World Biomes

Follow along with your note packet

to add/modify any notes you took
as you read the chapter.
 Tropical
Rainforest
Location: Found near
equator…little variation
in temperatures. No
distinct seasonal
changes.

Earth's most complex

land biome

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/
 Tropical
Rainforest
Abiotic factors
 high biodiversity and
biomass
 both hot and moist;
 ideal for bacteria and other
microorganisms; they
quickly decompose matter
on the forest floor allowing
nutrients to be recycled.
 <1 cm of topsoil
 About 100 in/yr of rainfall

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysfl
 Bougainvillea

Tropical Rainforest
Plant adaptations
 Sunlight is a major limiting factor

 Plants grow in layers (canopy

receives most light)

 Shallow, wide roots since soil is so

thin and poor in nutrients

 Little sun reaches the floor

Bangul Bamboo
 Silvery Gibbon

Tropical
Rainforest
Animal
Wagler’s pit viper Adaptations
 Many symbiotic Many animals are
relationships specialists and require
special habitat
 Live in different components to survive
levels of canopy
Camouflage is common

Slender Loris
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm
 Threats to the Tropical
Rainforest
 Humans strip the rainforests
for uses including logging and
cattle ranching.
 In addition to the plants and
animals that are displaced by
this destruction, entire
civilizations of people are also
without a home.
 You can help by promoting
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm
sustainable use of the
rainforests’ products
 http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tbdf/tbdf.html

Temperate Deciduous Forests

Location:
 found in temperate zone
(about 480 North lat)
 Much of the human population lives in this biome
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

Temperate Deciduous Forests

Abiotic Factors
 Characterized by an  Soils: Deep soil layers,
abundance of deciduous rich in nutrients
(leaf bearing) trees
 Precipitation: 30–100 in/yr
Characterized by 4 seasons in all forms (snow, rain,
hail, fog, etc.)
 Lady Fern

Temperate Deciduous forest

Plant adaptations
More diversity in the deciduous forest vs.
the coniferous forest due to increased
sunlight.
White Birch Trees adapt to varied climate by
Birchhttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_plant_
page.htm
becoming dormant in winter

Deciduous forests grow in layers Geulder Rose

More sunlight reaches the ground
compared to a rainforest so you
will find more ground dwelling
plants.
Bald Eagle

Temperate Deciduous
Forest
Animal Adaptations
 Lose Winter
Coat
 Adapt to many
seasons
Least Weasel  Eat from
different layers
of the forest
Fat Dormouse
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_animal_page.htm
 Threats to Temperate Deciduous
Forests
Many forests are
cleared to
provide housing
for humans.
Careful use of the
resource can
provide a
renewable http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tbdf/tbdf.html

system if we
don’t take too
much habitat
away.
 Taiga
aka Northern Coniferous
Forest or Boreal Forest

Location: Found
only in Northern
Hemisphere
 Taiga
Abiotic factors

 Winters are long

and cold
 Averages 100 in/yr
precipitation—
mostly snow
 Soil poor in nutrients
and very acidic
 Growing season is
very short http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/modules/
ecosystems_biomes/biomes_northern_forest.html
 Taiga Plant adaptations Balsam Fir

Fireweed
 Coniferous (needle-bearing) trees
are abundant
 Roots long to anchor trees
 Needles long, thin and waxy
 Low sunlight and poor soil keeps
plants from growing on forest floor
http://www.inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/plants.htm
 Moose

Animal
Adaptations of
the Taiga

 Adapt for cold winters

 Burrow, hibernate, warm
coat, insulation, etc.

http://www.inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/animals.htm Great Grey Owl

Threats to the Taiga
Mining operations can
irreparably damage
this fragile
ecosystem.
Pollution left behind
can also put animals
and plants at risk.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/t
 Savannas (Tropical Grasslands)
Contain the greatest number of grazing animals on Earth.

