Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Tundra

A cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation.

Taiga

A forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons. Also known as boreal forest.

Temperate Rainforest

A coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation.

Temperate Seasonal Forest

A biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m (39 inches) of annual precipitation.

Shrubland

A biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Also known as woodland.

Temperate Grassland

A biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers. Also known as cold desert.

Tropical Rainforest

A warm and wet biome found between 20° N and 20°S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation.

Savanna

A biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons. Also known as tropical seasonal forest.

Hot Desert

A biome located at roughly 30° N and 30° S, and characterized by hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation.

Freshwater Wetland

An aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation.

Salt Marsh

Found along the coast in temperate climates, a marsh containing nonwoody emergent vegetation.

Estuary

An area along the coast where the fresh water of rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean.

Mangrove Swamp

A swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contains salt-tolerant trees with roots submerged in water.

Coral Reef

Represents Earth’s most diverse marine biome, and are found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline in tropical regions.

Open Ocean

Deep-ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom.