We would like to
thank Melissa
Pound and
Judy Kinz for
all their
technical
support
BIOMES
written by Mrs. Rocco’s 2008 Reading Class
Table of Contents
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Introduction……………………………………………pg 5-10
Deserts………………… ……………………………..pg 11-17
Authors: Jazlyn F, Brianna S, Ahmet B
Tundra…………………………………………………pg 18-24
Authors: Arianne S, CJ H, Amber C
Rain Forest ……. …………………………………….pg 25-31
Authors: Makima L, Marc W, Sam M
Forest……..……………………………………………pg 32-37
Authors: Pedro G, Danielle S, Matthew A
Grasslands…………………………………................pg 38-43
Authors: Samantha T, Anthony MS, Olivia S.
Glossary……………………………………………….pg 44-45
BIOMES
A natural area that has a certain climate,
plants, animals and ecosystems.
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Climate
The same weather over time
What affects climate?
Amount of precipitation (snow, rain, sleet and hail)
Amount of wind
Amount of sunshine
Temperature
Distance from equator and the distance from north and south poles
How close is the mountains
How close is the ocean
6
Plants are producers because they
change the energy from the sun into
food. Green plants change the sun’s
energy into food through
photosynthesis.
Adaptation means how plants might
change or grow that help them
survive in their biome environment.
The color , size and shape of leaves,
length of roots or how close the plant
grows to the ground are all examples
of plant adaptations to their biome.
7
Animals
Animals are consumers because they change plant or animal energy into
calories which is used to fuel their bodies. Animals can not make their own
food. Decomposers are plants or animals that breakdown dead plants and
animals into a form of energy that can be used in the soil to help plants
grow called nutrients. Animal adapt to their biome. Some examples of
adaptations are hibernation, estivation, and migration. The size of an
animals ears are an adaptation to their biome.
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Ecosystem
The relationship between plants and animals
Producers
Consumers
Scavengers
Decomposers
Food webs and food chains
Pollination
Seed dispersal
Habitats/shelter
Symbiosis
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Ecosystem at Work
Sun
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producer
Herbivore
consumer
Carnivore
consumer
decomposer
DESERT
Deserts are fascinating places.
Most people think all deserts are
hot. Did you know Antarctica is a
desert? This desert is called a
Tundra.
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Desert Climate
Hot deserts are near the equator in the tropical
region.
Did you know a year can pass without rain in
the deserts? In a year, a desert can get about
50cm ( 16 in.) of rain.
Sometimes the dried out desert can be
interrupted by sudden flooding rains that bring
changes to the landscape, plants and animals
in the desert.
Surfaces in a hot desert can reach up to 80
degrees Celsius (175 degrees Fahrenheit). The
desert has the highest temperature at noon and
there is little moisture.
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Ecosystems
An example of a desert ecosystem is a food web.
Producers make their own food, producers are plants. In a
food web the meat eaters are called carnivores. An
example of a carnivore is the coyote. The plant eaters are
called herbivores a camel is an example of a herbivore.
The animals that eat both plants and animals are called
omnivores. Scavengers will eat dead animals. A vulture is
an example of a scavenger. Decomposers like the Dung
Beetle breaks down droppings from other animals and
send the nutrients into the ground so a new plant can grow.
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PLANTS IN HOT DESERTS
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Deserts don’t have a lot of
plants. Some of the kinds of
plants are Sturts desert pea,
barrel cactus, evening primrose
flowers and more. Flowers
survive by storing water in
their roots when it rains. That
causes the plants to use
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is
when the plants make their
own food.
Ecosystems
Plants give animals shade and
protection from the sun. Tall, plants
like the barrel cactus gives animals a
place to hide from predators and
shade to escape the desert heat.
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A lot of the animals in the desert have
found a way to stay cool by adapting. For
example, the fennec fox has big ears that
give off a lot of body heat. Most animals
spend their time underground to avoid the
blazing desert heat. Some of the animals
that live in the desert are the sand lizard,
elf owls and the trap door spider. There are
deserts in southwest North America. One
desert in this area is the Great Basin.
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Seed dispersal is a very
important ecosystem.
The way that animals
spread seeds are when
the fur on some animals
touch other plants their
fur collects the seeds and
eventually the seeds fall
out and begin a new life.
Another way the animals
help in seed dispersal is
when some animals eat a
berry and don’t like it so
they spit it out on the
ground. The seeds
eventually grow into a
plant again.
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The tundra is in the northern and southern
hemisphere near the north pole and the
south pole.
The tundra is in the polar region.
Summers are short. Summer days are 24 hours
long and last about 6 to10 weeks.
The permafrost melts and gets soggy. Then the
region is covered with lakes, marshes, bogs and
streams. The summer temperature reaches
50ْF which is enough to thaw the surface
ground.
During winter the sun never rises and during
summer the sun never sets. Winter
temperatures can get to -50ْ F.
The tundra gets 4 to20 inches of water in the
form of rain or snow (10 to 50 centimeters) per
year.
ADAPTATION The tundra is the youngest biome known. Artic animals adapt
to the cold tundra. Adapting means the tundra animals are getting used to
there biome. Sea mammals such as seals and walruses have blubber to keep
warm. Land mammals have thick fur. Lemmings hibernate and are inactive
during winter. That’s how the ecosystem works in this Artic tundra.
Tundra
Ecosystem
ECOSYSTEM Animals help plants by eating the seeds then dropping
seeds in other places. Also animals help plants by spreading pollen
around to make the seeds grow. Plants help animals by providing
hiding places allowing animals to blend into their environment so they
can get away from their predators.
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Arctic Tundra plants
Plants that grow on the tundra are lichen, moss, and sedges. Trees don’t grow on all
tundra's because the soil is frozen but on some tundra’s they do. There is one plant
called the saxifrage that traps light so it can grow. Plants adapt by having short stems
to resist winds and be protected. Plants get energy from the sun through
photosynthesis. Plants are producers.
The tundra occurs in the northern hemisphere north of the taiga belt located near
Alaska in North America.
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Arctic Tundra Ecosystem
Seed germination
Seed dispersal is a type of ecosystem. An
example of seed dispersal is when an
animal bites in to some type of food and
spits it out the seeds grow. Another
example is when a animal climbs a tree
and shakes the branches seeds fall. The
plants grow in the summer tundra season.
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Tundra animals
There are many animals in the arctic tundra
such as the polar bear, arctic wolf, seals,
arctic fox and many more. The arctic hare
(which is a rabbit) can blend in during the
summer and winter so predators can’t see
them. All these animals except for the rabbit
are carnivores which are meat eaters. The
rabbit is a herbivore which is a plant eater.
The largest and most dangerous animal that
lives in the tundra is the polar bear.
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Seal
Arctic
fox
Arctic
hare
Tundra
animals
Arctic
wolf
Raven
Polar bear
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Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a relationship between plants
and animals. Here are some ways that animals help
plants. First, some animals such as a bees or butterflies
go to a flower and get pollen. Then they fly to a different
flower and spread the pollen. So then a seed grows. Next,
when animals eat something they don’t like they spit it out
and then it sinks into the ground and therefore, a plant or
flower grows. Lastly, there is another ecosystem which is
called a food chain. A food chain is when a rabbit eats a
plant then a bigger animal such as a polar bear comes
and eats the little animal.
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Tropical Rain Forest
Rain forests are found in the tropical region near
the equator.
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Rain Forest Climate
• The temperature is between 79ْ F (26ْ
C) and 88 ْ F (31 ْ C)
• The rain forest gets 80-400 inches of rain
in a year. The fog provides about 7-12
inches of rain per year.
• The temperature never changes during
the day or night. The environment is pretty
wet in the tropical rainforest.
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Rainforest
Ecosystem
• An ecosystem is the relationship between plants and
animals. It is also how animals use their environment to
protect themselves or build habitats.
• Animal build their homes in trees, under the ground, in
nests and dens.
• Camouflage is one of the ways animals protect
themselves. Also bright colored animals warn other
animals they are poisonous.
• A way plants might protect themselves is they have thorns
or they taste bad.
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Rain Forest
• The top of the tall trees in the Rain Forest is
called the canopy. The tallest trees can grow to
be 300 feet tall.
• There are 3 other parts of a rain forest. They
are the emergent layer, understory and the
forest floor.
• The emergent layer is the part where the birds
live. The understory is where the monkey live.
The insects live on the forest floor.
• Many plants of the rain forest are used to make
medicines. Some rain forest plants are mosses,
orchids, bromeliad, and buttress root.
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Ecosystem
Seed dispersal is how the seeds spread and new plants grow
in the Rain Forest.
Animals climb the trees and walk on forest floor causing seed
to fall or move.
When animals eat fruits, nuts and seeds this causes seeds to
spread.
Animal dropping, water and wind help seeds to spread.
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Rain Forest Animals
There are 42,000 species of animals
in the Rain Forest. Some of the
animals are the Sumatran Rhino,
snakes, monkeys, the Three Toed
Sloth, birds, iguanas and many
different insects. The Tamandua is
like an ant eater.
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Food Web
• Carnivore
• Omnivore
• Herbivore
A Carnivore is an animal
that only eats meat.
A Omnivore is a person or
animal that eats meat and plants.
Herbivores only eat
plants and other things that
grow on trees or the ground.
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Forest
There are forest everywhere in the world. The temperate forest
climate typically includes seasons with rain, sun, and snow. A type of
forest is called a monsoon forest. A monsoon is a storm with heavy
rain and wind. During this time the forest doesn’t grow. Monsoon
forest would be found in tropical areas like Indonesia.
Forest climate depends on where you live on earth, how close you
are to the north and south pole, nearness of oceans, mountains
and/or how close you are to the equator. Acid rain damages the
leaves of trees.
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Ecosystem
One of the ecosystems of a
forest are food chains. Plants
trap the energy from the sun
using the carbon dioxide in the
air to make food. Only plants
can use sunlight to make food.
Animals cannot make their
own food. To get energy
animals must eat plants or
other animals. Animals that eat
other animals that eat plants
form a food chain. Food chains
that link together in a biome
make up a food web.
