Adaptations & Biomes Obj. 3a
• ____________ are structure, behavior, or other traits in an organism that helps it to
_____________________ in its environment
• Examples:
– ____________________ rabbits are more abundant in snowy biomes & brown rabbits are more
abundant in grassy or forest biomes
– Spiny leaves on a cactus allow it to reduce water _________________ & keep it from being eaten.
_____________ is the weather a place has over a long period of time (50 years).
• Affected by 3 major factors:
– ___________________: amount of rain and snow fall
– ___________________: how hot or cold it is
– Hours of ________________: amount of energy from the sun the earth receives
• Climate __________________ the species of plants & plants determine the kinds of animals that live in a
biome
Biomes
• Large geographic areas characterized by a distinct ___________ and specific types of plant & animal life.
Tundra: Land of extreme cold, high winds, and very little rain or snow
• Climate:
– Extremely _______________ and dry
– Most soil is frozen all year which is called ___________________ that causes pools of water to form
in the summer
• Plant Life: During ________________ summers the sun does not set allowing for a growing seasons
– mosses, grasses, shrubs, flowering herbs
• Animal Life: have _______________ to the harsh cold land and are able to migrate or grow thick fur.
– __________________: the moving of animals from one location to another when seasons change
– Insects, birds, oxen, wolves, grizzly, caribou, arctic hare, and polar bears
Boreal/Taiga/Coniferous Forest Biomes: Land of the Evergreen trees
• Climate:
– Winters are cold & snowy
– Summers are warm and rainy enough to ________________ all snow
• Animal life:
– Includes snowshoe hares, moose, elk, wolves, bears, beavers and many species of birds.
• Dominant plants: Plants have ______________ to the frozen soil by having less surface area and thick
waxy coating to _________________ water loss
– Most trees are _________________________ meaning they produce their seeds in cones and have
leaves shaped like needles.
– Fir, spruce, hemlock, pine & other evergreen
Temperate/Deciduous Forest Biomes: The land of 4 Seasons
• Climate: humid with distinctive _________________ changes.
– _________________ centimeters of precipitation each year
– Temperatures _____________________ greatly through the year with a 5-6 month growing season
• Plant life: __________________ trees have ___________________ by shedding their leaves and grow
new ones each year
– Oak, Hickory, Beech, Maple, and Elm trees.
• Animal life: animals have ___________________ to the seasonal changes by migrating or hibernating
– ________________________: entering into a sleep-like state to reduce activity and rely on fat stored
in the body for energy
– deer, bears, snakes, rabbits, squirrels, and many birds and insects.
Rain Forest Biomes: Land of the most amazing plants & animals
• Climate: Rainy & warm ____________ round
– found along and near the equator.
– support the greatest ____________________ of life on earth.
• Plant Life: All varieties
– The forest has 3 distinct layers
• Canopy – ______________ layer of leafy trees
• Understory – shorter trees & vines
• Forest floor – few plants live here due to ________________ amounts of sunlight
• Animal life: All varieties
– monkeys, bats, snakes, deer, rodents, reptiles, insects and numerous amounts of bird species.
• _____________________ species are discovered every year
Desert Biomes: Land of Extremes
• Climate:
– Receives less than 25cm of _______________________ per year
• The amount of ______________________ is greater than the amount of precipitation
– hottest temperature on Earth
• Extreme highs during the _______________ & extreme colds at ________________
• Death Valley in CA has a record high temperature of 57°C
• Plant life: _____________________ for getting and conserving water by having long deep roots or
abilities to absorb & store water when it rains
– includes cacti, small trees, woody shrubs, many wildflowers
• Animal life: ____________________ by being nocturnal or burrowing under ground
– ___________________: active at night.
– Ex. Kangaroo rats, rodents, bats, snakes, toads, birds, ants, and other insects.
Grassland Biomes: Land of the largest animals on Earth
• Areas that are populated mostly by grasses and other non-woody plants
• Found in the same general area as deciduous forest but receive _________________ rain to support trees
• _________________ are found in the mid-latitudes and have rich soil for plant growth
– Climate: receive 25 to 75 cm of rain per year with milder temperatures year round
• Animal life: birds, rabbits, foxes, prairie dogs, mice, hawks, coyotes, snakes
• __________________ are closer to the equator, receive 120 cm of rain per year, & have hotter
temperatures
– Animal life: elephants, lions, bison, zebras, antelope, giraffes, rhinoceroses, kangaroos, cheetahs
Drawing Conclusions:
– Given the precipitation and temperature data for these locations, in which biome would you expect
each to be located? Explain your answers.
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