Major Land Biomes
• Biome- complex of terrestrial communities
that cover a large area; characterized by
soil, climate, plants, and animals
• Plants and animals vary by tolerance to
temperature and precipitation
• 7 Major Biomes include: Rainforest,
Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Forest,
Desert, Savanna, Temperate Grassland
Rain Forest
• Hot and Wet
Boa constrictor
– close to equator so
warm temperatures
year round
– Over 250 cm rain per
year
Toucan
Black Jaguar
Sloth
Jaguar
Orchids
Tapir
Rain Forest
• Most species of
plants & animals
(species diversity)
• Soil lacks nutrients
• Plants: broad leaved
evergreen trees, large
woody vines, climbing
plants, orchids,
bromeliads
• Animals (photos)
Tapir
Boa constrictor
Toucan
Black Jaguar
Sloth
Jaguar
Rain Forest
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
-
Plants grow in layers (canopy receives most light)
Shallow roots since soil is thin with poor nutrients
Many symbiotic relationships
Animals have camouflage to blend Ex: Insects
shaped like leaves
- Some animals have bright colors
Ex: Poison arrow frogs are
poisonous
Savanna
• Seasonal rainfall: 100-150 cm
per year
• Warm year round
• Frequent fires
• Grasses, short trees, shrubs,
drought/fire resistant plants
Giraffe
Storks
Aardvark
Hyena
Lion
Savanna
• Plants: Tall perennial
grasses, small trees and
shrubs that are often
drought-tolerant and fireresistant
• Animals: (photos)
Giraffe
Storks
Aardvark
Hyena
Lion
Savanna
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Drought tolerant and fire resistant plants can retain
water or survive the frequent fires of this biome
– Thorns to protect against predation
– Animals migrate as necessary
Baobab
Umbrella Thorn Acacia
Kangaroo rat
Desert
• Dry, less than 25 cm
of rain a year
• Extreme changes in
temperature
throughout the day
Roadrunner
– Extremely hot during
the day and cold at
night
Desert big horned sheep
Golden eagle
Mule deer
Mountain
lion
Creosote bush
Desert
Kangaroo rat
• Plants with short
growth cycles that
Roadrunner
can retain water:
cacti, succulents,
creosote bush
• Animals with high
tolerance to
temperature changes
Desert big horned sheep
Golden eagle
Mule deer
Mountain
lion
Creosote bush
Desert
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Reptiles have thick, waterproof skin to hold in water
– Cacti and other succulents have thick fleshy leaves
that can hold large amounts of water for a long time
– Plants have a shallow root system
– Animals are nocturnal (active at night) and in shade
or burrow during the day.
– Animals are smaller and have large ears to help
dissipate heat
Pronghorn antelope
Temperate Grassland
• Moderate precipitation: Polecat
25-75 cm per year
• Hot summers & Cold
Bison
winters
• Periodic fires
Black-tailed
prairie dog
Blazing stars
sunflowers
Coyotes
Badgers
Pronghorn antelope
Temperate Grassland
Polecat
• Plants: lush grasses
and herbs, drought and
fire-resistant plants
Bison
• Animals: many
herbivores and
carnivorous
predators (photos)
Black-tailed
prairie dog
Blazing stars
sunflowers
Coyotes
Badgers
Temperate Grassland
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Drought and fire-resistant plants
– Plants with long roots to allow for regrowth after fire
and animal grazing
– Rich soil allows many lush grasses to grow and
makes this biome excellent for farming.
– Animals live in herds for protection
Raccoon
Temperate Forest
• Warm summer with cold,
moderate winters
• Four distinct seasons
• Year around rain:
200-350 cm per year
Skunk
Turkey
Black bear
Bobcat
Temperate Forest
• Deciduous Trees- trees that lose
their leaves during the winter(
also called broadleaf)
– Ex: oak and maple
• Coniferous trees- trees that bear
cones
Maple
– Ex: pine
Oak
American Beech
Temperate Forest
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Deciduous trees lose their leaves when winter
approaches to keep them from freezing.
– Some animals migrate or hibernate during the
winter
– Some animals shed their winter coat during the
summer
– Squirrels, chipmunks, and some jays store large
supplies of food for winter when food is scarce.
Taiga
• Also known as the boreal forest or
coniferous forest
• Northern hemisphere
• Long, cold winter, short summers
• Moderate precipitation:
20-200 cm per year, mostly snow
Spruce
Snowshoe hare
Taiga
• Plants: Needle leaf
coniferous trees, broad leaf
deciduous trees, small berry
bearing shrubs
• Animals: migratory animals
and large herbivores
(photos)
Timber wolves
Lynx
Moose
Taiga
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Waxy coating on conifers to retain water.
– Animals such as bears hibernate during the
coldest months.
Tundra
• Northern hemisphere
• Characterized by
permafrost- permanently
frozen snow
• Cold & windy
• Little precipitation: 15-25 cm
per year (almost as little as
desert)
Artic willow
Caribou
Polar bear
Bearberry
Artic fox
Caribou
Tundra
• Plants: small with short roots
because of permafrost, no
trees
• Animals: Migratory animals
or animals with high
tolerances for harsh
conditions
Polar bear
Snowy owl
Artic fox
Tundra
• Adaptations of Plants and Animals
– Animals such as the arctic fox have
white fur to camouflage themselves in
the snow.
– Animals have small ears and thick coat
to conserve heat
– Plants have adapted to grow with short
roots because they cannot grow deep
roots in the permafrost.
Yellow Tundra Flower
Lichen