The term biome refers to a geographic region that
has a distinct climate.
A biome contains characteristic types of plants
and animals adapted to the region and its climate.
The climate of a location determines which types
of organisms are able to live there. Climates that
are very cold are home to plants and animals
that have adapted to the extreme temperatures.
The same is true for climates that are extremely
hot and dry.
The biotic factors of a biome are the plants and
animals that live there. For example, deer, maple
trees, and lichen are some of the biotic, or living,
factors that characterize the deciduous forest
biome.
All ecosystems consist of two parts--the abiotic environment and the
biotic environment. The abiotic environment includes all of the non-living
parts of the environment, such as water and rocks. The biotic environment
includes all of the living parts of the environment, such as plants and
animals. Denise is studying an ecosystem at her local park. She has made
a list of all the abiotic and biotic parts of the ecosystem. Which of the
following lists would be correct for Denise's ecosystem?
A.
B.
D.
C.
ANSWER:
C.
The abiotic factors of a biome are nonliving things.
For example, very low temperatures and very little
precipitation are some of the abiotic, or nonliving,
factors that characterize the tundra biome.
The major biomes on Earth include: tropical
rainforest, desert, grassland, deciduous forest,
coniferous forest, tundra, estuary, savanna, and
taiga.
Tropical Rainforest
The climate of a tropical rainforest is hot and wet. Heavy
rainfall (around 150 cm per year) and year-round warm
temperatures make it very humid. This climate is found
near the equator. A tropical rainforest is very dense with
lots of large trees that block out sunlight. Very little
sunlight reaches the rainforest floor.
Rainforests are very hot and wet.
Desert
The climate of deserts is very hot and dry. The amount of precipitation in
these areas is less than the amount of water that could potentially evaporate.
Deserts get less than 25 centimeters of rain every year. Desert plants and
animals are adapted to store water and withstand year-round hot
temperatures.
Deserts are very hot and dry.
Desert plants are sparse. These include: Cacti,
and sagebrush.
Lizards, snakes, scorpions, and mice are
examples of organisms that live in
desert ecosystems.
Grassland
Grasslands receive enough rainfall to support
grasses, but not enough to support the growth of
large trees. Drought and wildfire are common.
Temperatures in grasslands are warm in the
summer and cold in the winter
Drought and wildfire are
common in grasslands.
GRASSLAND BIOME
Some of the animals that can be found
in a grassland ecosystem include
grasshoppers, prairie dogs, and bison.
Deciduous Forest
The climate of a deciduous forest is temperate with
four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, and
winter). Deciduous forests have warm summers and
cold winters. They have moderate precipitation
throughout the year.
***We live in the Deciduous Forest Biome
Deciduous Forest
During winter months, however, the precipitation is
usually frozen and unavailable to the organisms that
live there.
•Trees in a deciduous forest usually lose their leaves
during the winter and have thick bark to conserve
water and protect them from the cold.
Deciduous forests have
four distinct seasons.
Coniferous Forest
Coniferous forests are located in northern
latitudes. The climate in coniferous forests is
very cold and dry. Coniferous forests have
cold, snowy winters and warm summers.
Coniferous Forest
The main types of vegetation located in coniferous
forests are conifers, such as pine trees. These trees
are evergreens that have needles that stay on them
all year long and produce cones.
Coniferous forests are very cold
and the plants that grow there
are evergreens.
Coniferous Forest
Arctic foxes, wolves, and snowy owls are a few
examples of the animals that live in coniferous
forests.
Tundra
The tundra has very low temperatures and very little
precipitation. Winters in the tundra are long and
extremely cold; summers are short, mild, and cool.
The tundra is very cold
and dry.
Tundra
The animals living in tundra ecosystems have
adaptations that allow them to stay warm in the very
low temperatures. For instance, Arctic foxes, grizzly
bears, and ermines (a kind of weasel) all have thick fur
that protects them from the cold.
Tundra
Tundra is characterized by its frozen subsoil,
which makes only a small layer of soil
available to plant life. This limits the plants
that can grow to small low growing plants
such as mosses and grasses and makes it
impossible for trees to grow.
Estuary
An estuary is an area in which fresh water and salty ocean
waters mix together. These areas may include bays,
mouths of rivers, salt marshes, and lagoons. These
brackish (salt mixed with fresh) water ecosystems shelter
and feed marine life, birds, and other wildlife with nutrients
from the ocean.
Estuaries provide a place
where young animals can
grow up.
Estuaries
The plants in estuaries are marsh grasses and other
plants that are adapted to water levels that change with
the tides. Muskrats, herons, egrets, shrimp, and crabs
are animals often found in estuaries.
Savanna
A savanna is a dry tropical grassland where trees are present
but more widely scattered than in most rainforest ecosystems.
The savanna climate has a temperature range of 68° to 86°F.
Savannas receive around 125 centimeters of rain every year,
with most of the rain falling during the summer.
Giraffes have long
necks that allow them
to reach tree leaves.
Savanna
Zebras, giraffes, lions, and acacia trees are found in the
savannas of Africa.
Giraffes have long necks
that allow them to reach
tree leaves.
Many animals live in savannas, from invertebrates (like
grasshoppers, termites, and beetles) to large mammals (like lions
and leopards). The different savannas of the world support
different populations of animals.
