Biomes

Tropical Rain Forest

characterized by the greatest diversity of species, believed to include many undiscovered species.  Occur near the equator.  Soil tends to be low in nutrients.  Distinct seasonality

Temperate Forests

occur in eastern North America, Japan, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe.  Dominated by tall deciduous trees.  Well-defined seasons include a distinct winter.  Logged extensively, only scattered remnants of the original temperate forest remain.

Boreal Forests or Taiga

Represents the largest terrestrial biome.  Dominated by needle leaf, coniferous trees.  Found in the cold climates of Eurasia and North America

Temperate Shrub Lands or Chaparral

Occurs along the coast of Southern California and the Mediterranean region.  Characterized by areas of ______—miniature woodlands dominated by dense stands of shrubs.

Savannas

grassland with scattered individual trees.  Cover almost half of the surface of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.  Warm or hot climates where the annual rainfall is 20-50 inches per year.  The rainfall is concentrated in a six to an eight-month period of the year, followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur.

Temperate Grasslands

dominated by grasses, trees, and large shrubs are absent.  Temperature varies more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less than in savannas.  ______ _______ have hot summers and cold winters.  Occur in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, the steppes of the former Soviet Union, and the plains and prairies of central North America.

Deserts

cover about one-fifth of the Earth’s surface and occur where rainfall is less than 50 cm a year (less than 20 inches a year).  Most _____ occur at low latitudes and have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation, as well as specialized animals.  Soils have abundant nutrients, need only water to become productive, and have little or no organic matter.  Common disturbances include occasional fires or cold weather, and sudden, infrequent, but intense rains that cause flooding.

Tundra

treeless plains that are the coldest of all the biomes. Occur in the artic and Antarctica.  Dominated by lichens, mosses, sedges, and dwarfed shrubs. Characterized by an extremely cold climate, permanently frozen ground (permafrost) low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, limitation of drainage, and short seasons of growth and reproduction.

Wetlands

areas of standing water wet for most of the year that support aquatic plants including marshes, swamps, and bogs. Species diversity is very high. Includes bogs, swamps, sloughs, and marshes.

Fresh Water

defined as having a low salt concentration (less than 1%). Plants and animals have adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration (i.e. oceans). 

Oceans

the largest of all ecosystems. The ______ regions are separated into separate zones. aquatic ecosystem