Humanities - Biomes

Year 9

Tropical Forest

Biom with dense vegetation, high biodiversity, warm temperatures, and heavy rainfall year-round.

Temperate Forest

Biome with four distinct seasons, moderate rainfall, and deciduous trees.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

Cold biome with coniferous trees, long winters, and moderate snowfall.

Desert

Biome with extremely low precipitation, sparse vegetation, and hot or cold temperatures.

Tundra

Cold, dry biome with permafrost, mosses, lichens, and short growing seasons.

Tropical Forest Vegetation

Tall, dense trees forming multiple canopy layers; very high plant diversity.

Temperate Forest Vegetation

Mainly deciduous trees that shed leaves seasonally.

Boreal Forest Vegetation

Coniferous trees like pine, spruce, and fir.

Desert Vegetation

Scattered shrubs, cacti, and drought-resistant plants.

Tundra Vegetation

Mosses, lichens, grasses, and small shrubs adapted to permafrost.

Tropical Forest Animals

Monkeys, jaguars, parrots, insects, and reptiles.

Temperate Forest Animals

Deer, foxes, squirrels, owls, and bears.

Boreal Forest Animals

Moose, wolves, lynx, and bears.

Desert Animals

Camels, snakes, scorpions, foxes, and insects.

Tundra Animals

Arctic foxes, polar bears, caribou, snowy owls, and hares.

Climate

Average weather patterns of a region over a long period, including temperature and precipitation.

Climate Graph

Graph showing average monthly temperature (line) and precipitation (bars) over a year.

Tropical Climate

Hot and wet all year with little temperature variation and high rainfall.

Temperate Climate

Moderate temperatures with distinct seasons and regular rainfall.

Polar Climate

Extremely cold with low precipitation and long winters.

Subtropical Climate

Hot summers, mild winters, and variable rainfall.

PQE Framework

A method for describing spatial patterns using Pattern, Quantification, and Exception.

Pattern (in PQE)

A general trend or arrangement observed on a map or graph.

Quantification (in PQE)

Using specific data or numbers to support the observed pattern.

Exception (in PQE)

An area or feature that does not fit the general pattern.

BOLTSS

Acronym for map conventions: Border, Orientation, Legend, Title, Scale, Source.

Map Border

A clear edge drawn around a map.

Orientation

Indicates direction, usually with a north arrow.

Legend (Key)

Explains symbols or colours used on a map.

Title

Clearly states what the map is about.

Scale

Shows the relationship between map distance and real-world distance.

Source

Identifies where the map data or information came from.

Global Biome Distribution

The worldwide location of different biomes, influenced by climate zones and geography.

Continents

Seven large landmasses: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Antarctica, Australia.

Major Climate Zones

Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Polar.

Seasonality

The regular variation in temperature and daylight throughout the year.