Terrestrial Biomes Comparison

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering global terrestrial biomes, their locations, typical plants and animals, climate patterns, and soil productivity traits.

Tropical Rainforest

A biome located at the equator characterized by a hot and wet climate, biota including broadleaf evergreen trees, flowers, primates, poison dart frogs, and birds, and very high productivity with low soil nutrient levels due to rapid plant growth.

Temperate Rainforest

A coastal, mid-latitude biome with a warm and high precipitation (wet) climate, biota including redwood trees, ferns, mosses, bears, owls, and slugs, and high productivity with low soil nutrient levels due to rapid plant growth.

Temperate Seasonal (Deciduous) Forest

A biome located on the eastern sides of continents at $30\text{-}40^\circ$ latitude, characterized by a warm and moderate climate, deciduous trees, shrubs, flowers, deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and songbirds, and high productivity with high soil nutrient levels due to a rapid decomposition rate.

Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)

A biome located at $50\text{-}50^\circ\text{N}$ characterized by a cold and wet climate, conifer trees, perennials, wolves, moose, and beavers, with low to medium productivity and nutrient-poor soil resulting from a slow decomposition rate.

Desert

A biome located at $30^\circ\text{N}\text{ and }\text{S}$ latitude with a hot and dry climate, cacti, succulents, insects, scorpions, and reptiles, featuring nutrient-poor soil and the lowest relative productivity.

Savanna (Tropical seasonal/dry forest)

A biome that transitions from desert to forest, characterized by warm temperatures with wet summers and dry winters, broad-leaf grasses, zebras, lions, elephants, and rhinos, with low to medium productivity and fertile soil resulting from a high decomposition rate.

Shrubland (Chaparral)

A coastal biome found in Argentina, California, and the Mediterranean, characterized by hot, dry summers and wild, rainy winters, drought-resistant small shrubs, reptiles, coyotes, rabbits, and squirrels, with low productivity and low soil nutrients due to winter rain leaching.

Temperate Grassland (Prairie)

A mid-continental biome located at $30\text{-}40^\circ\text{N}$ latitude with a warm, moderate climate, grasses, scattered trees, bison, prairie dogs, and ferrets, and medium productivity supported by fires, a long growing season, and decomposition.

Tundra

A biome located north of $60^\circ$ latitude characterized by a cold and low precipitation (dry) climate, lichens, mosses, short grasses, caribou, polar bears, and hares, featuring nutrient-poor soil and low productivity.