Land Biomes Land Biomes Biome geographic areas that

Land Biomes

Land Biomes Biome- geographic areas that have similar climates and ecosystems

Land Biomes The 6 most common biomes are: • • • Tundra Taiga Temperate Deciduous Forest Tropical Rain Forest Grassland Desert

Land Biomes

Tundra Found in parts of Canada, Alaska, and Siberia

Tundra – “The Cold Desert” • Found at latitudes around the North Pole • Less than 25 cm precipitation yearly • Very cold year round ( -40ºC in winter) • Cold, dry, treeless region

Tundra – “The Land of the Midnight Sun” • Winter lasts 6 to 9 months with no daylight • Summer is short and cold with 24 hours of sunlight a day

Tundra- • Soil is poor • Permafrost – Layer of permanently frozen soil

Plants of the Tundra plants are resistant to drought and cold Examples: • Reindeer moss (a lichen!) • Lichens • True mosses • Grasses • Small shrubs and flowers

Plants of the Tundra plants are resistant to drought and cold Tundra plants are small (usually less than 12 inches tall) and low-growing due to lack of nutrients, because being close to the ground helps keep the plants from freezing, and because the roots cannot penetrate the permafrost. Plants are dark in color—some are even red—this helps them absorb solar heat. Some plants are covered with hair which helps keep them warm. Some plants grow in clumps to protect one another from the wind and cold. Some plants have dish-like flowers that follow the sun, focusing more solar heat on the center of the flower, helping the plant stay warm.

Plants of the Tundra • Reindeer moss – It’s a lichen!

Plants of the Tundra • Lichens

Plants of the Tundra • Lichen

Plants of the Tundra • True Mosses

Plants of the Tundra • Small shrubs and flowers

Plants of the Tundra • Small shrubs and flowers

Plants of the Tundra • Small shrubs and flowers

Plants of the Tundra • Grasses

Animals of the Tundra Many animals of the tundra migrate there during the short summer Examples: • Biting insects • Snowy owls • Arctic hares • Caribou • Musk oxen • Lemmings

Animals of the Tundra • Biting insects Mosquito Blackfly

Animals of the Tundra • Snowy owl

Animals of the Tundra • Arctic hare

Animals of the Tundra • Caribou – “Reindeer”

Animals of the Tundra • Musk oxen

Animals of the Tundra • Lemmings

Animals of the Tundra • Lemmings

Taiga or Coniferous Forest Found in parts of Canada, Alaska, and Russia

Taiga or Coniferous Forest • World’s largest land biome • Latitudes between 50ºN and 60ºN

Taiga • Warmer and wetter than the Tundra • Winters are long and cold • 35 to 40 cm of precipitation yearly (mostly snow)

Plants of the Taiga There is no permafrost, so trees can grow. Mosses and lichens grow on the forest floor. Examples: • Cone-bearing Evergreen trees – Firs – Spruces – Pines –Hemlocks –Cedars

Plants of the Taiga There is no permafrost, so trees can grow. Mosses and lichens grow on the forest floor. many trees are evergreen so that plants can photosynthesize right away when temperatures rise many trees have needle-like leaves which shape loses less water and sheds snow more easily than broad leaves waxy coating on needles prevent evaporation needles are dark in color allowing more solar heat to be absorbed many trees have branches that droop downward to help shed excess snow to keep the branches from breaking http: //www. mbgnet. net/bioplants/

Plants of the Taiga • Fir tree

Plants of the Taiga • Spruce tree

Plants of the Taiga • Hemlock tree

Plants of the Taiga • Liverwort (a moss)

Plants of the Taiga • Mosses

Animals of the Taiga Many animals live in the Taiga. Examples: • Moose • Black Bear • Lynx • Wolves • Badgers • Wolverines • Ermines • Deer

Animals of the Taiga • Moose

Animals of the Taiga • Black bear

Animals of the Taiga • Lynx

Animals of the Taiga • Wolf

Animals of the Taiga • Badger

Animals of the Taiga • Wolverine

Temperate Deciduous Forest Found in Europe, the eastern part of the U. S. A. , and China

Temperate Deciduous Forest • Found below 50ºN latitude • 75 to 150 cm precipitation yearly

Temperate Deciduous Forest • Wide range of temperatures with 4 seasons • Below freezing in winter to 30ºC in summer

Temperate Deciduous Forest • Soil is rich in nutrients from layers of decomposing leaves

Temperate Deciduous Forest • Layers of vegetation – Canopy – Understory – Forest floor

Layers of Vegetation Canopy- tree tops that shade the ground below Understory- shrub layer Forest floor- dark and moist layer of dead leaves, twigs, and seeds

Layers of Vegetation Canopy

Layers of Vegetation Understory

Layers of Vegetation Forest floor

Life in the Temperate Deciduous Forest The mild climate and rich soil of the temperate deciduous forest supports a wide variety of plant and animal life.

