 Warm, wet and humid all year round
 Nutrient poor soil-high rate of decomposition
 Different layers within the forest create a variety of
niches
 Emergent, upper and lower canopies, forest floor
 Amount of sunlight determines what lives in each layer
 Plants
 Bengal bamboo,
Strangler Figs, jambu, orchids
 Shallow roots systems
 Epiphytes (ex. Orchids) will grow on tree branches and tap into the tree
with their root systems to obtain nutrients
 Fast growers
 Animals
 New World Monkeys, African Forest Elephants, King Cobra,
Vampire Bat, Jambu Fruit Dove, Toco Toucan, Kinkajo
 Arboreal-live up in the trees; long arms, prehensile tails, etc.
 Camouflage
 Strong beaks to break open seeds
 Environmental Issues
 Deforestation
 Agriculture, cattle, resources, etc.
 Poachers
 Hunt and collect animals for exotic pet trades
 Biodiversity: high
 Most decidous forests lie between 30 and 60
degrees north and south latitudes
 4 seasons: our weather patterns
 Fertile soil
 Plants
 Walnut trees, chestnut trees, maple trees, oak trees
 Lose leaves during fall
 Dormant during winter-saves water
 Animals
 American Black Bear, Coyote, Duckbill Platypus,
Eastern Chipmunk, White-tailed deer
 Camouflage, hibernate-fat layer, store food, etc.
 Environmental Issues
 Deforestation
 Farmland
 Urbanization
 Resources
 Overhunting
 Pollution (air, water, land, etc.)
 Biodiversity: medium to high
 Think Canada
 4 Seasons
 Colder temps than deciduous
 About the same precipitation than deciduous
 Acidic soils from the needles from the trees-deter
other plants from growing around them
 Plants
 White Spruce, Balsam Fir, Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir
 Triangular shape
 Branches are flexible
 Thick bark
 Needle-lie leaves to prevent water loss; needles are acidic
 Animals
 Lynx, Wolverines, Bobcats, Minks, Caribou, Elk, Moose,
White Rabbits
 Thick fur coat
 Camouflage
 Hibernate in the winter-protective layer of fat
 Environmental Issues
 Deforestation
 For homes, roads, resources
 Pollution (air, water, land)
 Biodiversity-less then tropical or deciduous, more then
everything else (medium to high)
 4 seasons
 Less precip then forests more then desert/tundra
 Natural fires are common-rejuvenate land
 Windy
 Plants:
 Coyote bush, common sage brush, chaparral sweetpea,
purple needle grass: lots of grasses and bushes-very few
trees
 Deep roots, fire retardant leaves, waxy coatings on leaves
 Animals:
 Coyote, rattlesnake, jackrabbit, puma, golden jackal,
bezoar goat
 Camouflage, nocturnal, go without water for long periods of
time
 Environmental Issues
 Fire suppression
 Urbanization-causes erosion and destruction of habitat
 Used for agriculture
 Biodiversity
 Medium to low
 Hint: think The Lion King
 2 seasons
 Wet and dry
 Natural fires are common
 Windy
 Nutrient poor soil
 Plants
 Grasses
 Grow in clumps to save water, grow quickly, deep roots
 Animals
 Elephants, lions, zebras, gazelles, giraffes, etc.
 Migrating herbivores
 camouflage
 Environmental Issues
 Overhunting
 Overgrazing
 Fire suppression
 Urbanization
 Biodiversity
 Medium to low
 Middle of the US
 Fertile soil
 Windy
 Natural fires are common to rejuvenate land
 Plants
 Grasses
 Deep root systems and able to rejuvenate quickly after fire
 Animals
 Badgers, coyotes, prairie dogs, etc.
 Burrow-strong front claws
 Camouflage
 Environmental Issues
 Land converted to farmland
 Less genetic diversity, more erosion, increased pesticide usage
 Fire suppression
 Biodiversity: medium to low
 Usually found between 15 and 30 degrees latitude
 Usually hot, always dry
 Winds shape landscape
 Nutrient poor soil
 Plants
 Cacti, brittle bush, joshua tree
 Sharp spines, fleshy insides, leathery leaves, shallow root
systems
 Animals
 Lizards, desert tortoise, cactus wren, fennec fox, jerboa
 Camouflage, estivate: burrow during the day, nocturnal at
night, large ears to release heat
 Environmental Issues
 Overgrazing
 Excessive off road vehicles usage, nuclear testing sites,
etc.
 Biodiversity: low
 Cold and dry
 Permafrost
 2 seasons: long cold winter and short warm summer
 Polar winds
 Plants
 Sedges, arctic willow, arctic moss, lichens, caribou moss
 Grow close to the ground, shallow root systems, short hairs
 No trees due to high winds and shallow root systems
 Animals
 Arctic fox, musk oxen, snowy owl, polar bear, caribou,
arctic hare, lemmings
 Camouflage, thick fur, layers of fat
 Environmental Issues
 Extraction of nonrenewable resources-oil drilling,
building of roads, etc.
 Global warming (from the burning of fossil fuels)-thaws
permafrost-leads to a positive feedback loop
 Biodiversity: low