Abiotic and Biotic Factors of Major Terrestrial Biomes
Abiotic Factors (to be plotted on temp/pptn/latitude triangle)  major factors that affect distribution of terrestrial biomes
Biome
Abiotic conditions
Tundra
Coldest biome: -40oC, -18oC
Dry: 150-250 mm/yr
Northern hemisphere
Taiga (Northern coniferous forest) Cool year-round: -40oC to 20oC
Adequate rainfall: 300-900 mm/yr
N. Am and Eurasia, underneath tundra biomes
Tropical rainforest
Always warm: 20-25oC
Very wet: 2,000-10,000 mm/yr
Between Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Grassland
Warm to hot: 20-30oC
Wet & dry seasons: 500-900 mm/yr
All continents except Antartica
Desert
Extreme temp: 49oC (day), -18oC (night)
Very dry : <250 mmm/yr
Tropical and temperate zones
Biotic Factors
Biome
Tundra
Taiga (Northern
coniferous forest)
Tropical rainforest
Grassland
Desert
Major Flora
Stunted trees, dwarf woody shrubs,
mosses, lichens, grass
Conifers
Vines, palms, orchids, ferns
Grasses, few trees
Cactus, sage brush, dwarf shrubs,
short woody trees
Major Fauna
Reindeer,
migratory animals (feed on plants during summer)
wolves, foxes, mosquitoes (feed on migratory animals)
Black bears, wolves, moose, migratory birds (during summer)
Mammals (giraffes, zebras, lions, etc), birds, insects
Kangaroo mice, lizards, insects, scorpions, snakes, birds
Abiotic and Biotic Factors of Major Terrestrial Biomes
BIOME
Tundra
ABIOTIC  BIOTIC INTERACTIONS
permafrost +  temp + winds +  rainfall  small plants only (roots close to H2O source)
light for time  plants grow and flower rapidly
temp  animals w/ fur, hibernate to conserve energy; no exothermic animals
(e.g. reptiles, amphibians)
insects survive winter as eggs/pupae
presence of migratory animals only during summer (plants)
Taiga
 snowfall  needle-like leaves prevent breaking off leaves
(Northern
due to snow & water loss thru evaporation
coniferous temp + cuticle on leaves  hard to decompose  nutrients in soil
forest)
animals: thick coat for insulation; hibernation to conserve energy
summer drought  fire-resistant leaves & cones  able to start 2o succession
Tropical
rainforest
closed canopy   light reaches ground  vines (climb on other plants, roots still in soil),
epiphytes (grow on other plants, not in soil)
Grassland drought + fires + grazing  no woody shrubs and trees
Desert
 rainfall  pleated structure of cacti plants to store water;
spines to prevent animals from obtaining water from them
 rainfall  small plants only (roots close to water source)
animals: nocturnal, burrowers