly cactuses and desert shrubs.
In extreme cases, lack of rainfall results in no plants, no matter what the temperature is.
The higher the temperature and precipitation are, the taller and denser the vegetation is.

14. Latitude
Latitude is the distance north or south from the equator, and is expressed in degrees.
Regions that are close to the equator tend to be warmer than regions further away from the equator.
The Earth does not rotate (spin) perfectly at a 90o angle to the Sun, instead it is tilted at 23.5o which means that the Sun’s light does not hit the Earth evenly.
The Equator gets the light more evenly and consistently. While the poles get very little and not consistently.
This variation in sunlight creates unique climates in particular areas of the earth.

16. Altitude
Altitude is the height of an object above a reference point, such as sea level or the Earth’s surface.
Climate varies with latitude and altitude. As you move higher above sea level, the temperature tends to drop. This creates a cooler and drier climate.

17. Temperature and Precipitation

18. Latitude and Altitude
As latitude and altitude increase, biomes and vegetation change.
Trees of tropical rainforests usually grow closer to the equator, while mosses and lichen of the tundra grow closer to the poles.
The temperate region includes biomes such as temperate forests and grasslands, which usually have moderate temperatures and fertile soil that is ideal for agriculture.

19. Latitude and Altitude

20. Tundra
Location: Regions south of the ice caps in the Artic. In North America, Europe, and Siberia.
Description: Coldest biome and also covers 1/5 of the Earth’s surface.
Plants: lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs. Almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost
Animals: Every animal must adapt in order to survive. Some have grown thick fur which turns white in the winter. Others find a place to hibernate during the winter months.

22. Tundra Plants and Animals
Arctic Fox
Caribou
Snowy Owl
Polar Bear
Siberian Lynx
Cotton Plants
Lichen
Yellow Tundra Flower

23. Taiga Location: Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States
Description: Also known as “Coniferous forests.” Taiga regions have cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons
Plants: Coniferous-evergreen trees (trees that produce cones needles). The trees are narrow and grow very close together. This is so they can help protect each other from the weather. There are also moss, lichen, and other species of plants that live in the Taiga’s bogs.
Animals: Snow, cold, and a scarcity of food make life very difficult, especially in the winter. Some taiga animals migrate south, others go into hibernation, while others simply cope with the environment. 

25. Taiga Animals and Plants
Wolverine
Moose
Lynx
Hemlock
Lichen growing on a tree
Larch Needles

26. Temperate Forest
Location: Eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan
Description: Temperate forests go through four distinct seasons. Leaves change color in autumn, fall off in the winter, and grow back in the spring. This adaptation allows plants to survive the cold winters.
Plants: Broadleaf trees (oak, maple, beech), shrubs, and mosses
Animals: Animals living within this biome must adjust to cold winters and hot summers by hibernating, migrating, or keeping active all winter.

28. Temperate Forest Plants and Animals
Grey Squirrel
Black Bear
White Tailed Deer
Raccoon
Wild Turkey
Oak
American Beech
Maple

29. Desert
Location: North & South America, Africa, Middle East, Australia, and Asia
Description: Extremely hot and dry (less than 10 inches of rain a year). Some deserts can be cold at night (40s or 50s)
Plants: Cacti, small bushes, and short grasses. Desert plants are adapted to collect and store water, and/or reduce water loss.
Animals: Animals in this biome must adapt to intense heat and lack of water. Some animals never drink water, instead they get water from the seeds and plants that they consume. Many animals are nocturnal so that they do not have to combat the sun’s heat.

31. Desert Plants and Animals
Thorny Devil
Sidewinder
Gila Monster
Cactus Wren
Lappet Faced Vulture
Hairy Old Man Cactus
Saguaro Cactus
Prickly Pear Cactus

32. Grasslands Location: Every continent except Antarctica
Description: Grasslands are big open spaces. There are not many bushes in the grassland. Trees are found only by rivers and streams.
Plants: Grasses (prairie clover, salvia, oats, wheat, barley, coneflowers)
Animals: Many large herds of grazing animals such as zebras or bison. Animals live in herds for protection, because there are few trees and bushes to camouflage themselves.
    

34. More Grassland Plants and Animals
Black tailed prairie dog
Brown Hyena
American Bison
Giraffe
Zebra
Coneflower
Wheat Grass
Salvia

35. Rainforest
Location: Near the equator between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. South America, Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa
Description: Two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate Several varieties of exotic plants and animals Lush greens and vibrant colors.
Plants: Vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns. Most plants must compete for sunlight and nutrients due to their dense population. The majority of common houseplants come from the rainforest.
Animals: Life inside the wet tropical rainforest is bustling with slithering snakes and chirping birds. An animal must be both smart and strong to survive in this environment.   

36. Rainforest Plants and Animals
Capybara
Flying Dragon
Chimpanzee
Jungle Python
Parrot
Orchid
Bamboo
Banana Tree