Ecological Levels of
Organization
Foldable (outside):
Earth’s
Biomes
Map of Biomes
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Taiga/Coniferous Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
Grassland (Savanna)
Desert
Tundra
Water Biomes (Marine, Estuary, Freshwater)
To complete the inside of your
foldable…

Use Ch. 20 of your Holt textbook
◦ Pgs. 526-543

See the next slide for the format to use
inside the foldable.
Land (Terrestrial) Biomes –
Inside the foldable…
Distinguishing characteristics:
Illustration of biome.
(distinguishes it from other biomes)
Fold
Climate:
-Temperature
-Precipitation
Plants:
-Examples
-Adaptations
Animals:
-Examples
-Adaptations
Earth’s Biomes
Areas with similar abiotic factors (soil,
water & climate) usually have similar
biotic factors (plants & animals).
 Climate – average weather pattern in an
area over a long period of time.

◦ Precipitation & temperature

Biome – a group of ecosystems with
similar climates & organisms
◦ Contain related ecosystems
Terrestrial or Land Biomes
Tundra
 Taiga / Coniferous (Boreal) Forest
 Temperate Deciduous Forest
 Grasslands (Savanna, Steppe, Prairie)
 Deserts
 Tropical Rain Forest
 Temperate Rain Forest

Forest Biomes
Often found in areas that have mild
temperatures and plenty of rain.
 3 types (depends on climate):

◦ Temperate deciduous forests
◦ Coniferous forests (Taiga)
◦ Tropical rain forests
Temperate Deciduous Forests
Deciduous – “to fall off” – trees that shed their
leaves to save water during the winter or during
the dry season
 Have 4 distinct seasons in a year (fall, winter,
spring, summer)
 Climate:

◦ Precipitation – 75 – 125 cm of rain/yr.
◦ Average temperature – summer 28˚ C, winter 6 ˚ C
Plants: deciduous trees (oaks, maples); ferns;
mosses
 Animals: deer, bears, snakes, woodpeckers,
chipmunks, opossums, mice, skunks

Temperate Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forests
aka: Taiga
Conifers – trees that produce seeds in cones;
needles; aka: evergreen trees
 Climate:


◦ Precipitation - 35 – 75 cm of rain or snow/yr.
◦ Average temperature – summer 14˚ C, winter -10˚ C

Plants: coniferous trees (Douglas fir, spruce);
few large plants
 Adaptations: Conifers with thick, waxy coverings
on leaves = keep them from drying out and protect
them from cold winter

Animals: squirrels; insects; birds (finches,
chickadees, jays); herbivores (porcupines, elk,
moose, ); bears; foxes; lynx
◦ Migration & hibernation
Taiga/Coniferous Forest
Tropical Rain Forests
Have more biological diversity that any other
place on Earth
 Climate:

◦ Precipitation – 200 – 600 cm of rain/yr.
◦ Average temperature – daytime 34˚ C; nighttime 20˚
C
 Warmer than temperate rain forests due to location near the
equator

Plants: ferns, orchids, tall trees
 Adaptation: low growing plants that don’t need
much light

Animals: birds (parrots); insects; snakes; frogs;
monkeys; lizards
◦ canopy – tree tops
Tropical Rain Forests
Temperate Rain Forests
Found in New Zealand, southern Chile, &
the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
 Climate:

◦ Precipitation – 200 cm – 400 cm of rainfall/yr.
◦ Avg. temperature – 9˚C – 12˚C
Plants: trees with needlelike leaves
(Douglas fir, cedar, spruce)
 Animals: black bear; cougar; bobcat;
northern spotted owl; amphibians

Temperate Rain Forests
Grasslands

Also know as:
o Steppes (Asia)
o Prairies (N. America)
o Savannas (Africa)
o Pampas (S. America)
Found on every continent except Antarctica
 2 Types:

o Temperate Grasslands
o Savannas
Temperate Grasslands
◦
Climate:
 Precipitation – 25 – 75 cm of rain/yr.
 Average temperature – summer 30˚C; winter 0˚C
◦
◦
Plants: grasses; flowering plants; few
trees; crops – wheat, rye, barley, corn
Animals: small, seed-eating animals
(prairie dogs & mice); large grass-eaters
(bison); kangaroos; cattle & sheep
Savannas
◦
Climate:
 Precipitation – 50 - 130 cm rain/yr.
 Average temperature – dry season 34˚C; wet
season 16˚C
◦
◦
Plants: scattered clumps of trees; grasses
Animals: large herbivores (elephants,
giraffes, zebras, wildebeests)
Savanna
Grasslands
Deserts


Driest biome on Earth
Climate:
◦ Precipitation – less than 25 cm of rain/yr.
◦ Avg. temperature – summer 38˚C; winter 7˚C
 Temperature shifts from day to night
 Ex: Gobi desert in Asia – freezing temperatures in the winter

