Studied by 41 people
Biome
The plants and animals found in a region based on yearly temp. and precipitation. (example: tropical rainforests and tundras)
Latitude
The distance of an area from the equator. This determines temp + precipitation.
Tropical Rainforest
Locations: Brazil, Congo, Indonesia, Brazil, Congo, Indonesia, Bolivia, Peru, and Madagascar.
Hot and wet all year.
Most nutrient-poor soil of all the biomes. Rapid decomposition and quick uptake of nutrients due to the high temp and rainfall.
Most productive land biome.
Deforestation causes the following: loss if habitat + biodiversity, soil erosion, climate change, destruction of Indigenous cultures and loss of potential medicine.
Vegetation: Borad-leaved evergreen trees, ferns, large woody vines, climbing plants, orchids, etc.
Animals: Sloths, cobras, chimpanzees, toucans, and beetles.
Boreal forest/Taiga
Nutrient poor soil. Low temp and low decomposition rate.
Locations: Maine, Minnesota, Mongolia, Russia, Canada, and Norway.
Long, cold winters, Short, mild summers. Moderate precipitation + high humidity.
Only in the northern hemisphere. Low precipitation.
Affected by mining, oil extraction, logging, and hydroelectric development.
Vegetation: Spruce, fir, small, berry-bearing shrubs, and broadleaf trees.
Animals: Canadian lynx, gray wolf, river otter, wolverine, and grizzly bears.
Temperate rainforest
Locations: Washington, Oregon, Argentina, Australia, Tasmania, Taiwan.
Mild temperatures and abundant precipitation during fall, winter, and spring. Relatively cool, dry summers.
rocky, acidic soils.
Coastal biome, oceans moderate temperature and provide water vapor for precipitation.
12 month growing season with low nutrients in soil because of rapid decomposition.
Human impacts: logging mills, coastal fisheries, recreation and tourism.
Vegetation: Douglas fir, western hemlock, redwood, ground layers of mosses and ferns.
Animals: Cougars, elk, porcupines, tree frogs, and muskrats.
Temperate Seasonal Forest
Locations: Indiana, Vermont, Japan, China, Germany, and France.
Cold to moderate winters, warm summers, and precipitation year round.
Fertile soil, lots of organic material from leaf decomposition.
Long growing season with moderately high productivity.
Humans use land for agriculture, development and industry.
Vegetation: Broadleaf trees, some conifers (type of tree), flowering shrubs and herbs.
Animals: Bald eagle, coyote, black bear and white-tailed deer.
Freshwater wetlands
Swamps, marshes and bogs.
Locations: Found everywhere.
High productivity/soil nutrients.
Has buffer zones, filters, and places for migration/breeding.
Stores excess water during storms.
Area with soil submerged/saturated in water for at least part of the year, but shallow enough for emergent plants.
Vegetation: Lily pads, cattails, and reeds.
Animals: Muskrats and great blue herons.
Estuaries
Areas where rivers empty into the ocean. They have a mix of fresh & salt water and also have high productivity due to nutrients in sediments deposited in estuaries by rivers.
Salt marsh
Estuary habitat along the coast in temperate climates.
Breeding ground for many fish + shellfish species.
