CHAPTER 2 SECTION 4 BIOMES What are Biomes
CHAPTER 2 - SECTION 4 BIOMES
What are Biomes? Biomes are regions in the world that share similar climates and organisms.
How Many Biomes Are There? Scientists disagree over the exact number of biomes, but in general they include around 810 biomes. We will focus on 6 land biomes.
The six major biomes that most ecologists study include: Rain Forest, Desert, Grassland, Deciduous Forest, Boreal Forest and Tundra WE CLASSIFY DIFFERENT BIOMES MOSTLY BY CLIMATE (TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION) AND BY THE ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN THE AREA.
Rain Forest Biomes • Temperate Rain Forests: Moderate temperatures (average = 500 F) Found on the northwestern coast of the United States. (Olympic Rain Forest in Washington) Receive more than 300 centimeters of rain per year. Huge trees and abundant wildlife.
Temperate Rain Forests US
Temperate Rain Forest Life
• Tropical Rain Forest Over 100 inches (250 centimeters) of rain per year Warm and humid (between 68 – 930 F) all year More species of plant and animal life than the other land biomes
Tropical Rain Forests
Tropical Rain Forest Life
Desert Biomes Receives less than 25 centimeters of rain per year Average yearly temperature is 640 F Large shifts in day and night temperatures Plants and animals must adapt to extreme temperatures and dry conditions.
Desert Biomes Life
Grassland Biomes Grasslands = Prairie and Savanna 25 to 75 centimeters of rain per year (Savanna can get as much as 125 cm of rain per year) Temperatures mostly comfortable and mild than the desert but can reach 1000 F in summer and 300 F in winter. Plants include mostly grasses, small shrubs and trees Grazing animals – Some of the largest in the world (Elephants, bison, giraffes, rhinos)
World Grasslands
Grassland Biomes Life
Deciduous Forest Biomes Deciduous, hardwood trees that lose their leaves in the fall At least 50 centimeters of rain per year and seasonal temperatures that vary Average temperatures of 500 F however well below freezing in winter Large variety of plant and animal life
World Deciduous Forest Map
Boreal Forest Biomes Also called the TIAGA! Cold forest 30 – 85 centimeters of rainfall per year -650 to 300 F in winter About 500 F in summer Most trees are coniferous (pine cones and needles for leaves) Spruce, hemlock and tamarack trees Seed eating animals, predators and herbivores
Boreal forests, or taiga
Taiga Plants Balsam Fir Black Spruce Douglas-fir Paper Birch Eastern Red Cedar Jack Pine Siberian White Fir White Poplar Spruce White Spruce
Taiga Animals American Black Bear Bald Eagle Bobcat Canadian Lynx Gray Wolf Grizzly Bear Long-Eared Owl Red Fox River Otter Snowshoe Rabbit Wolverine
Tundra Biomes Coldest of the biomes 40 centimeters of precipitation per year Winter temperatures average – 340 F Summer temps average 37 – 500 F Soil is permafrost – frozen all year Plants are dwarfs, stunted by the cold Mosses, grasses, shrubs and small trees Animals must adapt to extreme cold temperatures Caribou, foxes, wolves, Arctic hares
Tundra: The Not-So Barren Land
Tundra Biomes Life
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