Earth’s Terrestrial
Biomes
Temperate Deciduous Forest
 Average Yearly Rainfall 75 to 125 cm
 Average Temp. (Summer: 28ºC Winter: 6ºC)
 mammals, birds, & reptiles thrive on leaves, seeds, nuts, & insects
Taiga Forest
•Average Yearly Rainfall 35 to 75 cm
•Average Temp. (Summer: 14ºC Winter: −10ºC)
 Squirrels, insects
 Birds: finches, chickadees, & jays
 Herbivores: porcupines, elk, & moose
 ground covered by a layer of needles
 very little light reaches the ground
 few plants can grow beneath trees
due to lack of light
Tropical Rain Forest
•Average Yearly Rainfall up to 400 cm
•Average Temp. (Daytime: 34ºC Nighttime:
20ºC)
 greater variety of organisms than
any other biome
 most nutrients are found in the plants
 soil is very thin & poor in nutrients
 trees grow roots above ground for extra
support
Temperate Grassland
•Average Yearly Rainfall 25 to 75 cm
•Average Temp. (Summer: 30ºC Winter: 0ºC)
 few trees
 fires, drought, & grazing prevent growth of trees & shrubs
 support small seed-eating animals: prairie dogs & mice
 large mammals graze on grasses
Savanna (Grassland)
•Average Yearly Rainfall 150 cm
•Average Temp. (Dry season: 34ºC Wet season: 16ºC)
 Africa, India, & South America
 dry season: grasses dry out & turn yellow
 deep roots survive for many months without water
 African savanna large herbivores: elephants, giraffes, zebras, &
wildebeests
Hot Desert
•Average Yearly Rainfall less than 25 cm
•Average Temp (Summer: 38ºC Winter: 7ºC)
 plants grow far apart so they won’t compete for water
 plants have shallow, widespread roots that grow just under the surface to
take up water during a storm
 cactuses have fleshy stems & leaves to store water
 leaves have a waxy coating to prevent water loss
many animals are active at night when temperatures are cooler, some
borough in the ground, & are dormant during the dry season (estivation).
tortoises eat flowers or leaves and store the water under their shells
Tundra
•Average Yearly Rainfall 30 to 50 cm
•Average Temp (Summer: 12ºC Winter: −26ºC)
 soil beneath the surface stays frozen: permafrost
 surface soil only thaws in summer
 soil is too shallow for deep-rooted plants so only shallowrooted plants: grasses & small shrubs
 mosses & lichens grow beneath the plants
 insects lay eggs in the mud, birds feed on the insects
 other animals include: musk oxen, wolves, & caribou
Arctic Tundra
Alpine Tundra
 Alpine tundra has permafrost
 found at the top of tall mountains
 trees cannot grow on mountain
 plenty of sunlight & precipitation
Marine Biomes:
Ocean
Abiotic factors: water temperature, water depth, & the amount of sunlight that
passes through the water
As the depth of the water increases the temperature decreases.
Ocean cont…Abiotic factors: water temperature, water depth, & the amount of
sunlight that passes through the water
Intertidal zone:
adaptations to survive air exposure & keep from being washed away by the waves
water is warm & receives lots of sunlight
Plants and animals: corals, sea turtles, fishes, & dolphins
Neritic zone: deep water of open ocean
Plankton found near the surface
Animals: fishes, whales, & sharks
Some animals live in very deep water & get food from material that sinks down from
the surface
Benthic zone: no sunlight, very cold
Animals: fishes, worms, & crabs which get food by eating material that sinks from
above Chemosynthesis: organisms get energy from chemicals that escape from
thermal vents
Marine Biomes cont.
Intertidal Areas
 found near the shore.
 Include: mudflats, sandy beaches, & rocky shores
 organisms must be able to live both underwater & out of water
 mudflats include: worms and crabs, shorebirds feed on these animals
 sandy beaches: worms, clams, crabs, & plankton
 rocky shores organisms have adaptations to keep from being swept away by
crashing waves: use root-like structures called holdfasts to attach to rocks, others
attach themselves by releasing a special glue-like substance.
Marine Biomes cont.
Coral Reefs
 found in warm, shallow areas of the neritic zone
 made up of small animals called corals that live in large groups
 when corals die, they leave hard skeletons & new corals grow on their
remains
 skeletons build up and form a reef which is home to many marine
animals & plants
 organisms include: algae, brightly colored fishes, sponges, sea stars, &
sea urchins.
Marine Biomes cont…
Estuaries
where fresh water from streams & rivers spill into the ocean
 the fresh water from rivers & salt water from the ocean are always mixing so
amount of salt in the water changes
 Plants and animals must be able to survive in changing salt content
 fresh water is rich in nutrients which support large numbers of plankton
 Plankton provide food for many animals.
Marine Biomes cont…
The Sargasso Sea
 the Sargasso Sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
 contains floating algae called sargassums
 animals that live in the Sargasso Sea are the same color as the sargassums,
helping them hide from predators
.
Desert Ice: Antarctica
Mean Temps:
Winter: (-40 to -70°C)
Summer:(-15 to -35°C)
 icy waters surrounding Antarctica are rich in nutrients
that support large numbers of plankton
 fishes, birds, and mammals rely on the
plankton for food.
 Animals include: penguins, seals, whales, & birds
Streams & Rivers
Important abiotic factor: how quickly water moves
 Plants line the edges of streams and rivers
 Fish live in the open waters
 Clams & snails live in the mud at the bottom of a stream or
river
 Organisms in fast-moving water have adaptations to keep
from being washed away: algae and moss are attached to
rocks, tadpoles use suction disks to hold rocks, insects live
under rocks.
Ponds and lakes
Life near Shore
littoral zone: closest to the edge of a lake or pond
Sunlight reaches the bottom and makes it possible for
algae and plants to grow
Plants include: cattails and rushes
The plants are home to small animals: snails and insects
Clams and worms bury in the mud
Frogs, salamanders, turtles, fish, and snakes live in this
zone.
Life Away from Shore
open-water zone: extends from the littoral zone across
the top of the water goes as deep as sunlight can reach
home to bass, lake trout, & other fishes, photosynthetic
plankton
deep-water zone: beneath the open-water zone, no
sunlight
Catfish, carp, worms, crustaceans, fungi, & bacteria live
here & often feed on dead organisms that sink from
above.
Wetland Ecosystems
 area of land underwater or whose soil contains a great deal of moisture
 supports many different plants and animals
 play an important role in flood control : during heavy rains or spring snow
melt, wetlands soak up large amounts of water
 water in wetlands moves deeper into the ground to help replenish
underground water supplies
Wetland Ecosystems cont…
Marshes
 treeless wetland ecosystem found in shallow areas along
the shores of lakes, ponds, rivers, & streams
 plants vary depending on the depth of the water & the
location of the marsh
 grasses, reeds, bulrushes, & wild rice are common
 muskrats, turtles, frogs, and birds live in marshes
Wetland Ecosystems cont…
Swamps
 ecosystem of trees and vines found in low-lying areas &
beside slow-moving rivers
 most swamps are flooded part of the year
 willows, bald cypresses, and oaks are common trees
 vines grow up tree trunks
 plants, like orchids, may hang from tree branches
 water lilies grow in standing water
 fish, snakes, & birds live in swamps