Tropical Forest
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Location-Equatorial and subequatorial
regions
Climate-Tropical rain forests-rainfall
relatively constant, 200-400 cm
• Tropical dry forests, rain highly seasonal,
6-7 month dry season, 150-200cm
• 25-29 C annually
Fauna and Flora
• Broadleef evergreen trees dominant in
tropical, tropical dry forest trees drop
their leaves during dry season
• Epiphytes such as bromeliads and
orchids generally cover tropical forest
trees but less abundant in dry forests
• Thorny shrubs and succulent plants
common in some tropical dry forests
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million of species of fauna, more diverse
than any other terrestrial biomes
• animals are adapted to vertically layered
environment, often inconspicuous
Chapparal
Location-Midlatitude coastal regions
on several continents
Climate-precip. Highly seasonal,
rainy winters, dry summers, 30-50cm
 Fall winter spring 10-12 C,
summer 30C
Flora and Fauna
 Shrubs and small trees, many
kinds of grasses and herbs,
diversity high, many species
confined to specific relatively
small geo. Area
 Adaptive to drought and fire
 High diversity of small mammals,
natives include browsers, deer
and goats, many species of
amphibians, birds, and other
reptiles, and insects
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Savanna
Desert
Location-Deserts occur in
bands near 30 degrees
north and south latitude or
at other latitudes in the
interior of continents
Climate
• Precipitation is low and
variable, <30 cm
• -30C<Temp<50C, but
variable
seasonally+daily
Fauna and Flora
• low, widely scattered
vegetation, cacti, deeply
rooted shrubs
• Snakes, lizards,
scorpions, many species
nocturnal, adapt to
water conservation
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Northern Coniferous Forest
Temperate Grassland
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Location-Very widespread,
plains and prairies of central
North America
Climate-Precip. Highly seasonal,
relatively dry winters and wet
summers, 30-100 cm, periodic
drought common
o Winters generally cold,
-10C, summers 30C
Flora and Fauna
o Dominant are grasses
and forbs, adaptations
to survive periodic
droughts and fire
o Large grazers, bison
wild horses, wide
variety of burrowing
mammals
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
Location-midlatitudes Northern Hemisphere, smaller areas New
Zealand and Australia
Climate-70-200 cm annually, large amounts fall during all
seasons, some have winter snow, 0C in winter, 35C summer, hot
and humid
Flora and Fauna-distinct vertical layers, dominant are deciduous
trees, drop leaves before winter,
o Many mammals hibernate in winter, many bird species
migrate to warmer climates, mammals, birds, and insects
make use of all vertical layers of the forest
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Location-Equatorial and
subequatorial regions
Climate-30-50cm, dry season 8-9
months
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Temp-24-29C, more seasonal
variation than tropical forests
Fauna and Flora
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Scattered trees at different
densities, thorny and small
leaved, fires common in dry
season, grasses and forbs grow
rapidly
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Large plant-eating mammals,
dominant herbivores are
actually insects, esp. termites
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During droughts, grazing
mammals often migrate to
parts of the savanna with more
forage and scattered watering
holes
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Location-largest terrestrial biome on
Earth, Northern North America and
Eurasian to edge of arctic tundra
o Climate-Precip. Ranges 30-70 cm,
some have over 300 cm
o Winters cold and long, summers
may be hot, -50C in winter to over
20C in Summer
Flora and Fauna
o Cone bearing trees dominate,
diversity of plants in shrub and
herb layers lower than temperate
broadleaf forests
o Many migratory birds nest, other
species reside year round,
mammals are diverse, periodic
outbreaks of insects can kill vast
tracts of trees
Tundra
Location-covers expansive areas of the Arctic, 20% Earth’s
land surface, similar plant communities on very high
mountaintops
Climate-20-60 cm in arctic tundra but may exceed 100 cm
in alpine tundra, Winters long and cold -30C, summers
short 10C
Flora and Fauna-Vegetation mostly herbaceous, mosses,
grasses, forbs, permafrost(permanent frozen layer of soil)
restricts growth of plant roots, large grazing musk oxen
reside, caribou and reindeer migrate, many bird species
migrate to the tundra for summer nesting