Biomes: Forests, Adaptations & Migration

Biome

Large area on earth (determined by latitude) that has similar climate as well as plants and animals (community) with similar features to help them survive (adaptations).

Climate

long-term weather system found in an area over time; influenced by 5 factors: latitude, temperature, precipitation, topography, and elevation

Weather

"Right-now" atmospheric conditions: temperature, air pressure, wind speed, precipitation

Ecosystem

All the biotic and abiotic factors in a specific area

Adaptations

Physical or behavioral characteristics of plants and animals that help them survive in their own environment

Marine Biome

Habitats that exist in saltwater; examples include oceans, estuaries, coral Reefs. Found in many regions of the Earth. Animals have adaptations that allow them to survive without limbs in salty water.

Freshwater biome

Habitats that exist in water with no salinity (no salt); Found in many regions of the Earth. Has plants that can float to surface to get sunlight. Animals may have adaptations to swim in shallow water or to survive in cold water temperatures (layers of fat).

Tundra

Cold, dry biome located near poles (between about 60-90 degrees latitude). Receives little precipitation. Has white animals and plants with short roots. Has permafrost.

Taiga

Also called coniferous forest or boreal forest. Located only in northern hemisphere. Located roughly between 50-60 north latitude. Characterized by temperate climate. Has forests with many evergreen trees, lots of rainfall (50-100cm annually). Generally temperate, with short summers.

Grasslands (Savannah)

Characterized by the growth of many species of long grasses. Can be tropical (hot all year- located closer to the equator) or temperate (has seasons). Temperate grasslands receive between 50-90cm precipitation (both rain and snow). All grasslands have a rainy season followed by a long dry season. Many grasslands have extreme temperatures in both winter and in summer. Fires commonly caused by lightning drives ecological succession.

Tropical Rainforest

Biome located between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer (between the equator and 22.5 degrees north and south latitude). Characterized by a hot, humid climate with up to 200cm rainfall annually.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Georgia's Biome. Characterized by 4 seasons, lots of biodiversity, and trees with leaves that fall off in the autumn before growing back in the springtime. Receives between 75-150cm precipitation annually.

Desert

Biome with hot, arid (dry) climate. Plants and animals have specialized features to help them store water. Animals have special behaviors to help them survive extreme temperatures.

system

Connected parts that work together

Latitude

Measure of how far north or south of the equator a location is

Temperature

Measure of how hot or cold the air temperature is. In science, this is measured in Celsius.

Precipitation

Water vapor that falls as rain, snow, sleet, hail, or fog.

Topography

Land features that affect air currents (affecting weather and climate). Examples are canyons and mountains.

Elevation

How far above or below sea level a location is. Temperature is colder at higher elevations because there are fewer air molecules to hold the sun's heat energy.

Camouflage

Physical adaptation that helps a plant or animal survive by disguising it to blend in with its surroundings

Migration

Behavioral adaptation that helps animals survive by driving them to temporarily relocate their homes to a warmer climate where more resources will be available to them

Hibernation

Behavioral adaptation that helps animals survive by driving their bodies to store energy for long periods of time so they can be protected from weather during winter months.

Large ears

Physical adaptation commonly found in desert animals that helps them release body heat to stay cooler

Herding

Behavioral adaptation that helps grassland animals survive by protecting animals in the middle

V-formation Flight

Behavioral adaptation that helps birds conserve energy in flight

Streamlined Body

Physical adaptation in many fish and particularly dolphins that allows them to swim further faster by making them more aerodynamic

White fur

Physical adpatation of many tundra animals to help them blend in with icy surroundings and absorb as much of the sun's heat as they can.

temperate

has 4 seasons; the biomes are located at mid-latitudes

tropical

hot; located near the equator; these biomes are located between 0-23 degrees latitude north and/or south

arctic

cold; located near the poles; these biomes are located above 60 degrees latitude

Biome

A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities.

Savanna

A tropical / subtropical grassland biome with scattered individual trees, large herbivores, and three distinct seasons based primarily on rainfall, maintained by occasional fires and drought.

Desert

A region of little vegetation, either cold or hot, that receives ten inches or less of precipitation each year, long periods without rain, deserts have extreme temperatures.

Tundra

Biome that surrounds the north and south poles; treeless landscape with short, cool summers, and long, very cold winters with short periods of winter sunlight, beneath the topsoil is a layer of permafrost.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Characterized by warm summers, cool winters, has all four seasons, year-round precipitation and fertile soil.

Conifer

Cone-bearing trees (ie: pine, or fir tree) of middle and high latitudes that are mostly evergreen and that have needle-shaped or scale like leaves. Conifers are able to withstand the long, cold winter season.

Coniferous Forest

Forest populated by cone-bearing evergreen trees; mostly found in the colder northern latitudes.

Flora

All the plant life in a particular region, or period.

Fauna

All of the animal life in a particular region, or period.

Steppe

A climate with partly dry grassland often found on the edges of a desert. It receives less than 20 inches of rain per year.

Prarie

A large area of flat land, or rolling hills covered by grasses and wild flowers but few trees.

Temperate

Climate zones with moderate (warm) temperatures that are located between the tropics and the polar zones.

Permafrost

A layer of permanently frozen subsoil found in the tundra

Plankton

A general term for the tiny, free-floating or weakly swimming organisms that live in both freshwater and saltwater environments.

Estuary

An area where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from an ocean; are productive ecosystems because they constantly recieve fresh nutrients from the river and the ocean.

Forest

Large tree and plant filled area that covers 30% of Earth's land surface. Provide habitats, maintain soil, air, and water quality, acts as a carbon sink in biogeochemical cycle.

Coral Reef

A structure of calcite skeletons built up by coral animals in warm, shallow ocean water.

Wetland

An ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface of the soil for at least part of the year.

Marsh

A type of wetland featuring grasses, reeds and other plants in shallow water.

Tributary

A stream or river that flows into a larger river.

Freshwater

Aquatic ecosytem that does not contain any saltwater, can be rivers, lakes, streams,ponds, and wetlands.

Brackish Water

More salty than fresh water, and less salty than marine saltwater. It is found in estuaries where freshwater and saltwater mix.

Organism

Individual living thing.

Species

A group of organisms that are closely related, who can mate to produce fertile offspring. All of the cats are feline, but each cat is a different species.

Biodiversity

The number, and variety of living organisms in a given area, during a specific period of time.

Ecosystem

A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment.

Habitat

Place where an organism lives.

Niche

An organism's particular role in an ecosystem, or how it makes its living.

Abiotic

All of the non-living parts of an ecosystem.

Biotic

All of the living parts of an ecosystem.

Herbivore

A consumer that eats only plants.

Carnivore

An animal that eats other animals

A consumer that eats only animals.

Omnivore

A consumer that eats both plants and animals.

Producer

An organism that can make its own food.

Consumer

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms.

Autotroph

An organism that makes its own food.

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot make its own food, it gets food by consuming other living things, or their by-products.

Taiga

A biome in which the winters are cold, but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw, it contains mostly coniferous forests.

Prey

An organism that is hunted, killed and eaten by another organism.

Predator

An animal that hunts, and kills other animals for food.

Population

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.

Community

A group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other.

Limiting Factor

A biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the number, distribution, or reproduction of a population within a community.

Predation

An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism to gain energy.

Competition

Ecological relationship in which organisms compete for available resources. There are 2 types: between organisms within a population, and between different populations.

Co-evolution

Relationship in which 2 organisms change or adapt together over time.

Cooperation

Relationship in which behavior by two or more individuals leads to mutual benefit.

Decomposition

The breaking down of matter into simpler molecules. Typically performed by bacteria.

Deciduous

Falling off or shed at a particular season, stage of growth, etc., as leaves, horns, or teeth; not permanent; transitory.

Frigid

Intensely cold temperatures; cold in manner; Ex. frigid zone

Tropical

Biome near the equator with warm temperatures, wet weather, and lush plant growth.

Climate

Seasonal pattern of weather conditions in a large geographic area over many years; it does not change rapidly.

Grassland

A biome found in the dry temperate interiors of continents. This biome is characterized by rich soil, moderate rainfall, a hot, dry climate, thick grasses, and herds of grazing animals.

Canopy

Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rainforest trees.

Tropical Rain Forest

Biome characterized by hot temperatures, large amounts of rainfall, and high biodiversity,that grows near the equator; it receives large amounts of rain, and has dense growths of tall, leafy trees; the weather is warm and wet year-round; few plants live on the dark forest floor.

Swamp

A type of freshwater wetland that consists of spongy, muddy land full of water.

Treeline

The limit of the area that trees can grow in on Earth. Above it, it's too cold for trees to grow.