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BIOMES
I.Tropical Rainforest…Earth's most complex land biome
Location: Found near equator…little variation in temperatures. No distinct seasonal
changes.
Tropical Rainforest Abiotic factors
high biodiversity and biomass
both hot and moist;
ideal for bacteria and other microorganisms; they quickly decompose matter on the forest
floor allowing nutrients to be recycled.
<1 cm of topsoil
About 100in / 400cm/yr of rainfall
Plant adaptations
Sunlight is a major limiting factor
Plants grow in layers (canopy receives most light)
Shallow, wide roots since soil is so thin and poor in nutrients
Little sun reaches the floor
Animal Adaptations
Wagler’s pit viper, Silvery Gibbon
Many symbiotic relationships
Live in different levels of forest
Many animals are specialists and require special habitat components to survive
Camouflage is common
Threats to the Tropical Rainforest
HUMANS:
Humans strip the rainforests for uses including logging and cattle ranching.
The plants and animals that are displaced by this destruction of the forest.
Can help by promoting sustainable use of the rainforests’ products.
Temperate Deciduous Forests
Location: found in temperate zone (about 480 North lat)
Much of the human population lives in this biome
Abiotic factors:
an abundance of deciduous (leaf bearing) trees
Soils: Deep soil layers, rich in nutrients
Precipitation: 30–100 in/yr in all forms (snow, rain, hail, fog, etc.)
4 seasons (W, S, S & A): based on Sunlight, temperature, precipitation
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Plant adaptations:
More diverse than the coniferous forest due to increased sunlight.
Trees adapt to varied climate by becoming dormant in winter
Deciduous forests grow in layers
More diverse than the tropical rainforest because of the soil so you will find more ground
dwelling plants.
White Birch, Lady Fern, Oaks, Maple
Animal Adaptations:
Lose Winter Coat/feathers
360 swivel head/neck
Webbed feet
Speed
Camouflage
Wing span
Quill
Odor/smell
Bald Eagle. Skunk, deer, opossum
Threats to Temperate Deciduous Forests:
HUMANS:
Many forests are cleared to provide housing for humans.
Careful use of the resource can provide a renewable system if we
don’t take too much habitat away.
Grasslands:
African Savannas (Tropical Grasslands)
Contain the greatest number of grazing animals on Earth.
Location: Found in the tropics…near equator … Found in Africa, India and SA
Amount of precipitation supports tall grasses but only occasional trees.
Abiotic Factors
Rainy and dry season
25-150 in/yr precipitation
Fire plays a large role in this ecosystem
Plant Adaptations
Grows in Tufts
Resistance to Drought
Many plants have thorns and sharp leaves to protect against predation.
Whistling Thorn, Umbrella Thorn Acacia, Kangaroos Paws
Animal Adaptations
Adapt for short rainy season—migrate as necessary
Limited food leads to vertical feeding
Reproduce during rainy season—ensures more young survive
Large herbivores…Zebras, Wilderbeast, Rhino, elephant, koala
Giraffes and gazelles
Carnivores…lions, tigers and hyenas
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American temperate Grassland
Located in the Great Plains of the US, Canada, Asia and Africa
Semi-arid with Warm summers and cold winters
Precipitation mainly snow
Fertile soil…great farmland
Vegetation…grasses and flowering plants
Have very few trees b/c of droughts, fires and grazing…corn, wheat and barley…
Large herbivores: bison, buffalo, cattle, sheep
Small herbivores: goffers, squirrels, mice, prairie dogs
Carnivores: wolves, coyotes and badgers
Yearly rainfall...25-75 cm (10-29.5in)
Average Temperature…summer 30C (86F)
Winter 0C (32F)
Desert… Location: Depending on type of
desert, you will find them in various locations
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Dry Desert…Abiotic factors
<10 in/yr of rain
Little to no top soil due to high winds.
Minerals are not deep in soil.
Too dry for decay
While there are many types of deserts, they all share one characteristic: They are the
driest places on Earth!
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Sonoran Desert
Located in parts of California, Arizona and northern Mexico.
The Sonoran is the hottest of the deserts in the United States, but contains much more
plant life than the conditions of the Sahara will allow.
Some of the animals of the Sonoran include the Sonoran Desert Toad, the Desert Bighorn
Sheep, the Cactus Wren, the Pronghorn Antelope and the Western Diamondback
Rattlesnake.