Land Biomes Chapter 20 Biomes Geographic area characterized

Land Biomes Chapter 20

Biomes • Geographic area characterized by certain types of plant and animal communities • Contains smaller ecosystems • Rainfall and temperature are the major factors determining what biome is in a region • Not specific to a place – Ex. Desert biome doesn’t refer to one desert in particular but to any of them

Forests • Needs enough rain and right temperature – Not too hot, not too cold • Three types – Temperate Deciduous forest – Coniferous forest – Tropical Rain forest

Temperate Deciduous • This is where you live • Deciduous = leaves that fall off • Producers include trees, grass, moss, ferns • Animals include bears, birds, rodents and even the platypus

Temperate Deciduous • • • Rain 75 -125 cm a year Temperature Summer 28 C Winter 6 C

Coniferous Forest • Don’t change much from winter to summer • Long cold winters • Coniferous = pine trees with cones

Coniferous Forest • Producers include pine trees mostly and some flowers, moss, wild potato • Animals include yak, llamas, goats, birds, snow leopards

Coniferous Forest • Rain – 35 -75 cm • Temperature 14 C in summer, -10 C in winter • Also called Boreal forest or Tiaga

Tropical Rain Forest • More diversity than any other biome • Some animals only live in the tree tops (canopy) while others live on the ground. • Most nutrients are found in the vegetation

Tropical Rain Forest • Producers include bamboo, various trees such as coconut, lianas or vines, flowers and strangler fig • Animals include elephants, tigers, monkeys, bats and insects

Tropical Rain Forest • Rain – up to 400 cm a year • Temperature -> 34 C during the day • 20 C at night • Also called the jungle

Grasslands • Also called steppes, pampas, prairies • Found between deserts and forests • Found on every continent • Most are flat with rolling hills

Temperate Grassland • Prairie • Rain 25 -75 cm a year • Temperature – 30 C in summer • 0 C in winter

Temperate Grassland • Producers include GRASS, and small flowering plants • Animals include prairie dogs, birds, mice, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, insects

Savanna • Tropical Grassland • 150 cm in rain a year • Temperature – – Dry season 34 C – Wet season 16 C

Savanna • Producers include GRASS with scattered trees • Animals include elephants, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, leopards, lions and hyenas

Savanna • Think of the Lion King

Desert • Hot, dry area • Plants and animals have adapted to gain and conserve water • Rain – less than 25 cm a year • Temperature- 38 C in the summer, 7 C in the winter

Desert • Producers include cactus, small flowering plants such as aster, and bushes • Animals include rodents, birds, bobcats, reptiles such as snakes, lizards, tortoise and gila monsters

Desert

Tundra • Far North on tops of mountains • Too cold for trees to grow • Permafrost – permanently frozen ground below the surface – Keeps water from draining keeping surface soggy and wet

Tundra • Producers include moss, grasses, berries, tea, small willow shrubs and lichens • Animals include caribou, musk oxen, lemmings, shrews, hares, birds, bears, fox and wolves

Tundra • Rain – 30 -50 cm a year • Temperature – 12 C in summer – -26 C in winter