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Forest Plants
Forest are made up of layers. The layer that receives
sun and the forest floor. Plants of the forest include
shrubs and saplings, which are young trees.
Broadleaf forests have trees with flat wide leaves with
veins, saplings and leaf litter. In winter the leaves fall off
the trees and are called dormant.
Mix forest have both conifers and broadleaf trees.
Trees know as Conifers have woody cone and needles.
Most forest floors are made up of ferns and mosses.
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Forest are
important to
all animal
life
Trees make great habitats and
provide food for animals. Some of
the shelters are burrows, nests,
dens, hollow trees, underground
and on the forest floor.
Trees and plants make nuts and
seeds for animals to eat.
Forest plants and trees use
carbon dioxide in photosynthesis
to change the sun’s energy to
food. Trees and plants then
release oxygen into the air which
animals need to live.
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Many animals make their home (habitat ) in the
forest.
There are animals like lynx, deer, eagles, insects and
frogs.
The forest offers protection and plenty of food and
water to all the living things. Many mammals such as
the bear and moose live in the forest. Mammals are
animals that are warm blooded, feed babies milk, are
born live not in eggs, have teeth and hair or fur.
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One of the ecosystems in a forest is
seed dispersal. Animals carry
seeds when they rub up against a
tree. Seeds could then drop into the
water while the animal is drinking.
The seeds could also fall off the
trees and start a new plant. Plants
rely on animals to help spread
seeds.
Another adaptation is hibernation.
This is when an animal eats or
stores food up for the winter. The
animal then finds a sleeping spot to
sleep through the winter. During
hibernation, the animal’s breathing
and heart rate slows down. In
spring the animal wakes up.
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Grassland Climate
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Climate on the temperate grasslands is hot in the
summer and cold in the winter. Temperatures in the
summer can get up to 100 degrees. Temperatures in
the winter can get up to 20 to 30 degrees. Rain in the
temperate grasslands usually occurs in the late spring
and early summer. Grasslands get some rain but not
often. Fire does not often occur on the temperate
grasslands but if there is a fire it is usually set by
lightning or human activity. Grasslands are located in
North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In North
America grasslands are found in the mid-west and in
the state of Washington.
Food Web Of The Grassland
An example of a grassland food web is that
the sun makes grass grow. Then a termite eats
the grass. A frog eats the termite. A snake eats
the frog. A oxpecker (bird) eats the snake.
Oxpeckers eats the insects on the rhino and in
return the rhino is a form of protection for
the bird from other predetors. This is called
symbiosis. After the oxpecker dies it is
decomposed by bacteria, fungi, and earth
worms.
termite
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Grassland plants
There are many species of grasses that live in this biome.
Grass plants include: purple needle grass, wild oats, foxtail,
rye grass and buffalo grass. In the dry season the grass
stops growing and turns brown. At the end of the dry season
rain comes with thunder and lightning storms turning the
grass green. During the wet season the grass sprouts and
the scattered trees grow leaves.
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E
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One ecosystems is seed dispersal.
Dispersing seeds is caused by movement.
Animals move plant seeds.
Another way to see an adaptation at work
is through camouflage. Some animals have
fur the color of the grasses to blend in.
Other have stripes and patterns so they
blend into the herd because big animals
don’t hide well and it is safer in the herd.
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Grassland Animals
All grasslands share a lack
in shelter from predators
and lots of grass for food;
therefore grassland animal
populations are similar
throughout the world. Some
animals that inhabit
temperate grasslands in
North America are bison,
antelope , birds, gophers,
prairie dogs, coyotes, and
insects. Hot African
Savannah grassland
animals are lions, zebra,
impalas, giraffe, baboon,
vultures and jackals.
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Grassland Shelters
• Some animals dig burrows such as prairie
dogs and gophers.
• Other animals such as lions sleep on
plains or grass.
• Some animals have the ability to blend in
with their environment this is called
camouflage.
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Glossary
Adaptation- Changing to fit a new environment or changing
due to different conditions in the environment.
Biome- A define area with a certain climate, plants and
animals.
Camouflage- the ability to blend in with environmental
surroundings.
Carnivore- An animal that eats other animals.
Climate- Typical weather in a region.
Consumer- Must eat plants or animals as a food source.
Decomposer- Plants and animals that breakdown dead or
decaying matter to be used again as nutrients in the soil.
Dormant- temporarily inactive or not actively growing.
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Glossary
Ecosystem- How plants and animals interact in their environment.
Estivate- To be inactive in the summer or in extremely hot
conditions
Herbivore- An animal that eats only plants.
Hibernate- To be inactive in the winter or in extremely cold
conditions.
Mammals- Animals that bare live young, have hair or fur, warm
blooded and feed young milk.
Omnivore- An animal that eats plants and animals.
Photosynthesis- The process in which green plants turn the sun’s
energy, carbon dioxide and water into food for growth.
Producer- Has the ability to make own food source (PLANTS
ONLY)
Symbiosis- a mutually beneficial relationship.
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The desert and tundra authors
The Rain Forest, Temperate Forest and grasslands
authors