Helps with filtering + breeding organisms
High productivity and nutrients
Created when freshwater rivers meet a river
Salt tolerant animals + non-woody, emergent vegetation
Water is considered brackish (a mix of freshwater and saltwater)
Human impacts: Coastal development, filling in land, and dredging (cleaning mud, weeds and rubbish with a dredge)
Also called estuaries
Mangrove swamps
Estuary habitat along the coast of tropical climates
Mangrove trees stabilize shoreline, provide habitats for species if fish + shellfish
Coral reef
Most diverse marine biome on Earth
Warm shallow waters beyond the shoreline
Mutualistic between coral (animals) and algae (plants)
Coral takes CO2 out of the ocean to create the reef and to give CO2 to algae
Algae live in the reef and provide sugar (energy) to the coral through photosynthesis
Intertidal zones
Narrow band of coastline between high and low tide, everywhere the ocean touches the land
Organisms must be able to survive crashing waves + direct sunlight/heat during low tide
Shells + tough outer skin can prevent drying out during low tides
Low tide is the harshest time on the intertidal zone
Direct sunlight keeps temp high and causes dessication (little water and high oxygen)
Human impacts: Urbanization, coastal development, recreational uses, and plastic/oil pollution
Animals: Barnacles, sponges, algae, mussels, crabs, and sea stars
Open Ocean
Algae + phytoplankton produce a lot of oxygen and absorb lots of atmospheric carbon dioxide
Low productivity, algae and phytoplankton only survive in the photic zone (area where sunlight can reach, photosynthesis)
Has an aphotic zone, area too deep for sunlight to reach
Main producers are different types of algae
Only 7 oceans can be open
Human impacts: oil extractions, oil spills, and climate change
Animals: Crustaceans, jellyfish, squid and fish
Tundra
Locations: Alaska, Russia, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Greenland
Short + soggy summers, long, cold and dark winters
Found in high latitudes and longitudes
Short growing season + low productivity
Low precipitation, low soil nutrients, low temp, and low decomposition rates
Permafrost and poorly developed soils
Human impacts: Climate change, human development and oil/gas pipelines
Vegetation: Mosses, lichens, sedges, short grasses, and shrubs
Animals: Caribou, arctic fox, snowy owl, musk ox, and ermine
Woodland/shrubland
Locations: Southern California, Nevadam Australia, Spain, Chile, and South Africa
Hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters
Thin, nutrient-poor soil because of leaching from winter rains
Climate is described as Mediterranian
Periodic wildfires
12 month growing season
Human impacts: Human ignited wildfires and vineyards
Vegetation: Woody evergreen shrubs with small, leathery leaves, fragrant, oily herbs that grow during winter and die in summer, drought resistant plants, Yucca, Sagebrush, and Scrub Oak
Animals: Bobcat, Jackal, Javelina, Cactus wren, and roadrunners.
Temperate grasslands
Locations: South Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Hungary, Uruguay, and Ukraine
Warm to hot summers and cold winters. Moderate/seasonal precipitation
Fertile soils (pampat, praries and steppes
Dry and windy conditions cause wildfires, preventing tree growth and productivity
Human impacts: agriculture, grazing, urbanization, habitat fragmentation, hunting and poaching
Vegetation: lush, perennial (short/tall) grasses and herbs. Most are resistant to drought, fire, and cold.
Animals: Prairie dog, badger, Prairie vole, Fox Squirrel, Mink
Tropical Seasonal Forest/Savannah
Locations: Zimbabwe, Indochina, Bolivia, Tanzania, Namibia, and India
Warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall
Fertile soil is compacted by grazing animals
Seasons due to moving ITCZ
Human impacts: Conversion to land for agriculture and grazing, hunting, poaching, mining, recreation, and tourism
Vegetation: tall, perennial grasses and some drought-tolerant and fire resistant trees/shrubs
Animals: African elephants, Black mamba, Baboon, Emu, and Mongoose
Subtropical desert
Locations: Arizona, Egypt, Angola, Mexico, Iran, and Saudi Arabia
Low precipitation and varying temperatures, but it stays hot
Soil is rich in minerals but poor in organic materials
Low resistance, low resilience, low diversity and very low productivity
Good decomposition
Seasons based on ITCZ
Human impacts: Using ATVs, military exercises, drilling for oil, mining, and nuclear waste disposal
Vegetation: cacti and other succulents, creosote bush and other plants with short growth cycles
Animals: Armadillo, Jackrabbit, Gila monster, Kangaroo rat, and Fenne fox
Lakes and Ponds
Locations: Lake Michigan, MI
Standing water that could be to deep to support vegetation like algae or cattails
Distributed on every continent and very depending on national standards.
Most are fresh water but their are some that could be salt water
Human impacts: Coastal development, recreational activities, chemical pollution and retention uses for natural resource extraction
Animals: Fish, frogs and migratory birds
ITCZ
Stands for Inter Tropical Convergence Zone
A belt of low pressure which circles the Earth near the equator
This is where the trade winds of Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together
