BIOMES Terrestrial Biomes large land ecosystems with characteristic

BIOMES

Terrestrial Biomes – large land ecosystems with characteristic plants and climate (temp. /rainfall) Plants are the foundation of ecosystems. Energy enters an ecosystem through it’s plants and photosynthetic organisms (like algae, bacteria).

A biome’s climate is the limiting factor that determines which plants can survive there. The type of plants in a biome determine the type of animals which can survive there. Energy flows from producers, to consumers, to the decomposers.

Biotic Groups – Autotrophs and Heterotrophs 1. Bacteria Kingdoms Archaebacteria/Eubacteria – 2. Kingdom Protista – algae, protozoan, etc. 3. Kingdom Plantae – all plants 4. Kingdom Animalia – all animals 5. Kingdom Fungi – all mushrooms, mold, yeast, etc.

Tundra Located near the poles Permafrost – area just below the soil surface that stays permanently frozen

Tundra

Tundra Rainfall – light Summer temperature – 34 o. F Mosses, lichens, grasses Reindeer, foxes, artic wolves, lemmings

Taiga/Boreal Forest/Coniferous Forest

Taiga http: //www. scsc. k 12. ar. us/2005 outwest/Projects/ Coniferous%20 Forest/default. htm

Taiga/Coniferous forest Found above 60 o N latitude Medium rainfall Summer temperature - 54 o. F

Taiga Trees produce cones – conifers spruce, fir, pines (Christmas Trees) They have cones and keep their needles all winter Moose, black bears, lynx, wolverines

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Temperate Deciduous Forest http: //www. marietta. edu/~biol/biomes/tempded. ht m 20 o – 60 o N latitudes Summer temperature – 75 o. F Medium Rainfall

Temperate Deciduous Forest Trees change colors in the fall and lose their leaves in the winter. Oaks, poplars, sweet gum, sycamores Deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, opossums

Grassland

Grassland http: //www. bcgrasslands. org/library/world. htm Middle latitudes Low rainfall Average summer temperature – 70 o. F Grass dominant plant

Grassland Sunflower, goldenrods, clover Bison, pronghorn antelopes, prairie dogs The Midwest is considered the bread basket of America because of the large amount of wheat (a grass) grown there.

Desert

Desert http: //pubs. usgs. gov/gip/deserts/what/world. h tml 0 o – 20 o latitude Very little rain 86 o. F

Desert Cacti , sage-brush, mesquite http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/subjects/p lants/types/cactus/ Kangaroo rat, snakes, lizards, birds, insects

Rainforest

Rainforest http: //www. marietta. edu/~biol/biomes/troprain. htm Found near equators A lot of rainfall/humid 77 o. F

Rainforest Tall trees with dense canopies Lots of biodiversity - plants and animals

Aquatic Ecosystems – Freshwater

Freshwater Ecosystems Rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps Lots of variation in plants and animals from freshwater ecosystem to another

Aquatic Ecosystems - Marine - saltwater

Marine Ecosystems – 3 distinct areas Intertidal zone – shoreline between low and high tide – available light and nutrients but most stressed because of changing tides 2. Pelagic zone – 0 -200 m – light available – lots of organisms 3. Benthic – ocean floor – bacteria, worms, crabs 1.

Aquatic Ecosystems – Estuary – freshwater meets saltwater

http: //www. emc. maricopa. edu/faculty/farabee/BI OBK/Bio. Bookcommecosys. html http: //www. emc. maricopa. edu/faculty/farabee/BIO BK/Bio. Bookcommecosys. html http: //www-pub. naz. edu: 9000/~jwitten 2/about. htm