Plants: cacti
◦ Adaptations – grow far apart; shallow roots; store
water; waxy-coated leaves

Animals: toads, tortoises, kangaroo rat,
scorpions, few large animals; reptiles
◦ Adaptations – nocturnal (active at night); dormant
during dry season; store water; big ears
Deserts
Deserts
Tundra
Cold, dry region; cold desert
 Climate:

◦ Precipitation – 30 – 50 cm of rain/yr.
◦ Avg. temperature – summer 12˚C; winter 26˚C
 Slow decomposition due to cold temperatures.
•
2 Types:
 Polar tundra
 Alpine tundra
Polar Tundras

Found near the North Pole
◦ permafrost – layer of soil that stays frozen
all the time; only the surface thaws
◦ Plants: shallow-rooted plants (grasses &
small shrubs); mosses; lichens; no trees
◦ Animals: insects, migratory birds (ducks,
geese, shorebirds & songbirds); hawks; owls;
arctic hares; musk oxen; wolves; caribou;
reindeer
Polar Tundra
Alpine Tundra

Top of tall mountains
◦ Also has permafrost
◦ Found above the “tree line”
◦ Gets plenty of sunlight & precipitation
Mountains & Ice

Mountains can contain many different
biomes.
◦ Temperature & precipitation change with
elevation

Ice
◦ Usually fits in with the tundra biome
Mountains
Water Biomes – Inside the foldable…
Illustration of
Marine Biome
(Ocean)
1. What are three
abiotic factors that
shape marine
ecosystems? Explain
each.
Illustration of
Freshwater
Biome
(Pond Water)
1. Describe one abiotic
factor that affects
freshwater
ecosystems.
2. Describe:
1. Streams &
Rivers
2. Ponds & Lakes
3. Wetlands
1. Marsh
2. Swamp
Illustration of
Estuary
1. Define estuary –
2. Why is an estuary a
rich habitat for living
things?
Marine Biomes
Oceans cover almost ¾ of the Earth’s
surface.
 Abiotic factors that affect marine
ecosystems:

◦ Water temperature
◦ Water depth
◦ Amount of sunlight that passes into the water
Marine Biomes

Water temperature
◦ Decreases as the depth of the water increases
◦ Temperatures at the surface zone vary
 Latitude
 Time of year
Marine Biomes

Water temperature
◦ Affects the animals that life in marine
ecosystems
 Adaptations to warm or cold water
 Migration to warmer areas
 Impacts whether some animals can eat
Marine Biomes

Water depth and sunlight
Estuaries

Areas where fresh water from streams
and rivers spill into the ocean
◦ Fresh water + Salt water
 Plants and animals must be able to adapt to the
changing concentrations of salt.
◦ Rich in nutrients
 Rivers and streams carry silt and nutrient-rich soil
Freshwater Biomes

An important abiotic factor that affects
freshwater biomes is how quickly water
moves.
◦ Streams & Rivers
 Plants line the edges of streams & rivers
 Fish live in open waters
 Clams & snails live in mud at the bottom
◦ Adaptations to fast moving water
 Algae & moss are attached to rocks
 Tadpoles & frogs use suction disks to hold onto
rocks
 Insects live under rocks
Rivers & Streams
Freshwater Biomes

Ponds & Lakes
◦ Water depth and sunlight are important
abiotic factors
Ponds & Lakes

Littoral zone
◦ Sunlight reaches the bottom
 Plants and algae can grow here
 Small animals – frogs, salamanders, turtles, fish, snakes, snails,
insects, clams & worms

Open-water zone
◦ Top “layer” of water
 As deep as sunlight can reach
 Bass, lake trout, other fishes
 Photosynthetic plankton

Deep-water zone
◦ No sunlight
◦ Catfish, carp, worms, crustaceans, fungi & bacteria
 Feed on dead organisms that sink from above
Freshwater Biomes

Wetlands
◦ An area of land that is sometimes underwater
or whose soil contains a great deal of
moisture
◦ Benefits
 Support many different plants & animals
 Flood control
 Replenishing underground water supplies
◦ 2 types
 Marshes
 Swamps
Marshes
Treeless wetland ecosystems where
plants grow
 Often found in shallow areas along the
shores of lakes, ponds, rivers & streams
 Plants

◦ Grasses, reeds & wild rice

Animals
◦ Muskrats, turtles, frogs, birds
Marshes
Swamps
Wetland ecosystems in which trees and
vines grow
 Found in low-lying areas and beside slowmoving rivers
 Plants

◦ Willows, bald cypresses, oaks, vines, orchids,
water lilies

Animals
◦ Fishes, snakes, birds
Swamps