There are 2 Types of Biomes. Terrestrial and Aquatic
1. Terrestrial Biomes: Land Biome
Terrestrial Biomes located on Land
Terrestrial Biomes are determined by land’s latitude, altitude, and precipitation.
Different plants and animals inhabit each biome and are adapted for that particular biome.
6 Terrestrial Biomes:
Tundra Grassland
Taiga Desert
Deciduous Tropical Rainforest
2. Aquatic Biomes: Water Biome
2 Aquatic Biomes:
Freshwater
Saltwater
* Every land (or terrestrial) biome has a set of characteristics that makes it different from the other biomes.
A.
-a treeless biome covered by snow in the winter.
Found across Northern America Europe and Asia.
Have permafrost (a permanently frozen layer of ground).
Common Animals: Caribou, Hawks, Snowy owls, Reindeer, Polar Bears, and rodents

Animal Adaptations: warm-blooded, thick fur, able to store fat, likely to migrate, or hibernate.
Common Plants: Lichens, Shrubs, and grass like plants.
What are lichens? A dual organism made of a fungus and Alga.
Why are lichens important to the environment? They break down rocks into soil so that plants can grow.
They also enrich the soil with nutrients when they themselves die and decompose.
Plant Adaptations: low-growing, small leaves, shallow roots, and quick growth cycle.
Average Yearly Rainfall: less than 25cm of rain per year (less than 10 inches).
Temperature: Winter temperature average -30 F
Climate: Cold Temp’s, High Winds, and Dry; Permafrost
Geographic: Northern Alaska, Northern Canada, and Russia
Typical Food Chain: grass rodents owls
B.
-a biome dominated by conifers ( Cone-Bearing Trees ) such as pines, firs, spruces, and cedars.
This Biome is known as Boreal Dense Forest because it is tightly packed-so close together that there is little space or unoccupied space.
Found south of tundra in North America, Europe, and Asia
Common Animals: Bears, Deer, Elk, Moose, Beavers, Lynx, Snowshoe Rabbits
Animal Adaptations: thick fur, insulating fat, or feathers, likely to migrate or hibernate, able to change fur color (in mammals).
Common Plants: Conifers, Hemlocks, Pines, Firs, Spruces, Cedars, Redwood
Plant Adaptations: Evergreen leaves, Needle-like leaves, Waxy Coating on leaves.
Average Yearly Rainfall: 40 to 90cm of rain per year (12-33 inches)
Temperature: Cold and Wet -35 F to -4 F Summer 14 F
Climate: Cool Summer and Cold Winters; Plenty of Rain
Geographic: North America
Typical Food Chain: Tree Bark Beaver Lynx

During the long winter, snow covers the ground protecting tree roots from freezing.
C.
(also referred to as Temperate Forest )-a biome characterized by trees that lose their leaves in the fall.
Stretches across the eastern U.S. Europe, parts of Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia.
The state of Mississippi is in a Temperate Forest Biome.
Common Animals: Mice, Snakes, Deer, Fox, Raccoons, Gray Squirrels, and Black Bears
Animal Adaptations: Likely to migrate or hibernate during winter months, likely to store nuts and seeds.
Common Plants: Maple, Oak Trees, and Wild flowers
Plant Adaptations: Broad leaves that shed in autumn.
Average Yearly Rainfall: More than 75cm (30-100inches)
Temperature: -22 F to 90 F
Climate: 4 Distinct Seasons; Warm Summer, Cool Winter, Year round Rainfall and fertile soil.
Geographic: Mississippi, Eastern United States
Typical Food Chain: Ant Beetle Larva Skunk
Humus is the dark organic material in soils produced by the decomposition of vegetable or animal matter and essential to the fertility of the Earth.
D.
-a biome characterized by moderate rainfall, fields of grass , and few trees. The grasses are generally resistant to drought and cold as well as to the fires that occasionally sweep through the plains.
Common Animals: Prairie, Antelope, Buffalo, Cheetahs, Wildebeest, Coyotes, Elephants, Lions, Zebras, and Giraffes
Animal Adaptations: form packs or herds, flat teeth, camouflaged fur colors, able to burrow underground.
Common Plants: Drought-Resistant and Fire-Resistant Grass