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest Plant life is abundant. Examples: • Oak trees • Shrubs • Hickory trees • Wildflowers • Maple trees • Ferns

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest wildflowers grow on forest floor early in the spring before trees leaf-out and shade the forest floor many trees are deciduous (they drop their leaves in the autumn, and grow new ones in spring). Most deciduous trees have thin, broad, light-weight leaves that can capture a lot of sunlight to make a lot of food for the tree in warm weather; when the weather gets cooler, the broad leaves cause too much water loss and can be weighed down by too much snow, so the tree drops its leaves. New ones will grow in the spring. trees have thick bark to protect against cold winters Broad leaves can capture a lot of sunlight for a tree. Many trees have thick bark to protect against the cold winters in the temperate deciduous forest.

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Oak tree

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Hickory tree

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Maple tree

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Shrubs (Azalea)

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Shrubs (Holly)

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Wildflowers

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Wildflowers

Plants of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Ferns

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest Animal life is diverse. Examples: • Deer • Birds • Foxes • Raccoons • Snakes • Amphibians • Bears • Small mammals

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Deer

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Fox

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Snakes (Eastern Garter Snake)

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Snakes (Copperhead)

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Black bear

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Birds (Bald Eagle)

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Birds (Barn Owl)

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Birds Woodpecker Cardinal

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Raccoon

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Amphibians Wood frog Leopard Frog

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Amphibians Spotted Salamander Jefferson Salamander

Animals of the Temperate Deciduous Forest • Small Mammals Field Mouse Squirrel

Tropical Rain Forest Found near the equator in Africa, South America, Australia, and the Pacific Islands

Tropical Rain Forest • Found near the equator • 250 to 400 cm precipitation yearly

Tropical Rain Forest • Hot and humid all year • Temperatures are fairly constant around 25ºC; however range between 20ºC (68ºF) -34ºC (93ºF) • One constant season

Tropical Rain Forest • Soil is nutrient poor and acidic • Most plants have shallow roots • Broad, waxy leaves

Tropical Rain Forest Layers of Vegetation

Life in the Tropical Rain Forest The tropical rain forest is a lush, productive ecosystem containing more than half of all the species that live on Earth.

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest A rain forest may contain more than 700 species of trees and over 1000 species of flowering plants. Examples: • Mahogany trees • Bromeliads and orchids • Giant ferns • Many flowering plants

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest A rain forest may contain more than 700 species of trees and over 1000 species of flowering plants. Tropical Rainforest Plant Adaptations - drip tips and waxy surfaces allow water to run off, to discourage growth of bacteria and fungi - long or large (broad leaves) to capture sunlight in lower layers - buttresses and prop and stilt roots help hold up plants in the shallow soil - some plants climb on others to reach the sunlight - some plants grow on other plants to reach the sunlight - smooth bark and smooth or waxy flowers speed the run off of water - plants have shallow roots to help capture nutrients from the top level of soil. -many bromeliads are epiphytes (plants that live on other plants); instead of collecting water with roots they collect rainwater into a central reservoir from which they absorb the water through hairs on their leaves - epiphytic orchids have aerial roots that cling to the host plant, absorb minerals, and absorb water from the atmosphere http: //www. mbgnet. net/bioplants/

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest • Mahogany tree Notice how the roots rise above the ground to help support this giant tree!

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest • Bromeliads

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest • Orchids

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest • Giant ferns

Plants of the Tropical Rain Forest • Flowering plants

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest The rain forest is home to a huge number of animals. Examples: • Monkeys • Bats • Exotic birds • Insects • Snakes • Large cats • Sloths • Exotic mammals

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest Tropical Rainforest Animal Adaptation Facts - Many animals of the rainforest are camouflaged which aids them in avoiding predators - Other animals use camouflage to hide in wait for prey - One adaptation quite the opposite of camouflage is that of the brightly colored poison arrow frogs and poison dart frogs. The bright colors of these species serve as a warning to predators not to eat them. - Some animals have adaptations that enable them to eat food that other animals can't. For example parrots have strong beaks that crack the shells of very hard nuts. - Some have specialized adaptations for living in very little sunlight on the forest floor. http: //www. tropical-rainforest-facts. com/Tropical-Rainforest-Animal-Facts/Tropical-Rainforest-Animal. Facts. shtml

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Monkeys

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Exotic birds Toucan Parrots

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Exotic birds Cockatoo Hummingbird

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Snakes (Anaconda)

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Snakes Albino Ball Python Green Mamba

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Sloths

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Bat (Fruit bat)

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Insects Butterfly Beetle

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Large Cats (Jaguar)

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Large Cats (Sumatran Tiger)

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Large Cat (Ocelot)

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Exotic mammals Paca Peccary

Animals of the Tropical Rain Forest • Exotic mammals Agouti Nutria

Grassland “The Bread Basket of the World” Found on every continent.

Grasslands are known by many names. U. S. A. – Prairie or Plains • Asia – Steppe • South America – Pampas • Africa –Veldt or Savanna • Australia - Savanna

Grassland • Wet seasons followed by a season of drought • 25 to 75 cm precipitation yearly

Grassland • In winter, temperatures can plummet to well below 0ºF(-17ºC)in some areas. • In summer, temperatures can reach above 90ºF (32ºC).

Grassland • The soil is rich and fertile. • The grass has extensive root systems, called sod.

