1. Biomes Map
Yours should
look like this 

2. Questions:

3. Biomes of the World

4. What are Biomes?
The world’s major regions, grouped according to the common  climate and characterized by similarties of organisms in that environment.

5. Arctic Tundra North pole area Cold, dry, treeless region “cold desert”
Winter is 6-9 mos. long
Ground is “Permafrost” (permanently frozen)

6. Taiga (aka Boreal Forest)
Just south of tundra
Cold, coniferous forest region
Much wetter than tundra (more precipitation!)

7. Temperate Forest
4 distinct seasons
Trees change color in autumn (deciduous)
More precipitation than Tundra or Taiga

8. Coniferous Forest
Lower temps, much more precipitation!
Deciduous and coniferous trees

9. Tropical Rain Forest Warm temps, wet weather, lush plant growth
Near the equator
Home to extremely wide variety of organisms!

10. Desert
Driest ecosystem on earth- supports little plant life
Ground is covered in thin, sandy soil
Rare rain evaporates quickly

11. Grasslands (aka Prairie)
Not much rain, only supports grasses
Perfect for growing many crops and raising livestock

12. Rivers and Streams
Flowing freshwater
Current washes nutrients into water from land
Includes slow moving creeks to whitewater rapids

13. Lakes and Ponds Freshwater (hardly moving)
More plant growth than flowing rivers
Lakes- deeper and colder towards bottom = less plant and algae growth
Ponds- shallow and warmer= filled with plant and animal life

14. Wetlands
Wet for most or all of year
Regions between land and water (swamps or bogs)
Extremely fertile, but only for plants that can handle lots of water
Full of diverse animals and plants

15. Contains different regions based on depth
Open Oceans
Saltwater
Contains different regions based on depth
Home to various plankton and fish

16. Coral Reefs
One of the most diverse ecosystems
Formed over long periods of time by animals called corals
Don’t adapt well to stress or change

17. Seashores and Estuaries
Seashore- Shallow water along coastlines
Estuary- where river meets ocean
Organisms must adapt to drastic changes in water levels and temperatures
Provide lots of seafood for humans!