Biomes• Kella Randolph M.Ed.

There are seven main biomes.

Defining Biomes

• Biomes Classification of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems based on regional climate communities.

• Major biomes include:

• tropical rain forest, • tropical dry forest, • tropical grassland/savanna/shrubland, • desert, • temperate grassland, • temperate woodland and shrubland, • temperate forest, • northwestern coniferous forest, • boreal forest, • tundra.

The Major Biomes

• All biomes have both abiotic and biotic factors.• Abiotic factors are non-living such as climate and soil type.• Biotic factors are living or formerly living such as plant and animal life.

Directions:  For the problem below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem. Think about it for a moment, then check your answers on the next slide.

Ecosystem:• Biotic factors

Home• Abiotic factors

Directions:  For the problems below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem.

Ecosystem: • Biotic Factors: • man, woman, dog

Home• Abiotic Factors:• carpet, lamp and television

Factors that affect global climate

• latitude

• heat

• area’s proximity to an ocean or mountain range.

Defining BiomesThe map shows the locations of the major biomes.

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

home to more species than all the other biomes combined.

get at least 2 meters of rain a year!

Animals of tropical rainforests

• www.upf.edu900 × 600

TROPICAL RAIN FORESTCanopy:

Tall trees

dense, leafy covering

50 to 80 meters above the forest floor.

Understory:

below the canopy,

shorter trees and vines

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Many use camouflage to hide from predators or to match their surroundings.

• Animals that live in the canopy have adaptations for climbing, jumping, and/or flight.

TROPICAL DRY FOREST

• Abiotic Factors • warm year-round, with

alternating wet and dry seasons.• rich soils which are subject to

erosion.

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

• Adaptations:• extra thick waxy layer on leaves

to reduce water loss,• or they store water in their

tissues.• seasonal loss of leaves to survive

the dry season. • A plant that sheds its leaves

during a particular season is called deciduous.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

• Adaptaions:• Emigration of animals in dry

season• reduce need for water by

estivation.• Estivation long period of

inactivity.• similar to hibernation, but

typically takes place during a dry season.

• TROPICAL DRY FOREST

• Snails in estivation

TROPICAL GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND

Abiotic Factors

–warm, with seasonal rainfall.–Compact soil

–frequent fires set by lightning.

TROPICAL GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLANDBiotic Factors – Plant Life

Adaptations

waxy leaf coverings to prevent water loss.

seasonal leaf loss.

Some grasses have a high silica content that makes them less appetizing to grazing herbivores.

TROPICAL GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

Adaptations:Migration in dry season to search for water.Some smaller animals burrow and remain dormant during the dry season.

DESERTAbiotic Factors low precipitation and variable temperatures.

Their soils are rich in minerals, but poor in organic material.

Biotic Factors – Plant Life

Adaptations:

Plants like cacti store water in their tissues

Small leaf surface area to cut down on water loss. Cactus spines are actually modified leaves.

DESERTBiotic Factors – Plant Life

–Modified photosynthesis--some plants leaf pores open only at night, so they can conserve moisture on hot, dry days.Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–get the water from the food they eat. –nocturnal—to avoid the day time heat. –Large or elongated ears, many blood vessels close to the surface to help the animal lose body heat and regulate body temperature.

Long-eared Jerboa,

TEMPERATE GRASSLANDBiotic Factors – Plant Life

–Grasses are resistant to grazing and fire. –Wind dispersal of seeds –grassland plants help establish and retain deep, rich, fertile topsoil.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life–Open, exposed environments make predation a constant threat for smaller animals. –Camouflage and burrowing are two common protective adaptations.

TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLAND

–Communities that are more shrubland than forest are known as chaparral.

Abiotic Factors–hot dry summers

–cool moist winters.–thin, nutrient-poor soils

–periodic fires.

TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLANDBiotic Factors – Plant Life

–tough waxy leaves that resist water loss.

–Some seeds are fire resistant

–Some seeds need fire to germinate.

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–varied diets of grasses, leaves, shrubs etc.–camouflage is common.

TEMPERATE FORESTS

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life• Deciduous trees drop their leaves and

go into a state of dormancy in winter.• Conifers have needlelike leaves that

minimize water loss in dry winter air.• Biotic Factors – Animal Life• Some animals hibernate,• Others migrate to warmer climates. • Animals that do not hibernate or

migrate may be camouflaged to escape predation in the winter.

• Abiotic Factors• cold to moderate winters and

warm summers.• year-round precipitation and

fertile soils.• The fertile soils are rich in

humus material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter.

NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST–moist air from the Pacific Ocean influenced by the Rocky Mountains provides abundant rainfall to this biome.

–Due to the lush vegetation it is sometimes called a “temperate rain forest.”

NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST

• Abiotic Factors• mild temperatures• abundant precipitation in fall,

winter, and spring. • Summers cool &dry. • Soils rocky & acidic.• Variation in seasonal

temperature results in less diversity.

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life• Trees among the world’s tallest.• Biotic Factors – Animal Life• Camouflage helps insects and

ground-dwelling mammals avoid predation. .

• Many animals eat a varied diet—an advantage in an environment where vegetation changes seasonally.

BOREAL FORESTAlso called taiga.

Occurs mostly in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere.

The word boreal comes from the Greek word for “north.”

BOREAL FOREST

• Biotic Factors – Plant Life• conical shape of conifers sheds snow,• wax-covered needlelike leaves prevent

excess water loss.• dark green color of most conifers

absorbs heat energy.• Biotic Factors – Animal Life• Most have small extremities and extra

insulation in the form of fat or downy feathers.

• Migrate in winter.

Abiotic Factors

long cold winters and short mild summers.

moderate precipitation and high humidity.

soil is acidic and nutrient-poor.

TUNDRA

• characterized by permafrost• permafrost a layer of

permanently frozen subsoil.

TUNDRAAbiotic Factors

–strong winds and low precipitation. –short and soggy summers–long, cold, and dark winters–Poorly developed soil

Biotic Factors – Plant Life–mosses and other low-growing plants. –Seed dispersal by wind. –legumes, which have symbiotic bacteria on their roots that fix nitrogen to the soil

Biotic Factors – Animal Life

–Some migrate to warm areas.–Those that live here year-round display adaptations such as natural antifreeze,small extremities that limit heat loss, a varied diet.

Mountain Ranges

–not easily classified into a biome

–exist on all continents and in many biomes.

–temperature, precipitation, exposure to wind, and soil types all change with elevation, and so do organisms.

Yaks and Sherpas at the Foot of Himalayan Mountain Range

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