Biomes

BIOMES

CHAPTER 4, LESSONS 4 & 5

WHAT IS A BIOME?

A large group of ecosystems

they share the same climate and have similar communities (plants, animals)

What is climate?

The average ANNUAL temperature and amount of rainfall in an area.

Affected by:

Latitude*

Elevation

Land masses

Ocean currents

CATEGORIES OF BIOMES

TERRESTRIAL

AQUATIC

TERRESTRIAL (LAND) BIOMES

Temperature and precipitation are major factors that determine a biome.

Tropical Biomes

Warm, varying amounts of rain

Greatest amount of biodiversity on Earth

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

Home to over half of Earth’s land species

Large amounts of rain.

Found in regions around Equator

SAVANNA

A tropical grassland

Long dry season, short wet season

Africa, Australia, South America

Large herbivores (giraffes, zebras, etc.)

TROPICAL DESERT

Hottest, driest places on Earth

Very little rainfall

Consistent temperatures

Northern Africa, India

Jackal, owls, ostrich

Temperate Biomes

Wide range of temperatures and rainfall amounts

TEMPERATE GRASSLAND

Excellent for agriculture

Central NA, South Africa, Argentina

TEMPERATE FOREST

Trees shed their leaves (deciduous)

Ohio is in this biome

Eastern U.S., NE Asia, Western Europe

TEMPERATE DESERT

Wide range of temperatures throughout the year

Utah, Montana

Jackrabbit, gazelle, five-toed pygmy jerboa

High-latitude Biomes

Latitude: Relates to the north-south distance from the Equator.

TAIGA (BOREAL FOREST)

Coniferous forests (pine trees 🡪 pine cones)

Long, cold winters

Canada (50˚-60˚ N Lat.)

Moose, wolves, bears

TUNDRA

Little rainfall

Water is frozen within soil - permafrost

Plants/animals (foxes, owls, caribou) smaller

POLAR REGIONS

Border the tundra (in the north)

Very cold

In the north: Arctic Ocean (covered by ice), Greenland

Polar bears, arctic foxes

In the south: Antarctica (southern-most landmass)

Coldest, windiest, driest

Penguins, whales, seals