Biomes
Large geographical areas
characterized by a certain type of
climax community
Terrestrial biomes
• Temperature and rainfall are the major
limiting factors that determine the type of
climax community found in a given area
– a limiting factor will influence what type of
organisms can survive in an environment
tundra
• Very cold winters and
brief growing seasons
• Permafrost –
permanently frozen
subsoil
• Flora  lichens,
mosses grasses
• Fauna  insects,
migratory birds, large
migratory animals
Taiga
• Long, cold winters but
longer growing
seasons
• Flora  coniferous
forests
– Pine trees, spruce
trees, fir trees
• Fauna  large variety
of small mammals,
moose and black bear
Temperate deciduous forest
• Mild winters and long
growing seasons
• Flora  angiosperms
– Trees lose leaves in
the fall
– Oak, maple, elm trees
• Fauna  large
diversity of small
mammals
– Grey squirrel, fox, deer
Tropical rain forest
• Warm all year
– Receives 100-400
inches of rain per year
• Flora  many
varieties of broadleaved plants,
bamboo, ferns
• Fauna  many
animal species,
monkeys, snakes,
leopard
Grassland
• Less than 20 inches
of rain per year
• Flora  annual plants
and grasses
• Fauna  deer,
antelope, small
mammals, prairie
dogs
Desert
• Less than 10 inches
of rain per year
• Flora  succulents,
cactus and aloe
• Fauna  birds,
reptiles, insects
Marine biomes
Based on three physical criteria
• The marine biome covers 70% of the
earth’s surface
• Oceans absorb solar heat energy
• Oceans have a stabilizing effect on
average temperature of land areas
• MOST PHOTOSYNTHESIS TAKES
PLACE IN THE OCEAN!
• There is a great
variety of life forms in
the ocean
• Organisms that live
on the ocean floor are
called BENTHOS
• Photosynthetic
organisms are called
PHYTOPLANKTON
• These are the
producers in the
marine biome
• Small organisms that
float near the surface
are PLANKTON
– these are protists
and algae, larvae
of various animals,
small jellyfish,
worms
Distance from shore
• Intertidal zone – where land meets water
• Nertic zone – shallow regions over the
continental shelf
• Oceanic zone – the sea floor
Water depth
• Pelagic zone – open water of any depth
• Benthic zone – the sea floor
Freshwater biome
•
These can be divided into two types
1) Standing water  lakes, ponds,
swamps and bogs
2) Running water  streams
• Lakes are usually
larger than ponds
• Lakes are so deep
that light does not
reach the bottom in all
parts
• Ponds are shallow
enough for light to
reach the bottom
• Cattails and other
plants grow around
the surface of the lake
and in the pond
• Streams are fast
moving water
• The bottom is made
of rocks and gravel
• Organisms can be
found in calmer,
shallow areas near
stream banks
• Swamps are low,
wetland areas
• Fresh and saltwater
swamps are often
called wetlands
• Wetlands are
important nesting
sites for water birds