BIOMES
PP. 105-123
BIOMES



Different climates lead to different
communities of organisms,
especially vegetation
Average temperature and
precipitation
Soil
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/othershows/videos/assignment-discovery-shorts-iiibiomes-deserts/
DESERTS
 Tropical,
temperate, polar
 Determined by precipitation, not
temperature
 Larger deserts are inland on
continents
 Extreme temperatures between
day and night
TROPICAL DESERTS
 Hot,
dry year
round
 Few plants
 Hard, windblown
sand and rocks
(TV Westerns)
 Sahara/Namib
Africa
http://i.livescience.com/images/i/000/030/972/i02/s
hutterstock_93404287.jpg?1347483719
TEMPERATE DESERTS
 More
precipitation
than tropical
 Summer days—
high temps
 Winter days—
low temps.
 Mojave—S. CA
http://ww2.valdosta.edu/~mhmorgan/Mojave%20pic%
203.jpg
TEMPERATE DESERTS
 Drought-resistant
shrubs
 Cacti/Succulents
 Animals—Insects,
reptiles, small
mammals,
predator birds
http://carranzabanuelos3.weebly.com/uploads/
2/6/8/3/26838685/5531298_orig.jpg
COLD DESERTS
 Cold
winters,
summers
warm/hot
 Low
precipitation
 Sparse
vegetation
 Gobi, China
http://static.guim.co.uk/sysimages/Travel/Pix/pictures/2012/4/26/1335451740
107/The-Gobi-desert-in-Mongol-008.jpg
DESERT PLANT
ADAPTATIONS
 Shed
leaves in
hot, dry periods
to conserve
water
 Mesquite,
creosote
http://www.redcliffsdesertreserve.c
om/wpcontent/uploads/2011/12/Creosote
-bush-in-flower-2.jpg
http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/treepictures/mesquite
_honey.jpg
DESERT PLANT ADAPTATIONS





Succulent (fleshy) to
store water in tissues
No leaves (no
evapotranspiration
Spines reduce water
loss and protect from
herbivores
Deep roots to reach
groundwater
Saguaro
http://traveladdictsnet.c.presscdn.com/wpcontent/uploads/blogger/AwzhosmtWgE/UZwPnmvkLUI/AAAAAAAAHOI/_oo
Zo_DRur8/s400/Arizona-Saguaro-Cactus.jpg
DESERT PLANT ADAPTATIONS
 Evergreen
plants
with waxy
coating to
reduce water loss
 Stomata open at
night to get
carbon dioxide
 Texas Mountain
Laurel
http://www.indianolatx.com/AIndPics/Plants/laurelpods603
66_39.jpg
DESERT ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
 Small,
scales
 Nocturnal
 Concentrated
waste
 Insects get
water from
dew/food
http://blog.uvm.edu/cgoodnig/files/20
14/10/fennec-fox.jpg
DESERT SOILS
 Long
recovery period from disturbances
 Slow plant growth, low species diversity
 Slow nutrient recycling due to sparse
bacteria
 Lack of water
 Nutrient-poor, mineral rich
GRASSLANDS
 Mostly
interiors of continents; too
moist for deserts; too dry for forests
 Not enough moisture for trees
 Low precipitation, various average
temperatures
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=q_t15sZh0-s
SAVANNA PLANT
ADAPTATIONS
o
o
o
Widely clumped
trees with thorns
to protect from
herbivores
Drought and fire
resistant
Deep roots to
reach
groundwater
http://room42.wikispaces.com/fil
e/view/4savanna.jpg/34448245/4
99x312/4savanna.jpg
SAVANNA ANIMAL
ADAPTATIONS
 Farsighted,
fast
 Grazing at different
areas to reduce
competition
 Migration in dry
periods
 Giraffes, zebra,
antelopes, lions,
hyenas, humans
http://thegreatsavanna.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/2/
8/14284847/4794163.gif?1352213180
DISTRIBUTION
 Interior
of continents
 North America (prairies)
 South America (pampas)
 Eurasia (steppes)
 Midwestern/West U.S. and Canada (shortgrass and tall-grass prairies)
TUNDRA—POLAR GRASSLANDS
PLANT ADAPTATIONS
 Low-growing
to
escape bitter
winds; conserve
heat
 Permafrost—short,
shallow roots
 Lichens, moss,
grass, dwarf
shrubs
http://schmoker.org/TundraLife/Photos/Mos
sCampion-cushions-6.jpg
TUNDRA—POLAR GRASSLANDS
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS





Migratory birds
Thick fur (snowy fox,
oxen)
Feathers (snowy owl)
Burrowing (lemmings)
http://www.discovery.com/tvshows/othershows/videos/assignmentdiscovery-shorts-iii-biomes-tundra/
http://thetundrabiome01.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/5/
1/18519458/288476185_orig.jpg
MOUNTAIN BIOMES
 One-fourth
of earth’s land surface
 Dramatic changes in altitudes,
climate, soil, vegetation over short
distances
 Steep slopes create soil erosion
(landslides) or humans (timber
cutting, agriculture)
ECOLOGICAL ROLES OF
MOUNTAINS
 Majority
world’s forest (biodiversity
habitat)
 Sanctuaries for animal species
 75% freshwater stored in glacial ice
(most in mountain area)
 Hydrologic cycle
PLANT ADAPTATIONS
 Shape
of trees
shed snow
 Waxy needles to
reduce water
loss
http://cache4.assetcache.net/gc/108730806-coniferoustrees-with-snowgettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&
d=ceKD2LJv%2B89nRRmKG4p7F25lwYzld
mzv8rVsukLv7yM%3D
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
 Migratory
birds
 Hibernation
 Thick coats
http://oakdome.com/k5/lessonplans/powerpoint/images/taiga-forestecosystems/3-taiga-forest-ecosystem.gif
PLANT ADAPTATIONS
 Broadleaf
evergreens to
catch light
through dense
canopy
 Climbing vines
to reach sunlight
http://www.apethana.com/gallery/data/m
edia/4/Lianas%20in%20Interior%20of%20Low
land%20Rainforest,%20La%20Selva%20Biolo
gical%20Station,%20Costa%20Rica.jpg
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
 Birds
with beaks
to eat fruits/nuts
 Climbing
animals to
escape dense
vegetation
http://www.animalsinthetropicalrainforest.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/11/Animals-In-The-TropicalRainforest1-300x226.jpg
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
 Nutrient-poor
soil
 Fast decomposition due to moist, warm
climate with plenty of vegetation on
forest flower
 Fast uptake by dense vegetation creates
the nutrient-poor soil
TROPICAL DRY RAINFOREST
 Warm
year round with wet/dry
season
 Lower tree heights; less dense
TEMPERATE RAINFOREST
 Coastal
areas with ample rainfall and
moisture from dense ocean fog
 Ocean moderates climate (mild winters
and cool summers)
 Coast of North America (Canada to
Northern California)
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS
FOREST
 Moderate
average temperature with
changing seasons
 Long, warm summers and cold (not
severe) winters
 Abundant precipitation
 Fertile soil—Slow decomposition with
ample leaf litter builds up nutrients
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
 Hibernation
 Migratory
birds
 Camouflauge
http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImag
es/335617-32323-1.jpg
DEGRADATION OF MOUNTAINS
 Agriculture
 Timber
extraction
 Increasing tourism
 Urban air pollution
 Increased UV due to ozone
depletion
 Soil damage from off road vehicles