THE WORLD’S MAJOR BIOMES
Objectives: I CAN … Analyze the environments and the
interdependence among organisms found in the world’s
major biomes.
I CAN … Identify the biotic and abiotic elements of the
major biomes.
Think about it…
1) What’s the difference between a biome and an
ecosystem?
2) How would you define an animal adaptation?
Biomes & Adaptations
• An ecosystem is the interaction of living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things in an environment. An ecosystem
can be large or small. (Remember the Five Levels of
Environmental Organization?)
• A biome is a large geographic area defined by
characteristic climate features, plant and animal life.
Biomes are generally found in bands of latitude around
the planet. The have similar biotic and abiotic factors.
• The organisms living in a particular biome have adapted
to the terrain and weather of that region. An adaptation
is a way an organism’s physical features or behavior.
World’s Major Biomes
Tropical
Rainforest
• Located near equator
• Covers less than 2% of
Earth’s total surface area,
but home to 50% of Earth’s
plants and animals.
• Greatest biodiversity:
Home to 15 million species
of plants and animals
• Endangered Biome –
threatened by mining and
logging practices
Tropical
Rainforest
Abiotic Factors
• Warm temps and high rainfall allow a lot of
plant growth
• Average temperatures:
Day 34* C/93 F
Night 20* C/68 F
• Average yearly rainfall up to 400 cm
(157.5 in)
• Less than 1 cm of topsoil
• Sunlight is a limiting factor
• Little light reaches ground
Tropical Rainforest
Plant Adaptations
 Plants grow in 4 layers: forest floor, understory,
canopy, and emergent layer
Examples:
bamboo, banana trees, orchids,
insect-eating pitcher plants
 Trees form a continuous green roof or canopy
 Canopy prevents sunlight reaching floor
 Soil so thin plants have shallow, wide roots.
 Some plants have roots above ground for support
 Most of nutrients are found in the plants not the soil
Tropical
Rainforest
?
Poison Arrow Frog
Why do animals need adaptations? Tree sloth’s fur covered in algae
Animal Adaptations
?
• Behavior
• Structural (physical)
• Camouflage
?
 Many symbiotic
relationships
?
 Animals adapt to
living on their forest
level
Toucan’s long beak can snag hard to reach fruit
Temperate Deciduous Forests
Location:
 Found in temperate zone (about 480 north latitude)
 Much of the human population lives in this biome
Temperate Deciduous Forests
Abiotic Factors
 Characterized by an
abundance of deciduous (leaf
bearing) trees
 4 seasons
 Leaves change color and fall
off
 Soils: Deep soil layers, rich in
nutrients
 Average yearly rainfall:




75 cm to 125 cm (29.5 in. to 49 in.)
Average Temps:
Summer 28* C (82 F)
Winter 6* C (43 F)
Lady Fern
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Plant Adaptations
White Birch
More diversity in the deciduous forest vs. the
coniferous forest due to increased sunlight.
Trees adapt to varied climate by becoming
dormant in winter
Deciduous forests grow in layers
More sunlight reaches the ground
compared to a rainforest so you
will find more ground dwelling
plants.
Geulder Rose
Temperate Deciduous
Forest
Animal Adaptations
Bald Eagle
Fox
Turtle
 Lose Winter Coat
 Adapt to many
seasons
 Eat from
different layers
of the forest
 Physical features
Coniferous Forest
a.k.a. Taiga
Location: Found
only in Northern
Hemisphere
Coniferous
Forest
Abiotic factors
 Average Yearly Rainfall
 35 cm to 75 cm
 (14 in to 29.5 in)
 Soil poor in nutrients
and very acidic
 Trees prevent sunlight
from reaching ground
 Average temperatures:
 Summer 14* C / 57* F
 Winter -10* C / 14* F
Coniferous Forest
Plant adaptations
Fireweed
Waxy coating helps tree conserve water
protects needles from cold weather
stay green all year, do not loose leaves
 Coniferous (needle-bearing) trees are
abundant – produces seeds in cones
 Roots long to anchor trees
 Needles long, thin with waxy coating
 Low sunlight and poor soil keeps plants
from growing on forest floor
Balsam Fir
Animal
Adaptations
Coniferous Forest
Moose
fur traps air
to act as an
insulator
 Adapt for cold winters
 Burrow, hibernate, warm coat, insulation, etc.
 Some birds migrate south
Snowshoe Hares change fur color each season
Bears hibernate underground
Grasslands
Made up of mainly grasses, small
flowering plants, and few trees.
Two kinds: Temperate Grasslands
and Savannas
Savannas
Contains the greatest number of grazing animals on Earth
Location: Found in the tropics…near equator
Amount of precipitation supports tall grasses but only occasional trees
Savannas
Abiotic Factors
Two seasons: Wet and dry season (Fires occur often in dry season)
Average yearly rainfall: 150 cm (59 in.)
Average Temperatures: Dry season 34* C (93* F)
Wet season 16* C (61* F)
Whistling Thorn
Umbrella Thorn Acacia
Savannas
Plant Adaptations
Kangaroos
Paws
Baobab tree
 Grows in Tufts
 Resistance to Drought
 Many plants have thorns
and sharp leaves to protect
against predators.
Savannas
Animal Adaptations
• Adapt for short rainy season migration
• Limited food leads to vertical feeding
(trees)
• Live in herds (Zebras striped
pattern makes hard for lion to
pick single zebra from group)
• Camouflage
Temperate Grasslands
Prairies and Steppes
ABIOTIC FACTORS
 Average yearly rainfall: 25 cm to 75 cm (10 in to 29.5 in)
 Characteristic high Winds
 Average temperatures: Summer 30* C (86* F)
Winter 0* C (32* F)
Grasslands (Prairie) Plant Adaptations
Sod-forming grasses that
won’t dry out or blow away
in wind.
Fleabane
Buffalo Grass
Grasslands (Prairie)
Animal Adaptations
Many adaptations to survive extremes
Bison
Broad, flat topped teeth to
chew grasses
Prairie dog
Prairie Rattlesnake
What is its adaptation?
front paws can dig easily to hide
underground
Some animals nocturnal for protection
Desert
BIOME
• Very hot
• Very dry
• Organisms
have special
adaptations
Desert
Abiotic
factors
 Less than 10
in/year of rain
 Little to no
topsoil due to
high winds
 Minerals not
deep in soil
 Too dry for
decay
Average Temperatures:
Summer 38* C (100* F)
Winter 7* C (45* F)
Barrel Cactus
Desert
Plant Adaptations:
Ocotollio
 Spines
 Cactuses store water
 Thick, waxy cuticle
 Shallow, broad roots near surface
to take up water quickly after rain
Joshua Tree
Thorny Devil
drinks water through
its skin
Desert Animal Adaptations:






Jackrabbit
Get water from food
Thick outer coat
Burrow underground during day
Large ears
Nocturnal – active at night
Some animals have salt glands to secrete
salt without a loss of water
Tundra
Very cold temperatures and
very little rainfall.
TWO TYPES:
Polar Tundra
(a.k.a. Arctic)
Alpine Tundra
Polar Tundra is found near North
and South Poles.
Alpine Tundra is found at the tops
of tall mountains.
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLA SSES/G EOG235 /biome s/tundr a/tundr a.html
Tundra Abiotic Factors
 Average Yearly Rainfall 30 cm to 50 cm (12 in to 20 in)
 Average Temps: Summer 12* C (54* F)

Winter -26*C (-15* F)
 Permafrost – layer of soil below surface stays frozen
 Summer melting - soil becomes very muddy
Plant Adaptations
Tundra
Growing close to the ground
helps resist wind and cold
 Shallow roots to absorb the
limited water resources
Above elevation called “tree line”
(trees cannot grow on a mountain)
cotton grass
Arctic fox
Tundra
?
Animal
Adaptations
Migration & hibernation
Few predators
Little Competition
Mountain goat has rough pads on each toe provides grip
Small ears reduces heat loss
Insulation, thick coat
Polar Bears can close their nostrils
to swim underwater
Putting it together
• BIOME PROJECT – Total of SIX Biomes
• Create poster presentations to illustrate differences
among the world’s major biomes.
•
•
•
•
•
Coniferous Forest
FOR EACH BIOME:
Temperate Deciduous Forest Colored Illustration includes:
Alpine or Polar Tundra
2 abiotic & 2 biotic factors
Tropical Rain Forest
Write 2 interesting facts
Desert
Describe 2 organisms adaptations
• Grasslands: Temperate Grasslands or Savannas