Just to refresh your memory…
Biosphere
You are here 
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism


A large geographical area that is characterized by
its climate and the flora (plants) & fauna
(animals) that live in there.
A biome contains related ecosystems. For
example: the temperate deciduous forest biome
contains ecosystems in the tree-tops, the forest
floor, and mid-canopy.
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Temperate Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forest (aka: Taiga, Boreal Forest)
Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Grassland (e.g.. Prairies, Pampas,
Steppes)
Tropical Grassland (e.g.. Savanna, and
some in S. America, and Australia.)
Deserts…hot like the Sahara, Sonora, etc.,
and cold like the Gobi.
Tundra (Polar & Alpine)
Characterized by:
 Climate …NOT weather!
 What lives there? Not just
animals…plants too.
 What is the topography of the area…the
landforms.
This Yaxis
shows the
avg. ppt.
The bars!
Here’s your
KEY…tells
you what’s
what.
This Yaxis
shows
the avg.
TEMP.
The line!
Here’s where you
see the month…Xaxis
Temp. Grassland
S. America
Tropical
Grassland

This is where we live! Well…not actually in
the forest. That’d be camping.
Location:
Mid-latitudes (between the poles and the tropics)
Precipitation
Yearly Avg: 75-125cm (29.5-49 inches)
Temperature
Summer Avg: 28⁰c (82⁰f)
Winter Avg.: 6⁰c (43⁰f)
Not too hot…not too cold
There are seasons here!
Flora
Oaks, Maples, Hickory, Beech, Poplar, Sweetgum, and
other decid. trees.
Woody shrubs, flowers, ferns, mosses.
Fauna
Mammals (deer, bear, raccoon, squirrel)
Birds
Reptiles, Amphibians, and Inverts.

Temp. Decid. Forests
Coniferous Forest (aka: Taiga, Boreal Forest)
• Lots and lots of pine trees! Get it pine
cone…coniferous? Of course you do…you’re smart
like dat 
Location:
Northern hemisphere. High latitudes near the poles.
Relatively unpopulated.
Precipitation
Yearly Avg: 35-75cm (14- 29.5 inches)
Temperature
Summer Avg: 14⁰c (57⁰f)
Winter Avg.: -10⁰c (14⁰f)
Cold winters…cool summers.
Flora
Pines, firs, spruce (all cone bearing) are dominant here.
Fauna
Mammals (wolf, lynx, bobcat, weasels, rabbit, squirrel,
deer, elk)
Birds-migratory
Inverts.

Coniferous Forest
Tropical Rainforest
• Greatest diversity of any land biome. “Come for our venomous
snakes…stay for the oppressive humidity!” Leave your winter
jacket at home…bring your malaria kit.
Location:
Equatorial...ummm…near the equator.
Soil is nutrient poor…it’s all in the plants!
Precipitation
Yearly Avg: up to 125-660 cm (50- 260 inches). Greatest
ppt. of any biome!
Temperature
No Seasons. It’s near the equator…think about it!
Night: 20⁰c (68⁰f)
Day:34⁰c (93⁰f)
Flora
All types of trees, vines, flowers. There really is no
dominant species like in the other types of forests.
Fauna
Mammals: depends which TRF, but…Jaguars, monkeys,
tapirs, sloths, rodents.
Lots of reptiles and amphibians.
Birds-colorful, vocal, fruit-eating.
Insects: the largest group in this biome.

Tropical Rain Forest
Temperate Grassland
• There are a few. The Steppes of Asia, The US Prairies,
and Las Pampas de Argentina…that’s Spanish for the
Pampas of Argentina.
Location:
Mid-latitudes. Interior of continents. Rolling hills
with few trees.
Precipitation
Yearly Avg: up to 25-75 cm (10- 29.5 inches). Usually
there only dormant (colder) and growing (warmer)
seasons.
Temperature
Avg Summer: 30⁰c (86⁰f)
Avg Winter: 0⁰c (32⁰f)
Flora
Grasses and flowers. Very few trees.
Fauna
Mammals: bison, antelope, coyotes, wolves,
Reptiles.
Birds-seed and insect-eating.
Insects and other inverts.
Sea anemones…just making sure you’re payin’
attention.

Temperate Grassland
Tropical Grassland(Savanna)
•Rolling grassy terrain (like prairies). Clumps of trees here and there.
•A long dry season and a rainy season.
Location
Found north and south of the Equator, on the edges of
TRF’s. Africa, India, & S. America.
Precipitation
Yearly Avg: 150 cm (59 inches). Usually there only
dormant (colder) and growing (warmer) seasons.
Temp:
Dry Season: 34⁰c (93⁰f)
Wet Season: 16⁰c (61⁰f)
Flora
Grasses and flowers. Very few trees. In Africa…acacia
trees.
Fauna
Mammals: Lions, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, antelope,
giraffe…those are all African Savannah.
Reptiles.
Birds-seed and insect-eating.
Insects and other inverts.
Unicorns and talking fish…checking again.

Tropical Grassland
Alpine & Arctic Tundra
•From the Finnish word for barren land.
•Fairly low diversity with simple food chains.
•As dry or even drier than deserts!
•ARCTIC has characteristic PERMAFROST…it’s what it sounds like
Location
-Arctic: High, middle, and low Arctic zones.
-Alpine: northern hemisphere at high elevation
Precipitation
<10 inches (25 cm) per year.
Temp:
Avg. Summer: 12⁰c (54⁰f)
Avg. Winter: <O⁰c (<32⁰f)
Flora
Shrubs, dwarf trees, grasses, lichen, mosses, liverwort,
angiosperms (flowering plants).
Fauna
Birds: ptarmigan, grouse, migratory birds
Mammals: polar bear, wolves, foxes, lemmings, caribou,
arctic hares, squirrels, marmot, pikas, mtn goat, sheep
elk.
Insects, some fish…that’s about it.
Hot Deserts
•Hot fudge sundaes…apple pie…oh…deserts! That’s cool…I knew that.
•Greatest daily differential of any biome. Very hot days and cold nights.
Location
-Under zones of high atmospheric pressure
-West coasts of continents between 20° and 30° latitude
-Rainshadows of high mountain ranges & interiors of
continents.
Precipitation
<10 inches (25 cm) per year.
Temp:
Day: 38⁰c (>100⁰f)
Night: 7⁰c (45⁰f)
Flora
Shrubs w/small leaves, spines, or thorns are dominant
(evergreen or deciduous). Shallow but extensive root
systems to max. rainwater xerophytes-adapted to
tolerate extreme drought. Phreatophytes-plants with
long taproots. Succulents-like cacti.
Fauna
Rodents and some larger mammals, reptiles, birds,
insects and other inverts.
Behavioral Adaptations: living underground (fossorial),
noctornal (active at night), crepuscular (dawn and
dusk). Physical Adaptations: long ears, concentrated
urine, no sweat glands, fat deposits.