BIOMES
Large groups of ecosystems that
share the same type of climax
communities.
AQUATIC BIOMES
• Marine
• Mixed waters
• Freshwater
MARINE BIOMES
• Different parts of the ocean have different
abiotic and biotic factors:
• Abiotic
– Salinity
– Depth
– Light availability
– Temperature
MARINE BIOMES
• Biotic
– BIOMASS: Living material
• Mostly microscopic
• Many marine creatures depend on different types
of biomass.
MARINE BIOME PHOTIC ZONE
• Shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate
• Along coastlines
• EX: Bays, shores, beaches, estuaries, coral
reefs
PHOTIC ZONE ORGANISMS
• Plankton-Basis for most marine food
chains
– Phytoplankton
• Algae
– Zooplankton
• Small crustaceans
MARINE BIOME-APHOTIC ZONE
• Deeper water that does not receive sunlight
• Deep ocean areas
Umbrella Mouth Gulper Eel
APHOTIC ZONE ORGANISMS
• Chemosynthetic bacteria
• Octopus
• Squid
• Deep sea fish
– Some are bioluminescent
Fangtooth fish
MIXED WATER AQUATIC BIOME
• ESTUARY
– Coastal body of water, partially surrounded by
land, in which fresh and salt water mix.
– Where rivers join oceans.
– Salinity ranges based on river flow
– May contain salt marsh ecosystems
ESTUARY PLANT LIFE
• Smooth cordgrass
• Salt marsh hay
• Eelgrasses
Salt Marsh
Sea Grass
ESTUARY ANIMAL LIFE
• Developing snails, crabs and shrimp
• Estuaries provide a habitat for young
organisms to develop. As they reach
adulthood, they move out into the ocean.
Shrimp
FRESHWATER BIOMES
• Lakes, ponds, rivers, etc.
• BIOTIC FACTORS
– Fish, frogs, bacteria, etc.
– Aquatic plants, algae
• ABIOTIC FACTORS
– Light
• More light at top, less light at bottom
– Temperature variations
• Colder at bottom, warmer at top
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
• Tundra
• Taiga
• Desert
• Grassland
• Temperate/Deciduous Forest
• Tropical Rain Forest
TERRESTRIAL BIOME QUALITIES
• Earth’s curvature causes the sun’s rays to
strike the equator more directly than the
poles.
• As you move from the equator to the
poles, or vice versa, the climate changes.
TERRESTRIAL BIOME QUALITIES
• As latitude changes, climate changes.
• Latitude and climate are abiotic factors
that affect plant and animal life.
TUNDRA
• Closest to north and south poles
• Treeless
• Long summer days
• Very short winter days
TUNDRA
• Temperature does not rise above freezing
for long
• Only very top layer of soil thaws in
summer
• Underneath top layer is PERMAFROST
PLANTS OF TUNDRA
• Shallow-rooted grasses
• Dwarf shrubs
• Lack of nutrients in soil and cold
temperatures limit plant growth
Arctic Willow
Bearberry
Caribou Moss
ANIMALS OF TUNDRA
• Large animals
– Caribou
– Reindeer
• Small mammals
– Lemmings
– Weasels
– Arctic foxes
– Snowshoe hares
Arctic Fox
Weasel
Snowy Owl
ANIMALS OF TUNDRA
• Birds
– Snowy owls
– Hawks
• Insects (found during summer)
– Mosquitoes
– Blackflies
TAIGA
• South of tundra
• Also called boreal or coniferous forest
• Usually warmer and wetter than tundra
• Long, severe winters
• Short, mild summers
• Topsoil is acidic and mineral poor
• Many coniferous trees
PLANTS OF TAIGA
• Trees
– Fir
– Hemlock
– Spruce
– Birch
– Aspen
Spruce Tree
ANIMALS OF TAIGA
• Large mammals
– Elk
– Red deer
– Moose
Vole
• Small mammals
– Weasels
– Red squirrels
– Voles
• Migratory birds
Red
Deer
DESERT
• Arid region with sparse plant life
• Less than 25 cm of precipitation annually
• Vegetation varies greatly with amount of
rainfall
DESERT PLANT LIFE
• Areas with more rainfall produce shrubs
and drought-resistant trees
– Mesquite trees
DESERT PLANT LIFE
• Areas with less rainfall produce little to no
plant life
– Little rain: Creosote bush
– No rain: Barren landscape, sand dunes
Creosote Bush
DESERT PLANT LIFE
• Plants found in the desert possess
adaptations to conserve water
– Cactus: Thick, waxy coating
Saguaro cactus
DESERT ANIMAL LIFE
Kangaroo Rat
• Small mammals
– Kangaroo rat
– Most forage at night, staying underground during the
day
• Many carnivores
–
–
–
–
–
Coyotes
Hawks
Owls
Snakes
Lizards
Coyote
Rattlesnake
GRASSLAND
• Large communities with rich topsoil,
grasses and small plants
• Receive between 25 and 75 cm of rainfall
annually
GRASSLAND
• Dry season with little rainfall discourages
forest formation
• Few trees are found near water sources
• Higher biological diversity than deserts
• Also known as savanna, prairie, steppes,
etc.
PLANT LIFE OF GRASSLAND
• Dominated by grasses
• Many wildflowers
– Sunflowers, coneflowers
Cone Flowers
• Some trees, near water sources
• Ideal for growing of cereal grains
– Oats
– Rye
– Wheat
ANIMAL LIFE OF GRASSLAND
• Grazing animals
Bison
– Bison
• Large mammals
– Deer
– Elk
Elk
• Small mammals
– Prairie dogs
– Jack rabbits
Hare
ANIMAL LIFE OF GRASSLAND
• Insects
• Birds
• Reptiles
Monarch larva
Adult monarch
TEMPERATE FOREST
• Also known as deciduous forest
• Precipitation ranges from 70-150 cm
annually
• Dominated by broad-leaved hardwood
trees that lose their leaves annually.
• Rich top layer of soil
PLANTS OF TEMPERATE FOREST
• Trees
– Maple
– Oak
– Birch
– Elm
– Ash
Oak Tree
ANIMALS OF TEMPERATE FOREST
• Deer
• Squirrels
• Mice
• Rabbits
• Bear
• Birds
– Blue jays
Kodiak Brown Bear
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
• 200 to 600 cm of annual rainfall
• Warm temperatures
• Wet weather
• Lush plant growth
Temperate Rain Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
• More species of organisms than any other
biome
• Average temperature = 77° F
DIVISIONS OF RAIN FOREST
• CANOPY-Living Roof
– 25-45 meters high
– Tree tops
– Monkeys pass through canopy
– Birds live on the fruits and nuts of the trees
DIVISIONS OF RAIN FOREST
• UNDERSTORY
– Air is still, humid and dark
– Vines grow
– Ants harvest leaves and bring them to the
ground
– Plants include ferns, shrubs and dwarf palms
– Birds, bats, insects, tree frogs, chameleons
and snakes
DIVISIONS OF RAIN FOREST
• GROUND
– Moist forest floor
– Leaves and organic material decay quickly.
– Great competition for nutrients
– Rodents, jaguar, ants, termites, earthworms,
bacteria, fungi present