Biomes of the World Biomes are major types

Biomes of the World

Biomes are major types of communities and ecosystems that are typical of broad geographic regions.

Tundra: - no tall trees - lies north of Arctic Circle - supports mostly tough grasses and shrubs - underneath top few inches of soil is permafrost, which is permanently frozen soil - swamps and bogs occur where top layers defrost in summer - mosses and lichens cover the tundra (don’t need soil)

Exposed Permafrost with vegetation on top

Musk Ox Creatures of the Tundra Lemming Reindeer Arctic Fox Snowy Owl

Taiga: (coniferous/boreal forest) long, cold winters and short, wet summers that are occasionally warm

Bohemian Wax Wing Ermine Hawk Owl Lynx Marten Moose Wolverine Taiga Creatures

Temperate Deciduous Forest mid-latitude, enough moisture to support growth of large trees. Cold winters to hot summers.

Equator

Black Bear Temperate Deciduous Grey Squirrel Forest Creatures Turkey White-tailed deer Raccoon Wild Boar Copperhead

Temperate Grassland: rich soil, hot summer to cold winter, tall grass in wetter regions; short grass in drier regions.

Grassland “Prairie” Creatures Rattlesnake Prairie Dogs Bison Coyote Jack Rabbit

Chaparral: Scrubland, mild, rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers

Equator Chaparral around the world

Chaparral Creatures Aardwolf Grey Fox Puma Spotted Skunk Wild Goat

Desert: driest of all biomes, low and/or unpredictable precipitation

Equator

Desert Creatures Armadillo Lizard Javelina Bobcat Cactus Wren Pronghorn Antelope

Tropical Savanna Grassland with scattered individual trees

Equator Tropical Savannas of the World

Tropical Savanna Creatures Caracal Grant’s Gazelle Warthog

Tropical Rainforest: near equator, rainfall is abundant (greater than 250 cm per year!), short dry season

Rain Forest Creatures Ocelot Poison dart frog Leaf-cutter ants White-faced Capuchin Monkey

Water Biomes Flowing Water (streams and rivers): organisms need to be strong swimmers or be able hold fast

Standing Water (ponds and lakes): photic zone-light can reach; aphotic zone-light does not reach (lakes)

Inland Wetland: (freshwater marshes, swamps, and bogs): covered all or part of the time by water

Coastal Wetland (mangrove swamp): along the seacoast that are continually or periodically flooded by saltwater

Estuary (salt marsh, mudflats): an area where a freshwater stream or river merges with the ocean, salinity varies

Marine Zones (intertidal, coral reef, neritic, pelagic(open ocean), benthos(ocean bottom): the oceans and their shorelines

Notes Quiz: Match the following Biomes with the animals of that region. 1. _____Desert a. Lemming, Musk Ox, Reindeer 2. _____Tropical Rainforest b. Wolverine, Lynx, Hawk Owl 3. _____Chaparral c. Coyote, Bison, Rattle Snake 4. _____Temperate Forest d. Warthog, Zebra, Giraffe, Lion 5. _____Temperate Grassland e. Puma, Grey Fox, Spotted Skunk 6. _____Tundra f. Bobcat, Javelina, Pronghorn Antelope 7. _____Tropical Savanna g. Copperhead, Grey Squirrel, Turkey 8. _____Taiga h. Ocelot, Poison Dart Frog, Leaf Cutter Ant