Africa - aardvark, African elephant, African wild cat, antelopes,
buffalo, Cape hunting dog, caracal, cheetah, eland, gerenuk,
giraffe, gnu, Grant's gazelle, hippopotamus, hyena, impala, jackal,
kudu, leopard, lion, meerkat, oryx, ostrich, red-billed oxpecker,
rhinoceros, serval, waterbuck, vulture, zebra, purple-crested
louries, grey louries, green pigeons, raptors, hornbills, shrikes,
flycatchers, rollers
Australia - kangaroo, wallaby, pigeon, dove, parrot, finch, wombat
South America - rodents (like the capybara), rhea, and deer.
India - Asiatic water buffalo, Asian elephant, Indian rhinoceros,
Indian wolf, tiger, savanna nightjar
Myanmar-Thailand - Asian elephant, Asiatic Water buffalo, pygmy
hog, tiger
Taiga
The taiga is the largest continental biome. It
experiences long, cold winters; short, warm
summers; and low precipitation. It is characterized
by coniferous forests. Taiga covers most of Canada
and Siberia and is not found in the Southern
Hemisphere.
The taiga is characterized
by coniferous forests;
long, cold winters; short,
warm summers; and low
precipitation.
Temperate Prairie
A temperate prairie biome is found in the dry
temperate interiors of continents. This biome is
characterized by rich soil; moderate rainfall; a hot,
dry climate; tall, thick grasses; isolated trees; and
herds of grazing animals.
The temperate prairie
biome is characterized
by thick, tall grasses.
Marine
The marine biome, or saltwater biome, is the
largest on Earth, covering about 75% of the Earth's
surface. Because land heats up and cools down
much more quickly than water, the marine biome
experiences a smaller degree of temperature
change than the terrestrial biome. The marine
biome has a major impact on the weather and
climate patterns of the terrestrial biome.
The marine biome is
the largest on Earth.
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland biome that is defined by mild, wet
winters and hot, dry summers. During the summer, wildfires
are common. The plants and animals in chaparral biomes
are adapted to fire and drought
The chaparral biome is
covered in shrubs, dwarf
trees, and grasses.
Chaparral
Chaparral animals include the jackrabbit, wild goat, and
animals in chaparral biomes are adapted to fire and
drought
Altitude: affects which biome
Which of the following biomes receives at least 50 inches of
rain per year, is warm year-round, and is usually found near
the equator?
A. savannah
B. grassland
C. deciduous forest
D.tropical rainforest
ANSWER:
D.tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforests are warm, wet environments
typically located near the equator.
They can receive as much as 400 inches of rain
per year. The temperature remains warm
(70°F to 85°F on average) all day long and year-round.
Tropical rainforests produce 40% of the Earth's oxygen.
3A biome that experiences the seasons of winter, spring,
.summer, and fall, and non-extreme temperatures is likely
to be a(n) _______ biome.
A. arctic
B. tundra
C. tropical
D.temperate
ANSWER:
D.temperate
A partially-enclosed coastal region where sea water
mixes with freshwater is called a(n) _______.
A. estuary
B. gulf
C. strait
D. fjord
ANSWER:
A. estuary
Which biome is dry, cold, and has frozen soil?
A. desert
B. coniferous forest
C. tundra
D. ocean
ANSWER:
C. tundra
One key feature of a tundra biome is permafrost, a
layer of soil beneath the surface soil that stays
frozen all the time.
Abiotic factors of an ecosystem include...
I.
all types of plants.
II.
the quantity of water available.
III.
the temperature range.
IV.
all animal populations.
A. I, II, and IV only
B. II and III only
C. I, II, III, and IV
D. I and III only
Taiga Biome Features
Animals
bears, foxes, raccoons, birds, insects
Plants
pine trees, fir trees, spruce trees, mosses
Average Annual Rainfall
200 to 750 mm
-58°F to 86°F
Geographic Features
mountains, lakes
The table above lists many features of an ecosystem in the taiga biome. Based on
this table, what are the abiotic features of the taiga?
A. bears, foxes, raccoons, birds, insects, pine trees, fir trees, spruce trees,
mosses
B. wide range of temperature, very little annual rainfall, foxes, bears, raccoons,
birds, insects
C. mountains, lakes, wide range of temperature, very little annual rainfall
D. mountains, lakes, spruce trees, fir trees, pine trees, mosses
ANSWER:
C. mountains, lakes, wide
range of temperature, very
little annual rainfall
9. Which of the following is true about the marine
biome?
A. The terrestrial biome has a major effect on the
weather patterns of the marine biome.
B. The marine biome experiences a smaller degree of
temperature change than the terrestrial biome.
C.Organisms with a low tolerance for salt thrive in the
marine biome.
D. The marine biome includes the freshwater and
saltwater biomes.
ANSWER:
D. The marine biome includes the
freshwater and saltwater biomes.
Which of the following bodies of water are
included in the freshwater biome? (rivers,
oceans,lakes,streams)
Which of the following bodies of water are
included in the freshwater biome?
ANSWER:
Rivers, lakes, and streams
Biotic factors of an ecosystem include...
--all types of plants….(true or false)
--the quantity of water available(true or false)
--the temperature range(true or false)
--all animal populations(true or false)
Biotic factors of an ecosystem include...
--all types of plants….true
--the quantity of water available…false
--the temperature range...false
--all animal populations….true
_______ is the largest continental biome. It
experiences long, cold winters; short, mild summers;
and low precipitation. It is characterized by coniferous
forests.
A. Tundra
B. Taiga
C. Savannah
D. Mountain
_______ is the largest continental biome. It
experiences long, cold winters; short, mild
summers; and low precipitation. It is
characterized by coniferous forests.
B. Taiga