A System Approach to Analysing Biomes
Assignment: The study of Biomes and the flow of energy within them.
Materials: Internet for research, pictures of Biomes, power point slide to present links
Rational: In this assignment you will be addressing the linkages within various systems
around the world. By the end of this assignment you will have a greater understanding of
the interdependency between climate, vegetation, soil, landforms, plants, and animals and
the uniqueness of the biomes on earth.
Task: You are to group yourselves into pairs of 2. Upon choosing your group you are
next going to select a Biome you wish to study. At the end of your research you are
going to present a single power point slide of visuals, pictures, and linkages identifying
how your Biome system operates to support life and the physical features found within it.
Organizer:
(Day 1) Using the websites below you are going to research information on your biome
and organize it into the following chart. Split the work up to make this process move
along quicker.
Biome
Tundra
Climate
Vegetation
Soils
Landforms
Plants
Animals
(Day 2) Meet with your group members and complete the following connections based
on your research of the Biome and the knowledge you have obtained.
Climate to Vegetation
Climate to Soil
Climate to Landforms
Climate to Plants
Climate to Animals
Vegetation to Soil
Vegetation to Landforms
Vegetation to Plants
Vegetation to Animals
Soil to Plants
Soil to Animals
Landforms to Plants
Landforms to Animals
Plants to Animals
Biome: Tundra
(Day 3) Now that you have completed the relationship chart you can begin to search for
pictures that represent each category. With these pictures you are going to create a
“Biome Web” visually identifying the linkages based on the relationship chart.
Power Point Slide and Presentation Expectations:
1) Include a Cover Slide, and Map identifying your biome’s location
2) You need to have enough pictures so that the reader can easily identify the region.
3) Pictures should be organized into the above categories (Veg, Soils, etc.)
4) Linkages should be identified with an arrow and should have a brief ORAL
description (1 paragraph) of each.
5) Titles should be legible and stand out
6) Each group member is individually responsible for researching and explaining at
least 6 linkages within the system during the presentation
7) Students need to identify which group member is responsible for what info
8) Presentation should be 3-5 minutes in length
Terrestrial Biomes include:
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Deserts (Cold or Hot)
Grasslands (Savannah)
Tropical Rain Forest
Tundra
Deciduous (Temperate) Forest
Coniferous (Taiga) Forest
Alpine
****CHOOSE A BIOME, HAVE IT APPROVED BY
THE TEACHER, AND BEGIN
RESEARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Resources:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/index.html
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm
Biome/Ecozone Database Link Page: You can find a large amount of links with many
pictures and lots of general information on your biome.
http://www.aresearchguide.com/biomes.html#general
http://www.mbgnet.net/
Continue to click through this website and find your Biome
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/biogeography/biomes_link.htm
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