Biomes and Ecosystems: Definitions and Threats for Key Habitats

Tropical Rainforest

Hot and very wet year-round; dense vegetation; threatened by deforestation.

Temperate Rainforest

Cool and very wet; large evergreen trees; threatened by logging.

Temperate Seasonal Forest

Warm summers, cold winters; deciduous trees; threatened by deforestation.

Taiga / Boreal Forest

Long, cold winters; conifers; threatened by logging and climate change.

Temperate Grassland

Hot summers, cold winters; grasses/bison; threatened by farming and overgrazing.

Savanna

Warm year-round with wet/dry seasons; grasses/acacia; threatened by overgrazing.

Desert

Very dry; cacti and succulents; threatened by water depletion.

Shrubland / Chaparral

Hot/dry summers, mild/wet winters; shrubs; threatened by urban development.

Tundra

Extremely cold with permafrost; low shrubs and mosses.

Lakes & Ponds

Freshwater still water; algae and fish; threatened by pollution.

Rivers & Streams

Flowing freshwater; diverse fish; threatened by dams and pollution.

Freshwater Wetlands

Water-saturated soil; cattails and grasses; provides flood control.

Estuaries

Brackish water where rivers meet ocean; threatened by coastal development.

Coral Reefs

Warm, shallow salty water; high biodiversity; threatened by coral bleaching.

Open Ocean

Vast saltwater biome; phytoplankton-based; threatened by overfishing and pollution.

Intertidal Zone

Alternating underwater/exposed shoreline; barnacles and algae.