BIO 431: Ecology
BIOMES OF THE WORLD
BIOME = Area of planet with similar climate and vegetation
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
Dominant Vegetation: broad-leaved deciduous trees forming dense canopy, such as oak, beech,
hickory, maple, tulip poplar
Climate & Soils: distinct warm and cool seasons, most rainfall during summer 40-60"/yr; soils
are podzols, high in organic matter
Dominant Animals: small to moderate mammals, mostly herbivores such as rabbits, deer
Location: eastern North America, including South Carolina; parts of France and Spain
BOREAL FOREST
Dominant Vegetation: narrow-leaved evergreen trees such as fir, spruce, pine
Climate & Soils: distinct short warm and long cold seasons, most rainfall in spring 30-50"/yr;
soils are podzols
Dominant Animals: large herbivores such as moose, deer, porcupine plus their predators
Location: eastern Canada, also northern Europe
TUNDRA
Two types, based on latitude and elevation:
circumpolar (near poles, low elevation)
montaine (equator to mid latitude, high elevation)
Dominant Vegetation: mostly grasses and sedges, some small shrubs, many lichens and mosses
Climate & Soils: growing season 100 days or less, possibility of frost any one day, precipitation
of 4-5"/yr; soils characterized by permafrost (never thaws below a certain distance –
gleization)
Dominant Animals: a few small rodents and numerous predators
Location: northern Canada, Rocky Mountains above 13,000 ft
GRASSLAND
Dominant Vegetation: grasses and other herbs; shrubs and trees only along streams
Climate & Soils: variable rainfall, 10-40"/yr, most near end of cool/cold season (winter); soils by
calcification, high in organic matter; fires important to keeping trees from becoming
established
Dominant Animals: large grazing mammals or small burrowers
Location: Midwestern USA (prairie), central Russia (steppe), Argentina (pampas)
TROPICAL EVERGREEN RAINFOREST
Dominant Vegetation: many species of trees, no one dominant; many lianas and epiphytes also
Climate & Soils: high rainfall amounts, 70-150"/yr; soils lateritic, most nutrients leached out
Dominant Animals: high diversity of birds, insects, monkeys and other small animals; most
animal life up in the trees
Location: east coast of Central America, Amazon basin of South America, west central Africa,
southeastern Asia
TROPICAL SAVANNAH
Dominant Vegetation: mixture of shrubs to small trees and grasslands, typically more of the
latter; trees are typically of the legume family and possess thorns
Climate & Soils: very seasonal rainfall, 70-100"/yr; soils lateritic
Dominant Animals: diversity of grazing mammals and associated predators
Location: central to southern Africa, north coast of Brazil
SHRUB-SCRUB (included in savanna by some)
Dominant Vegetation: shrubs with many thorns, many areas of bare ground
Climate & Soils: dry, 10-20"/yr, usually all at once; soils sandy and high in minerals
(calcification)
Dominant Animals: small burrowing rodents and reptiles
Location: scattered areas of western USA, west coast of Central America
DESERT
Two types, based on temperature:
warm (extreme temperature changes in 24 hrs),
cold (always cold, such as Antarctica or mountains); warm described below
Dominant Vegetation: drought resistant such as cacti (New World) and euphorbes (Old World),
also many fast growing annuals; many areas lack ground cover
Climate & Soils: dry, less that 10"/yr; soils sandy and high in minerals (calcification); hardpan
typically forming in B horizon; very little organic matter buildup
Dominant Animals: small burrowing rodents and reptiles
Location: basins within Rocky Mountains of USA and Mexico, northern Africa, western
Australia
OCEAN
Dominant Vegetation: algae, no known vascular plants
Climate & Soils: influx of freshwater due to rainfall minimal; water temperature relative to
currents; no soils, nutrients only in coastal areas and areas of upwelling
Dominant Animals: numerous invertebrates, fish, whales
Location: 75% of planet covered by ocean