1. Earth’s Biomes

2. Biomes
large geographic areas that have similar climates & ecosystems

4. Tundra
cold, dry, treeless regions, sometimes called cold deserts

5. Tundra

6. Tundra -severe winters -short growing season, cool summer
-arctic or alpine

7. -no trees
hedges,low shrubs
mosses
-permafrost
Tundra

8. Taigas (Boreal Forests)
cold, forest regions dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees

9. Taiga

10. Taiga/Boreal Forest -severe winters
-average temperature can be < 0 deg C
-precipitation is low
-short growing season

11. Taiga/Boreal Forest -10-20 m trees evergreen needle and deciduous
-second largest biome,
on an area basis
-fire dominated, but on longer
timescale than grassland
-more nutrients and carbon
stored in soils than plants

12. Deserts
regions that support little plant life, & receive less than 25 cm of rain each year

13. Desert

14. Desert -hot or cold deserts exist -low precipitation <25cm,
sporadic

15. Desert
-thorny plants
-other adaptations to conserve water

16. Temperate Deciduous Forests
regions with 4 distinct seasons each year

17. Temperate Deciduous Forest

18. Temperate Forest -distinct winter season, frost a defining feature
-summer season usually moist with
ppt > evapotranspiration

19. Temperate Deciduous Forest
-relatively large tree biomass
-also called the deciduous forest,
but contains evergreen needle trees as well

20. Temperate Rain Forests
regions with average temperatures from 9-12oC, cm of rain each
year, & mostly trees with needlelike leaves

21. Temperate Rain Forest

22. Tropical Rain Forest
region with warm temperatures, wet weather, & lush plant growth

23. Tropical Rain Forest

24. Tropical Rain Forest -found near the equator
-temperature varies little from approximately 23°C
-the length of daylight varies from 12 hours by less than one hour
-rainforest>2000mm precipitation

25. Tropical Rain Forest -canopy trees up to 55 m tall
-largest biome, on an area basis
-soils are generally unfertile
-nutrients and carbon stored
in plant biomass, not soils

26. Grasslands
temperate & tropical regions receiving cm of precipitation each year, and dominated by grasses

27. Grassland

28. Temperate Grassland
-cold winter
-relatively hot summer

29. Grassland/Savanna -scattered trees and shrubs
-trees are short statured
-fire & grazing by animals
also contribute to
predominance of grasses,
but that depends on climate

30. Aquatic Ecosystems

31. Freshwater Rivers & Streams
Streams usually begin at higher altitudes, flowing downhill. They have fast currents, which animals have adapted to, such as insects with suckers and trout. Few plants can survive in streams.
As streams join together, they form rivers, which have slower currents, warmer, cloudy waters, and pebbles on the bottom which allow plants to take root, providing food for many more organisms such as frogs and larger consumers.

32. Rivers & Streams

33. Brainpop quiz time! Preview the questions to the RIVERS quiz.

34. Freshwater Lakes & Ponds
Formed when a low place in the land fills with water
Lakes are larger and deeper than ponds with more open water. They have colder temperatures and lower light levels, limiting the types of organisms that can live in them, such as sunfish, insects, catfish, bacteria, and other decomposers.
Ponds are small, shallow bodies of still water where sunlight can reach the bottom. They are filled with animal and plant life, such as dragonflies, turtles, snails, and frogs.
In large ponds and most lakes, algae floating at the surface are the major producers.

35. Lakes & Ponds

36. Estuaries
The area where a river meets an ocean and contains a mixture of freshwater and salt water, located near coastlines
Also known as bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, and sounds
Salinity changes with amount of freshwater brought in by rivers, & with amount of saltwater pushed inland by ocean tides
Organisms include algae, marsh grasses, crabs, worms, clams, and fish, who use estuaries as breeding zones.

37. Estuaries

38. Intertidal zone
is the portion of the shoreline covered with saltwater at high tide and exposed to air during low tide
Organisms, such as barnacles, sea stars, clams, and crabs must be able to survive pounding waves, as well as sudden changes in water levels and temperatures.

40. Intertidal zone

41. Neritic zone
is where the edge of a continent extends into the ocean for a short distance, like a shelf.
Sunlight is able to pass through, allowing photosynthesis to occur, so many living things, such as large schools of sardines, can feed on algae.
If the water is warm enough, coral reefs may form.

42. Neritic Zone

45. Open Ocean

46. Open Ocean Light penetrates only a few hundred meters deep
Algae carry out photosynthesis on the surface zone, providing food for many marine animals, such as fish, whales, and sharks.
The deep zone is almost totally dark; most animals in this zone, such as giant squid, angler fish, and jellyfish, feed on the remains of organisms that sink down from the surface zone.