Location: Found in the tropics…near equator

Amount of precipitation supports tall grasses but only occasional
trees.
The word savanna stems from an Amerind term for plains
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/savanna/savanna.html
Tropical Savanna
Abiotic Factors
Rainy and dry season
25-150 in/yr precipitation
Fire plays a large role in this ecosystem
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/savannah.html
 Whistling
Thorn

Tropical Savanna
Umbrella Thorn Acacia
Plant
Adaptations
 Grows in Tufts
 Resistance to Drought
 Many plants have thorns and
Kangaroos Paws sharp leaves to protect
against predation.
Baobab
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_plant_page.htm
 Chacma Baboon

Zebras Tropical Savanna

Animal Adaptations
Adapt for short rainy season
—migrate as necessary Reproduce during rainy
Limited food leads to season—ensures more
vertical feeding young survive
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_animal_page.htm
 Threats to the Tropical
Savanna
 Invasive species
 Changes in fire management

Elephant
 Because of their low elevation,
some savannas are threatened
by minor rises in sea level
associated with global climate
change
Koala http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_animal_page.htm
 Steppe
Dry, cold, grasslands

Location: Found in
Russia and the
Ukraine

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe.htm
 Steppe Abiotic Factors

<50 in/year precipitation

www.wsu.edu

Mountains often play a role

in climate
characteristics

www.plasmacy.de
 Plant adaptations of the Steppe

 most abundant are plants called Bunch grasses,

fine bladed grasses that grow in clumps to
preserve water
Tumbleweed

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe_plant_page.htm Sweet Vernal

 Adaptations of Steppe Animals
Mongolian Gerbil

 Many migrate, hibernate or burrow

during extremes in temp and
precipitation

Saiga Antelope

Gazelle herd

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe_animal_page.htm
 Threats to the Steppe
 Overgrazing…nomadic tribes
have started to spend more time
in one location,
 Infrastructure development
(roads, buildings, etc)
Lynx
 Unmanaged hunting and poaching
is destroying herds of animals

Corsac fox
Milk vetch
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/ste
 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe.htm

Prairie and Steppe:

Grassland areas
 50-75 cm/yr
 Characteristic high Winds
 Prairie Plant Adaptations
Sod-forming grasses that
won’t dry out or blow
away in wind.

Fleabane
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prairie_plants_page.htm

Buffalo Grass
 Prairie Animal Adaptations

Many adaptations to survive

extremes
Bobcat

Geoffrey’s
cat

Prairie dog

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/pam
pas_animal_page.htm
Grasslands
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm
 Chaparral
Location: Primarily in
coastal areas with
Mediterranean
climates. About 300
N and S of the
equator.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.h
 Chaparral—Abiotic Factors
 Climate: hot, dry
summers, mild, wet
winters. Slight
variations in seasonal
temperatures…NICE!

California Chaparral

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/
world_biomes.htm

Mediterranean Chaparral
 Chaparral—Plant
Adaptations Blue Oak

Mostly low-lying shrubs

and small trees.
Many plants have leathery
leaves to resist water
loss
Many plant species have
oils in leaves to help
them resist fire…the fire
will take out “weaker”
plants that don’t belong.
Fairy Duster
 Chaparral—Animal
Adaptations
Camouflage—to avoid
predation

Aardwolf
Many animals will change
their diet as the season
changes.

Puma
 Threats to the Chaparral

Human development—
very desirable climate
for humans to live.
Grey Fox

Wild Goat

King Protea
 Desert
Ecosystems

 Location:
Depending
on type of
desert, you
will find
them in
various
locations.
Desert
Abiotic
factors
 <10 in/yr of
rain
 Little to no
topsoil due to
high winds.
 Minerals not
deep in soil. While there are many types of
 Too dry for deserts, they all share one
decay characteristic: They are the
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysfl
r/taiga.html driest places on Earth!
 Barrel Cactus

Desert Plant
Adaptations:
 Spines
 Succulents
 Thick, waxy cuticle
 Shallow, broad
roots Joshua Tree
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_plant_page.htm
 Ocotollio
 Bob Cat

Desert Animal Adaptations:

