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APES 1: Biomes

Biomes

land biomes

Tropical Rainforest

  • has the highest mean net productivity of any land biome

  • found in all continents except for Europe and Antarctica

  • characterized by tall trees and lots of rainfall, as well as a lot of biodiversity

  • climate has consistent rainfall and temperatures throughout the year

Savanna

  • moderate-high productivity, a lot of decomposition through termites occurs

  • found in all continents except for Antarctica, and most frequently located in South America and Africa

  • characterized by open grassland with scattered trees, high temperatures, and season drought

Desert

  • low productivity due to low decomposition rates

  • found in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia - covers 20% of the Earth

  • characterized by a very dry climate (little rainfall) with little vegetation and constant high temperatures

  • animals and plants adapted to conserve water

Temperate Grassland

  • low productivity due to low temperatures in the winter and low levels of rainfall

  • found in Australia, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia

  • Characterized by relatively flat geography and large amounts of vegetation (think Midwestern U.S.)

  • climate characterized by a wide range of temperatures: warm summers and cold winters, rainfall in the summer months

Temperate Deciduous Forest

  • high productivity, nutritious soil that allows for tall trees

  • can be found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia

  • has all four seasons, which causes temperatures to vary throughout the year

  • characterized by tall trees and moderate temperatures, as well as moderate, consistent rainfall throughout the year

Boreal Forest

  • low productivity due to its low temperatures and low rates of decomposition

  • located in North America and Asia: the biggest land biome in the world

  • composed of coniferous forests and freshwater bodies

  • characterized by low precipitation, species diversity, and temperatures (permafrost -10ºC to 10ºC)

Tundra

  • very low productivity due to the extremely low temperatures and harsh conditions

  • found in the Northern regions of Europe, Asia, North America, as well as Antarctica

  • very low biodiversity

  • characterized by low temperatures, frost, and low-growing plants such as mosses and grasses.

aquatic biomes

freshwater biomes

  • low salinity

  • streams & rivers

    • flowing water has fewer plants, so the energy inputs come from terrestrial biome organic matter

  • lakes & ponds

    • standing water

    • can be divided into depth zones (determined by how much light gets through)

      • littoral zone

        • algae + plants

        • most photosynthesis occurs

      • limnetic zone

        • open water

        • floating algae

      • profundal zone

        • no sunlight = no producers (low dissolved oxygen)

        • cannot support big organisms

      • benthic zone

        • muddy bottom

  • freshwater wetlands

    • shallow and submerged for some time throughout the year

    • recharge groundwater while filtering pollutants

    • decrease flooding (slowly releases stored water)

marine biomes

  • high salinity

  • oceans, coral reefs, marshland, estuaries

  • algae

    • supply a large portion of Earth’s oxygen and uptake CO2

    • primary producers of the oceans

  • The distribution of marine natural resources, such as different types of fish, varies because of some combination of

    • salinity

    • depth

    • turbidity

    • nutrient availability

    • temperature

water reservoirs

  • oceans are primary water reservoirs

  • others include ice caps and groundwater (freshwater)

  • replenished by precipitation runoff or infiltration

  • only 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater

APES 1: Biomes

Biomes

land biomes

Tropical Rainforest

  • has the highest mean net productivity of any land biome

  • found in all continents except for Europe and Antarctica

  • characterized by tall trees and lots of rainfall, as well as a lot of biodiversity

  • climate has consistent rainfall and temperatures throughout the year

Savanna

  • moderate-high productivity, a lot of decomposition through termites occurs

  • found in all continents except for Antarctica, and most frequently located in South America and Africa

  • characterized by open grassland with scattered trees, high temperatures, and season drought

Desert

  • low productivity due to low decomposition rates

  • found in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia - covers 20% of the Earth

  • characterized by a very dry climate (little rainfall) with little vegetation and constant high temperatures

  • animals and plants adapted to conserve water

Temperate Grassland

  • low productivity due to low temperatures in the winter and low levels of rainfall

  • found in Australia, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia

  • Characterized by relatively flat geography and large amounts of vegetation (think Midwestern U.S.)

  • climate characterized by a wide range of temperatures: warm summers and cold winters, rainfall in the summer months

Temperate Deciduous Forest

  • high productivity, nutritious soil that allows for tall trees

  • can be found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia

  • has all four seasons, which causes temperatures to vary throughout the year

  • characterized by tall trees and moderate temperatures, as well as moderate, consistent rainfall throughout the year

Boreal Forest

  • low productivity due to its low temperatures and low rates of decomposition

  • located in North America and Asia: the biggest land biome in the world

  • composed of coniferous forests and freshwater bodies

  • characterized by low precipitation, species diversity, and temperatures (permafrost -10ºC to 10ºC)

Tundra

  • very low productivity due to the extremely low temperatures and harsh conditions

  • found in the Northern regions of Europe, Asia, North America, as well as Antarctica

  • very low biodiversity

  • characterized by low temperatures, frost, and low-growing plants such as mosses and grasses.

aquatic biomes

freshwater biomes

  • low salinity

  • streams & rivers

    • flowing water has fewer plants, so the energy inputs come from terrestrial biome organic matter

  • lakes & ponds

    • standing water

    • can be divided into depth zones (determined by how much light gets through)

      • littoral zone

        • algae + plants

        • most photosynthesis occurs

      • limnetic zone

        • open water

        • floating algae

      • profundal zone

        • no sunlight = no producers (low dissolved oxygen)

        • cannot support big organisms

      • benthic zone

        • muddy bottom

  • freshwater wetlands

    • shallow and submerged for some time throughout the year

    • recharge groundwater while filtering pollutants

    • decrease flooding (slowly releases stored water)

marine biomes

  • high salinity

  • oceans, coral reefs, marshland, estuaries

  • algae

    • supply a large portion of Earth’s oxygen and uptake CO2

    • primary producers of the oceans

  • The distribution of marine natural resources, such as different types of fish, varies because of some combination of

    • salinity

    • depth

    • turbidity

    • nutrient availability

    • temperature

water reservoirs

  • oceans are primary water reservoirs

  • others include ice caps and groundwater (freshwater)

  • replenished by precipitation runoff or infiltration

  • only 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater