2 MHR • Section 1.1 Biomes © 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited
Name Date
Section
1.1
Summary
Biomes
Textbook pages 8–33
Before You Read
A biome includes large regions that have similar living and non-living components.
Tundra and desert are two examples of biomes. What other biomes can you name?
A: Boreal Forest, Grasslands and Tropical Rainforest
What is a biome?
The biosphere is the thin layer of air, land, and water on or
near Earth’s surface where living things exist. A biome is the
largest division of the biosphere. Biomes are characterized by
their biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
What are Earth’s biomes like?
Earth has eight terrestrial (land-based) biomes.
For each biome, write a
question on one side of the
flash card. Write the answer
on the other side. Quiz yourself
until you can answer all
the questions.
◆✏
Make Flash Cards Flash Cards URL:
http://quizlet.com/4428577/biomes flash-cards/
Biome Main characteristics
tundra ■ located in the upper northern hemisphere; very cold and dry
■ due to permanently frozen soil, plants are short and there are few trees
boreal forest ■ found in the far north; below freezing half the year
■ mainly coniferous (cone-bearing) trees
temperate deciduous
forest
■ located in temperate regions, mostly eastern North America, eastern Asia, and western
Europe
■ trees lose their leaves in winter
■ large seasonal changes with four distinct seasons
temperate rainforest ■ found along coastlines where ocean winds drop large amounts of
moisture
cool and very wet, allowing trees (mainly evergreens) to grow very tall
grassland ■ occurs in temperate and tropical regions
■ covered with grasses that have deep roots, which are well adapted for drought
tropical rainforest ■ found in a wide band around the equator
■ wet and warm year-round, allowing for the growth of a dense canopy of tall trees
desert ■ occur in temperate and tropical regions; days are hot and nights are cold
■ rainfall is minimal and plants and animals are adapted to reduce water loss
permanent ice ■ includes the polar land masses and large polar ice caps
■ the few animals that live here are well insulated against the extreme cold
■
Name Date
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Section 1.1 Biomes • MHR
3
continued
Section
1.1
Summary
How do abiotic factors influence the characteristics
and distribution of biomes?
Identical biomes are found in different parts of the world.
These biomes all have similar plants and animals (biotic
factors) because they have similar temperatures and
precipitation patterns (abiotic factors). Temperature and
precipitation are the main abiotic factors that influence the
characteristics and distribution of biomes. The following
factors influence temperature and precipitation:
◆ latitude
◆ elevation
◆ wind
◆ ocean currents ●✔
What are climatographs?
Climate is the average pattern of weather conditions that
occur in a region over a period of years. Temperature and
precipitation are two important factors that determine climate.
A climatograph is a graph of climate data for a specific
region. A climatograph gives average temperature and
average total precipitation for each month.
How are organisms adapted to the specific
conditions of their biome?
Adaptations are characteristics that enable organisms to
better survive and reproduce. Organisms are specially adapted
for survival in the specific environmental conditions of their
biome. There are three types of adaptations:
◆
structural adaptations: physical parts or features of an
organism that enable it to survive and reproduce.
◆ physiological adaptations: a chemical or physical event
that takes place in the body of an organism to support its
ability to survive and reproduce
◆ behavioural adaptations: things that an organism
does (ways that it behaves) that enable it to survive and
reproduce. ●✔
●✔
Reading Check
What are the two main
abiotic factors that
influence the characteristics
and distribution of
biomes?
A: Similar Temperature’s and Precipitation Patterns
Average Precipitation (mm)
Month
Climatograph
Fort Nelson, British Columbia, 59ºN
Average Temperature (ºC)
15
25
–5
J FMAMJ J A S O N D
5
–15
–25
–35
180
100
0
20
40
60
80
120
140
160
●✔
Reading Check
List the three main types
of adaptations displayed by
organisms.
A: Structural Adaptations, Physiological Adaptations and Behavioural Adaptations
Name Date
4 MHR • Section 1.1 Biomes © 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited
Cloze
Activity
Section 1.1
Use with textbook pages 8–28.
Biomes and ecosystems
Vocabulary
abiotic
adaptations
behavioural
biome
biotic
climatograph
elevation
latitude
ocean currents
physiological
precipitation
structural
temperature
terrestrial
Use the terms in the vocabulary box to fill in the blanks. Use each term only once.
1. components are the living organisms in an environment, such
as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. A: Biotic
2. components are the non-living parts of an environment, such
as sunlight, soil, moisture, and temperature. A: Abiotic
3. A includes large regions that have similar biotic components
and abiotic components. A: Biome
4. A biome is land-based. A: Terrestrial
5. and are two important abiotic factors
that influence the characteristics of biomes and the distribution of biomes on Earth.
A: Temperature and Precipitation
6. is the distance measured in degrees north or south from the
equator. A: Latitude
7. is the height of a land mass above sea level. A: Elevation
8. are another abiotic factor that affects temperature and
precipitation and therefore influences the characteristics of biomes. A: Ocean Currents
9. A is a graph of climate data for a specific region and is
generated from data usually obtained over 30 years from local weather observation
stations. A: Climatograph
10. are characteristics that enable organisms to better survive and
reproduce. A: Adaptations
11. A adaptation is a physical feature of an organism’s body
having a specific function that contributes to the survival of the organism. A
adaptation is a physical or chemical event that occurs within
the body of an organism that enables survival. A adaptation
refers to what an organism does to survive in the unique conditions of
its environment. A: Structural Adaptations, Physiological Adaptations and Behavioural
Adaptations.
