Biosphere Biosphere The Biosphere refers to all life

Biosphere

Biosphere • The Biosphere refers to all life on Earth. • Weather and climate influence what kinds of plants and animals can live in particular regions.

Biomes • Biomes- geographic regions with their own plant and animal life. • Based on the interaction of: – – Climate Landforms Bodies of Water Soils

Midway Review • What is the Biosphere? • What two things influence where plants and animals can survive? • What is a Biome?

Latitudes Zones • Biomes differ across latitude zones. • Some are exclusive, others found on more than one

Tropical Rain Forest • Low latitudes • Tropical climate, warm year round • 2 seasons: wet & dry • Contain the most biodiversity, many unique species • Threated by deforestation • Brazil, Peru, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Indonesia, Thailand

Grasslands • Mid and high latitudes – hug TRF • Have regional characteristics and names: – Plains or prairies in North America – Pampas in South America – Steppes in Central Asia – Savannas in Africa • Dominated by tall grasses, trees absent • USA, Argentina, Kenya, Tanzania, Mongolia

Chaparral • Mid latitudes • Smallest biome • Mediterranean climate – warm, dry summers & cool, rainy winters • Grass and small shrubs are abundant • California (USA), Australia, France, Italy, Algeria

Desert • Mid and high latitude zones • Receive less than 10 in. per year • Hot deserts – Mojave, Sahara, Arabian, Outback • Cold deserts Antarctica, Atacama, Gobi • Desertification -

Temperate Deciduous Forest • Mid latitudes • Temperate climate • 4 distinct seasons of equal length • Deciduous – trees that lose their leaves • Eastern USA, France, Germany, Japan, Koreas

Taiga (Boreal Forest) • • High latitudes Polar climate Long winters, short summers Dominated by evergreen coniferous (cone bearing) trees with needle-like leaves • Canada, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Finland

Tundra • • • High latitudes Polar climate Long, frigid winters & short summer Little vegetation due to permafrost Most threatened due to climate change Northern Canada, Greenland,