Biomes

tropical rain forest climate

warm/hot, little seasonal variation, abundant rainfall throughout the year

tropical rain forest dominant plants

broad-leaved evergreen trees, lianas (woody vines), epiphytes

tropical rain forest disturbances

small-scale and large-scale windthrows (blows down trees tied to each other via vines)

biome with highest rate of photosynthesis and biomass production

tropical rain forest

biome with highest species richness

tropical rain forest

cloud forest

form of tropical rain forest

tropical seasonal forest climate

warm/hot temperatures, higher rainfall during wet season with a pronounced dry season

tropical seasonal forest locations

15-20° N and S, close to Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

tropical seasonal forest dominant plants

deciduous trees

biome with the 2nd highest species diversity

tropical seasonal forest

savanna climate

warm/hot, moderate annual rainfall with pronounced dry season

savanna locations

east and central Africa, South America (south of Amazon Basin), Australia

savanna dominant plants

grasses with scattered trees (park-like physiognomy)

savanna disturbance

dry season surface fires

desert climate

<25 cm precipitation (low), highly seasonal precipitation (long dry season), extreme variation in rainfall

desert locations

25-35° N and S, leeward side of mountain ranges

desert dominant plants

stem succulents, drought-deciduous shrubs, herbaceous annuals and ephemerals, cryptogamic crust

cryptogamic crust

helps to prevent soil erosion, carries out nitrogen fixation

biome with high diversity of seed-eating animals

desert

chaparral climate

cool moist winters, hot rainless summers

chaparral location

30°-40° N and S of equator; Mediterranean region, South California, Central Chile, SW Australia, Cape of Good Hope

chaparral dominant plants

evergreen shrubs, short trees, tough small leaves

chaparral disturbance

frequent intense surface fires and crown fires

temperate grassland climate

25-75 cm rainfall, moderate temperatures

temperate grassland location

central North America, central Asia, Argentina

temperate grassland dominant plants

herbaceous vegetation; primarily grasses and scattered forbs, with trees found along streams

temperate grassland disturbance

frequent low intensity surface fires

fire importance to sod-forming grasses

very important

fire importance to bunch grasses

less frequent, not as important

temperate deciduous forest climate

abundant rainfall (75-150 cm), moderate temperatures, strong seasonal fluctuations

temperate deciduous forest locations

eastern North America, West Europe, East Asia (China, Japan, Korea)

temperate deciduous forest dominant plants

broad-leaved, winter-deciduous trees

temperate deciduous forest disturbance

windthrows, infrequent low intensity surface fires

taiga climate

long cold winters, moderate precipitation

taiga locations

Canada, Northern Europe, Siberia (south of tundra)

taiga dominant plants

needle-leaved conifers, mostly evergreen

taiga disturbance

intense crown or surface fires every ~100 years, outbreaks of insect herbivores

tundra climate

relatively little precipitation, precip doesn’t percolate so biome stays wet; permafrost

tundra locations

northern latitudes between coniferous forest and ice cap

tundra dominant plants

grasses, sedges, dwarf woody plants, lichens

tundra disturbance

human causes

biome with lowest net primary productivity

tundra and desert

permafrost

permanently frozen layer of soil that is no more than 1 meter below the soil surface

alpine tundra

located on mountaintops at the equator