Name Date
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Section 1.1 Biomes • MHR
5
Use with textbook pages 20–28.
Various biomes
Complete the following table, describing the general locations and two to three
main physical features of the eight terrestrial biomes.
Biome
Location
Physical Features
Tundra
Upper Northern Hemisphere
Boreal Forest
Far North
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Located in Temperate Regions
like Eastern North America,
Eastern Asia and Western
Europe.
Found along Coastlines where
Ocean Winds Drop Large
Amounts of Moisture.
Temperate and Tropical Regions
Temperate Rainforest
Grassland (Temperate and
Tropical)
Tropical Rainforest
Found in a Wide Band Around
the Equator.
Very Cold and Dry, Permanently
Frozen Soil, Short Plants and
Very Few Trees.
Below Freezing Half the Year
and Full of Coniferous Trees.
Temperate Climate, Trees Lose
Their Leaves in Winter and has
A Large Seasonal Change with
Very Distinct Seasons.
Cool and Wet Climate and Full
of Tall Trees which are Mostly
Evergreen.
Covered in Grasses with Deep
Roots and the Region is Very
Dry and Warm.
Very Wet and Warm Climate
and Full of a Dense Canopy of
Tall Trees.
Desert (Hot and Cold)
Permanent Ice (Polar Ice)
Occurs in Temperate and
Tropical Regions.
Found on Polar Land Masses
and Large Polar Caps.
Hot Desert: Very Hot Climate
that has Minimal Rainfall.
Cold Desert: Very Cold Climate
with Minimal Rainfall and
Animals that are Adapted to
Reduce Water Loss.
Extremely Cold Climate that has
Animals that are Well Insulated
Against the Cold.
Applying
Knowledge
Section 1.1
Name Date
6 MHR • Section 1.1 Biomes © 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited
Interpreting
Illustrations
Section 1.1
Use with textbook pages 16–28.
Climatographs
Which world biomes are represented by the data in the following climatographs?
A
Month
Average Temperature (ºC)
Average Precipitation (mm)
J FMAMJ J AS O ND
5
15
25
–5
–15
–25
–35
180
100
0
20
40
60
80
120
140
160
Biome: Permanent Ice
B
Average Precipitation (mm)
Month
Average Temperature (ºC)
15
180 25
100
0
20
40
60
80
120
140
160
–5
J FMAMJ J AS O ND
5
–15
–25
–35
Biome: Boreal Forest
C
J FMAMJ J AS O ND
Month
Average Precipitation (mm)
Average Temperature (ºC)
5
15
25
–5
–15
–25
0 –35
100
200
300
400
500
600
Biome: Temperate Rainforest
D
J F MAMJ J AS O ND
_35
_25
_15
_5
5
15
25
100
120
140
160
180
20
40
60
80
0
Average Precipitation (mm)
Average Temperature (ºC)
Month
Biome: Grassland
E
5
J F MAMJ J A S O ND
180
160
140
120
80
60
40
20
100
0
Average Precipitation (mm)
–25
–15
–5
25
15
35
Average Temperature (ºC)
Month
Biome: Desert
F
15
5
–25
–15
–5
25
35
150
200
250
300
50
100
Average Precipitation (mm)
Average Temperature (ºC)
0
J F MAMJ J A S O ND
Month
Biome: Tropical Rainforest
Name Date
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Section 1.1 Biomes • MHR
7
Assessment
Section 1.1
Use with textbook pages 8–28.
Biomes
Match each Term on the left with the best
Descriptor on the right. Each Descriptor may only
be used once.
Term Descriptor
1. abiotic: C
2. adaptations: B
3. biome: E
4. biotic: D
5. climate: F
6. latitude: A
A. the distance measured
in degrees north or
south from the equator
B. characteristics that
enable organisms to
better survive and
reproduce
C. relating to non-living
parts of an environment,
such as sunlight,
soil, moisture, and
temperature
D. relating to the living
organisms, such as
plants, animals, fungi,
and bacteria
E. the largest division of
the biosphere
F. the average conditions
of the atmosphere in a
large region over
30 years
Circle the letter of the best answer.
7. A biome is best represented by a:
A. river
B. city
C. latitude
D. desert
8. Which of the following is an abiotic
component of an environment?
A. algae
B. sunlight
C. fungi
D. plants
9. Which of the following is a biotic
component of an ecosystem?
A. moisture
B. sand
C. bacteria
D. temperature
10. Which of the following is a characteristic
of the boreal forest biome?
A. below freezing half the year
B. long, hot summers
C. polar land masses
D. lots of precipitation
11. Which world biome is represented by a
climatograph that illustrates an average
precipitation of 300 cm in the month of
January?
A. grassland
B. tropical rainforest
C. permanent ice
D. temperate deciduous forest
12. Which world biome is represented by a
climatograph that illustrates an average
temperature of –25ºC in the month of July?
A. boreal forest
B. tropical rainforest
C. permanent ice
D. tundra