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Earth’s Major Biomes
• Primary biomes:
1. tropical rain forest
2. Tropical dry forest
3. savanna
4. desert
5. temperate rain forest
6. temperate forest
7. temperate grassland
8. chaparral
9. Tundra
10.Coniferous forest or Taiga
Weather and Climate
•Weather is the day-to-day condition of Earth’s atmosphere.
•Climate refers to average conditions over long periods and is defined by year-after-year patterns of temperature and precipitation.
• Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor control earth’s temperature.
• The Greenhouse effect is how these substances trap heat in the atmosphere.
• Earth is not the only planet…
• Earth’s polar areas annually receive less intense solar energy, and therefore heat, from the sun.
• The difference in heat distribution creates three different climate zones: tropical, temperate, and polar.
Heat Transport in the Biosphere
• The unequal distribution of heat across the globe creates wind and ocean currents.
• Earth has winds because warm air is less dense and rises, and cool air is more dense and sinks.
Biomes and Net Primary Production•Primary production: The rate at which primary producers undergo photosynthesis (or chemosynthesis).
Lesson 6.1 Defining Biomes
Earth’s Major Biomes• Primary biomes:
1. tropical rain forest
2. Tropical dry forest
3. savanna
4. desert
5. temperate rain forest
6. temperate forest
7. temperate grassland
8. chaparral
9. Tundra
10. Coniferous forest or Taiga
Tropical Rain Forest• Year-round warm temperatures and at least 2 m (6.6 ft) precipitation a
year
• Soil generally nutrient-poor
• Enormous variety of plants.
• Supports more animal species than any other biome!
Country of Gabon in Africa.
Gabon
Savanna• Less rain than tropical dry
forests, more than deserts;
rainy seasons.
• Tree growth limited by fires
and winds.
• Most trees are deciduous—
they lose their leaves and
cease photosynthesis part of
the year.
• Many animals migrate to find
water, or burrow when water
is scarce. Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger NP
Desert• Receives less than 25
cm (9.8 in.) of
precipitation per year
• Temperatures vary
widely from day to
night.
• Plants tend to have
thick, leathery leaves,,
and shallow roots.
• Animals tend to be
nocturnal.
Chihuahuan desert, Mexico
Desert
Temperate Rain Forest• Moderate temperatures and heavy rainfall
• Conifers – tall evergreen trees that produce seed-bearing cones.
• Forest floor is shaded, damp, covered in moss.
• Animals that require moisture, such as amphibians, thrive here.
Olympic National
Park, Washington
State, USA
Olympic National
Park
Temperate Forest• Precipitation throughout the year with varied temperatures.
• Plants tend to be deciduous.
• Soil is enriched with nutrients from annual leaf drop.
• Animals may migrate, hibernate, or store food to survive cold conditions.
Bialowieza
Forest, Poland
Poland
Temperate Grassland (Prairie)• Moderate seasonal precipitation, extreme seasonal temperatures
• Grasses, no trees.
• Animals are adapted to deal with lack of cover.
• Soil tends to be rich in nutrients = farmland!
Wyoming, USA
Wyoming
Chaparral• Mild, wet winters and
warm, dry summers with
droughts and fires
common.
• Plants are drought-
resistant; many have thick,
waxy leaves or leaves that
trap moisture
• Many animals burrow or
are nocturnal
to avoid heat.Baja California, USA
Baja
Boreal Forest (Taiga)
• Long, cold winters;
short,
cool summers
• Nutrient-poor soil and
low species diversity
• Coniferous trees with
waxy needles and
adapted to harsh,
snowy conditions.
• Animals feed, breed,
and care for young
mostly during short
warm season.
Kolyma, Russia
Kolyma
Tundra• Extremely cold, dark
winters and cool summers
• Found at very high
latitudes in the Northern
Hemisphere
• Harsh winds, nutrient-poor
soil, and freezing
temperatures limit plant
growth; no tall trees;
mosses and lichens
common
• Characterized by
permafrost (underground
soil that is frozen year-
round)
Northeast Greenland
National Park
Northeast
Polar Ice• Not classified as a
biome
• No land under polar ice
in Northern
Hemisphere; ice sits
atop Antarctica in
Southern Hemisphere
• Very few plants; most
life
is in surrounding ocean
Antarctica
North Pole
North Pole
Antarctica
Separating Biomes
• Primary biomes:
1. tropical rain forest
2. Tropical dry forest
3. savanna
4. desert
5. temperate rain forest
6. temperate forest
7. temperate grassland
8. chaparral
9. Tundra
10. Coniferous forest or Taiga
•Pick two defining features that is unique to that biome.
Question 1
Which of the following terms describes the net amount of organic matter that an ecosystem or biome produces?
a. gross production
b. net productivity
c. photosynthetic mass
d. net primary production