Plants of the Grassland regions of the world are important farming areas. Cereal and grains grow here. Examples: • Wheat • Rye • Barley • Corn

Plants of the Grassland • Wheat

Plants of the Grassland • Rye

Plants of the Grassland • Barley

Plants of the Grassland • Corn

Plants of the Grassland ADAPTATIONS During a fire, while above-ground portions of grasses may perish, the root portions survive to sprout again Some prairie trees have thick bark to resist fire Prairie shrubs readily resprout after fire Roots of prairie grasses extend deep into the ground to absorb as much moisture as they can Extensive root systems prevent grazing animals from pulling roots out of the ground Prairie grasses have narrow leaves which lose less water than broad leaves Grasses grow from near their base, not from tip, thus are not permanently damaged from grazing animals or fire Many grasses take advantage of exposed, windy conditions and are wind pollinated Soft stems enable prairie grasses to bend in the wind http: //www. mbgnet. net/bioplants/

Animals of the Grassland The most noticeable animals in grassland ecosystems are usually grazing mammals.

Animals of the American Grassland • Bison

Animals of the American Grassland • Prairie Dog

Animals of the American Grassland • Pronghorn

Animals of the American Grassland • Coyote

Tropical Grassland Savanna • Wet (summer) seasons followed by a (winter) season of drought • Usually slightly cooler in the dry season • 100 to 150 cm precipitation yearly

Tropical Grassland Savanna • The average temperature is about 20 -30 degrees Celsius (summer). The winter temperature is about 20 -25 degrees Celsius and the summer is 2530 degrees Celsius.

Plants of the Savanna Plants Baobab

Plants of the Savanna Plants Acacia Senegal

Plants of the Savanna Plants Elephant Grass

Plants of the Savanna Plants Acacia Senegal Baobab Bermuda Grass Candelabra Tree Elephant Grass Gum Tree Eucalyptus Jackalberry Tree Jarrah tree Kangaroo Paw Manketti Tree River Bushwillow Umbrella Thorn Acacia Whistling Thorn

Animals of the African Grassland • Gazelle

Animals of the African Grassland • Wildebeest

Animals of the African Grassland • Lion

Animals of the African Grassland • Elephant

Animals of the African Grassland • Giraffe

Animals of the Australian Grassland Australian grassland animals are marsupials • Kangaroo

Animals of the Australian Grassland • Long Nosed Bandicoot

Animals of the Australian Grassland • Wallaby

Animals of the Australian Grassland • Wombat

Desert The driest biome on Earth

Desert • Extreme temperatures. Very hot during the day and cool at night

Desert • Very little rainfall • Less than 25 cm precipitation yearly

Desert • The soil ranges from gravel to sand. • Soil is nutrient poor.

Plants of the Desert plants have evolved adaptations to help them survive in the extreme temperatures and dryness of this biome. Examples: • Cactus • Wildflowers • Mesquite • Creosote • Joshua trees

• Cactus Plants of the Desert Saguaro Prickly Pear

Plants of the Desert • Mesquite

Plants of the Desert • Joshua tree

Plants of the Desert • Wildflowers

Plants of the Desert • Creosote

Plants of the Desert plants have evolved adaptations to help them survive in the extreme temperatures and dryness of this biome. FLORA ADAPTATIONS: - succulents, store water in their stems or leaves; - some have no leaves or small seasonal leaves that only grow after it rains - leafless plants conduct photosynthesis in their green stems - long root systems spread out wide or go deep into the ground to absorb water; - leaves with hair help shade the plant, reducing water loss - others have leaves that turn throughout the day to expose a minimum surface area to the heat - some have spines to discourage animals from eating plants for water; - waxy coating on stems and leaves help reduce water loss. http: //www. mbgnet. net/bioplants/

Animals of the Desert The animals of the desert are adapted to the hot temperatures. Examples: • Lizards • Kangaroo rat • Camels • Gila Monster • Snakes • Predatory birds • Scorpions • Tarantula

Animals of the Desert • Lizards Desert Iguana Frilled Lizard

Animals of the Desert • Camel

Animals of the Desert • Snakes Diamondback Rattlesnake Sidewinder

Animals of the Desert • Scorpion

Animals of the Desert • Kangaroo rat

Animals of the Desert • Gila Monster

Animals of the Desert • Predatory birds Great Horned Owl Kestrel

Animals of the Desert • Tarantula

Animals of the Desert ADAPTATIONS: The animals of the desert are adapted to the hot temperatures. The two main adaptations that desert animals must make are how to deal with lack of water and how to deal with extremes in temperature. - Many desert animals avoid the heat of the desert by simply staying out of it as much as possible. - most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey. - Desert animals prevent water leaving their bodies in a number of different ways. - Some, like kangaroo rats and lizards, live in burrows which do not get too hot or too cold and have more humid (damp) air inside. These animals stay in their burrows during the hot days and emerge at night to feed. - Other animals have bodies designed to save water. Scorpions and wolf spiders have a thick outer covering which reduces moisture loss. - The kidneys of desert animals concentrate urine, so that they excrete less water. http: //resources. woodlands-junior. kent. sch. uk/homework/adaptations/desert. htm