Plant Adaptations: Deep root grass, color wildflowers to attract pollinators, plants with flexible stems to withstand high winds.
Average Yearly Rainfall: 15-75 cm rain per year (35-60 inches)
Temperature: 72 F-86 F and Lack precipitation
Climate: Moderate Rainfall; Hot summers, Cold winters, fertile soil
Geographic: Midwestern United States, large parts of Africa (Savannahs)
Typical Food Chain: grass prairie dog coyote
There are several categories of grasslands. Take a look at two common types:
Prairie -Midwestern United States; characterized by tall grasses and grazing herbivores.
Typical food chain grass zebra lion
Savanna -Africa; has small clusters of trees, large herbivorous animals, such as giraffes, elephants, rhinoceros, and hippopotamuses, and large cats, such as lions and cheetahs.
Typical food chain grass elephant cheetah
E.
-a biome where rainfall average less than 25 cm per year(less than 9.9 inches)
Found in North Africa, Mexico, Idaho, Northern Nevada, Arizona
Common Animals: Snakes, Lizards, Bobcats, Camels, Rats, Coyotes
Animal Adaptations: small, likely to burrow underground, active at night, large ears to disperse heat, able to get water from food.
Common Plants: Cacti, Shrubs (small), Succulents
Plant Adaptations: deep roots, spines, or small leaves, waxy leaves
Average Yearly Rainfall: Less than 25cm of rain per year(less than 10 inches)
Temperature: 100 F to 25 F at night
Climate: Hot days; Cold nights
Geographic: Southwestern United States, Mexico, and North Africa
Typical Food Chain: Seeds Rat Hawk

G.
Found near the equator where rainfall and sunlight are plentiful such as in Asia, Africa, South America, and Central America.
Very diverse because of animal and plant life.
Four parts of the tropical rain forest:
Emergent, Canopy, Understory, and Forest Floor
Common Animals: Colorful Birds, Lizards, Monkeys, Butterflies, Snakes
Animal Adaptations: Bright colors to warn of poison, camouflage against predators, specialized traits to eat a specific food, various beak sizes and shapes for specific purposes(in birds), specialized traits for living in trees(such as prehensile tails).
Common Plants: Epiphyte, Orchids, Broadleaf evergreens, Palms, Ferns, and Vines.
Plant Adaptations: Large Leaves, Shallow roots, ability to “eat” insects, the ability to grow in the air, specialized traits to obtain nutrients and sunlight.
Average Yearly Rainfall: 150 to 600cm per year (80-180inches per year).
Temperature: 77 F
Climate: Warm and Wet, Year Round High Temperatures; High Rainfall
Geographic: Near Equator; South America
Typical Food Chain: Fruit Monkey Jaguar
: A climatogram is normally a combination of a Bar Graph and a Line Graph that shows temperature and precipitation in an area.
On a climatogram, the bars represent precipitation .
The line represents temperature . To read precipitation, use the scale on the left.
To read temperature, read the scale on the right .

Consider the following questions, when reading a climatogram.
A.
Which month receives the most precipitation? July
B.
Which month receives the least? April
C.
What is the lowest temperature indicated on the climatogram? Feb
D.
What is the highest temperature? July
E.
Total Precipitation for the year? 114mm
F.
Temperature for July 7 C
Convert the temperature of the highest month to Fahrenheit. In this case the temperature is 7 for July.
(7 x9) / 5=12.6
12.6 + 32 = 44. 6 F
Fahrenheit is easier for students to understand. This biome is cold and very little precipitation.
G.
Which biome is most likely represented by this climatogram? Tundra

Aquatic Biomes are most often determined by depth and temperature of water and the chemicals that are dissolved in water.
Two Types of Aquatic Ecosystems
1. Freshwater
2. Saltwater
Freshwater Biome: Rivers and Streams
Flowing Water Biome: Many of the animals that live in flowing water have adaptations, such as hooks or suckers that keep them anchored.
Standing water Biome: Lakes and Ponds
The water is still-they have small organisms called plankton .
Phytoplankton are microscopic photosynthetic organisms that float near the surface of the water. The tiny animals that feed on them are zooplankton .
Saltwater Biomes include:
A. Aphotic: “Aphotic” means without light , and the aphotic zone of the ocean is always dark. It is so deep that not sunlight ever reaches there. The only producers in the aphotic zone are chemosynthetic autotrophs that do not need light.
B. Coastal Ocean: The area between the outer continental shelf and the low-tide mark. Since sunlight can penetrate this water, there are many producers in the coastal ocean. Kelp grows in certain areas, and there are fishes, snails, seals, sea urchins, and whales.
C. Intertidal Zone: The area between low tide and high tide.
Organisms that live an intertidal zone must be able to adapt to the extreme changes that occur regularly due to the tides. Most of the time, they live in sunlight and are exposed to air and temperature changes. Then during high tide , they are submerged by seawater. Because of the currents, many of the organisms are permanently attached to rocks, or like starfish and sea urchins, they able to cling to the rocks by using suckers or tube feet.
D. Coral Reefs: The most beautiful and diverse biome. Colorful fishes, sea anemones, starfish, and the corals themselves live in this environment, which is found only in warm water and is usually no deeper than 40 meters.
E. Estuaries: Formed where freshwater and saltwater merge with the ocean. Algae, seaweed, and marsh grass can usually be found growing in estuaries, and a wide variety of animals, such as oysters, shrimp, worms, and crabs. Estuaries are referred to as “brackish” water .