Adaptations & Biomes Obj. 3a • ____________ are structure, behavior, or other traits in an organism that helps it to _____________________ in its environment • Examples: – ____________________ rabbits are more abundant in snowy biomes & brown rabbits are more abundant in grassy or forest biomes – Spiny leaves on a cactus allow it to reduce water _________________ & keep it from being eaten. _____________ is the weather a place has over a long period of time (50 years). • Affected by 3 major factors: – ___________________: amount of rain and snow fall – ___________________: how hot or cold it is – Hours of ________________: amount of energy from the sun the earth receives • Climate __________________ the species of plants & plants determine the kinds of animals that live in a biome Biomes • Large geographic areas characterized by a distinct ___________ and specific types of plant & animal life. Tundra: Land of extreme cold, high winds, and very little rain or snow • Climate: – Extremely _______________ and dry – Most soil is frozen all year which is called ___________________ that causes pools of water to form in the summer • Plant Life: During ________________ summers the sun does not set allowing for a growing seasons – mosses, grasses, shrubs, flowering herbs • Animal Life: have _______________ to the harsh cold land and are able to migrate or grow thick fur. – __________________: the moving of animals from one location to another when seasons change – Insects, birds, oxen, wolves, grizzly, caribou, arctic hare, and polar bears Boreal/Taiga/Coniferous Forest Biomes: Land of the Evergreen trees • Climate: – Winters are cold & snowy – Summers are warm and rainy enough to ________________ all snow • Animal life: – Includes snowshoe hares, moose, elk, wolves, bears, beavers and many species of birds. • Dominant plants: Plants have ______________ to the frozen soil by having less surface area and thick waxy coating to _________________ water loss – Most trees are _________________________ meaning they produce their seeds in cones and have leaves shaped like needles. – Fir, spruce, hemlock, pine & other evergreen Temperate/Deciduous Forest Biomes: The land of 4 Seasons • Climate: humid with distinctive _________________ changes. – _________________ centimeters of precipitation each year – Temperatures _____________________ greatly through the year with a 5-6 month growing season • Plant life: __________________ trees have ___________________ by shedding their leaves and grow new ones each year – Oak, Hickory, Beech, Maple, and Elm trees. • Animal life: animals have ___________________ to the seasonal changes by migrating or hibernating – ________________________: entering into a sleep-like state to reduce activity and rely on fat stored in the body for energy – deer, bears, snakes, rabbits, squirrels, and many birds and insects. Rain Forest Biomes: Land of the most amazing plants & animals • Climate: Rainy & warm ____________ round – found along and near the equator. – support the greatest ____________________ of life on earth. • Plant Life: All varieties – The forest has 3 distinct layers • Canopy – ______________ layer of leafy trees • Understory – shorter trees & vines • Forest floor – few plants live here due to ________________ amounts of sunlight • Animal life: All varieties – monkeys, bats, snakes, deer, rodents, reptiles, insects and numerous amounts of bird species. • _____________________ species are discovered every year Desert Biomes: Land of Extremes • Climate: – Receives less than 25cm of _______________________ per year • The amount of ______________________ is greater than the amount of precipitation – hottest temperature on Earth • Extreme highs during the _______________ & extreme colds at ________________ • Death Valley in CA has a record high temperature of 57°C • Plant life: _____________________ for getting and conserving water by having long deep roots or abilities to absorb & store water when it rains – includes cacti, small trees, woody shrubs, many wildflowers • Animal life: ____________________ by being nocturnal or burrowing under ground – ___________________: active at night. – Ex. Kangaroo rats, rodents, bats, snakes, toads, birds, ants, and other insects. Grassland Biomes: Land of the largest animals on Earth • Areas that are populated mostly by grasses and other non-woody plants • Found in the same general area as deciduous forest but receive _________________ rain to support trees • _________________ are found in the mid-latitudes and have rich soil for plant growth – Climate: receive 25 to 75 cm of rain per year with milder temperatures year round • Animal life: birds, rabbits, foxes, prairie dogs, mice, hawks, coyotes, snakes • __________________ are closer to the equator, receive 120 cm of rain per year, & have hotter temperatures – Animal life: elephants, lions, bison, zebras, antelope, giraffes, rhinoceroses, kangaroos, cheetahs Drawing Conclusions: – Given the precipitation and temperature data for these locations, in which biome would you expect each to be located? Explain your answers. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________