Armadillo Lizard  Get water from food
 Thick outer coat
 Burrow during day
 Large ears
 Smaller animals =
less surface area

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm

Javelina
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

Threats to the Desert

Residential development
Off road recreational
activities destroy habitat
for plants and animals.
Some plants are removed by
collectors, endangering the
population. Dry Desert

Sonoran Desert
 Tundra

Location:
Found
north of
the Arctic
Circle
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html
 Tundra Abiotic Factors
 <25 in/year
 Temp rarely higher than 100C
 Permafrost layer
 Short growing season

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html
Reindeer lichen

Tundra Plant Adaptations

Growing close to the ground
Having shallow roots to absorb the
limited water resources.
Trees grow less than 1 m high!

cottongrass
 Perennials

Woody shrubs

Heaths

Examples of Tundra Plants

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html
 snowy owl
Arctic fox

Small ears
Insulation, thick
coat

Tundra Animal
Adaptations
Many visitors, migration
Few predators
Little Competition
Grizzly Bear
 Threats to the Tundra
One of the
most
fragile
Tufted Saxifrage
biomes on
the planet Polar Bear
Oil drilling
is The tundra is
propose slow to
d in recover
Alaska from
 Freshwater Ecosystems
• Salinity <0.5 ppt.
• Lake are the deepest of fresh water systems
• Lakes are fed by underground aquifer or stream
• Ponds are fed by rainfall and may be seasonal
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/
 Ponds

Microscopic Animals
and Algae

• Sun can reach bottom

• Fed by rainfall
• May be seasonal
• Algae and plants
throughout
Lakes and ponds—Abiotic Factors

Littoral
zone:
nutrient rich
area found
close to www.dnr.wi.gov
shore

Benthic
zone:
bottom of the
lake where no
sunlight can www.uwsp.edu
reach.
 Lakes and ponds:
Plants and Animals
Adaptations

• Plants are floating

algae and plants
along shoreline
• Animals live in or
near water
Threats to lakes and ponds

All water
systems
are being
polluted
and
degraded
by human
www.aquaticbiomes.gov
impact
 Marsh
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/

Uses:
 Animal/pla
nt homes
 Carbon
“sink”
 Water
recharge
Types: Brackish areas,
and freshwater removing
pollutants
 Marsh—Plant
adaptations
• Very shallow with
land occasionally
exposed
• Saturated soil
• Low oxygen in water
and soil
• Emergent plants

Heron

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biome
 Swamp/Bogs

Location: Found on flat, poorly

drained land, often near
streams
Swamps/Bogs Abiotic
factors
Land soaked because of poor drainage
Decay is slow - Soil is acidic

Swamps
Large trees/shrubs
Adapted to muddy soils
Bogs - sphagnum
moss is
dominant
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/
Threats to Wetlands
www.kathimitchell.com

Previous
backfilling and
clearing for
farmland or
development
has been a
concern.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gl
oss5/biome/aquatic.html
 Rivers
At
headwaters,
usually cold
and highly
oxygenated.
As it flows, it
will broaden
out, warm up
and this
completely
 River: Plant and Animal
Adaptations
Will vary
based on
where in
the river
www.3d-screensaver-
downloads.com they are…
at the
headwaters,
organisms
www.cs.dartmouth.edu need to
Threats to Rivers
Dams alter
Industry uses the flow of
water to the water
dispose of
waste
products
Runoff from
homes and
other places
causes www.nwk.usace.army.mil
Estuaries
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/sandy/

• Fresh and salt water

meet
 Plant and Animal Adaptations of
Estuaries
Very
productive
biome
because it
receives lots
Manate
e
of light and
and
goos
nutrients
e
Often used as
www.lookoutnow.com & nursery for
www.visualparadox.com
 Threats to Estuaries
 Many ports are
found on
estuaries—
pollution
 Human
population

pers-erf.org

www.davenewbould.co.uk
 Coral Reefs

• Close to equator
• Consistent water temperature
• Shallow water
• Low in Nutrients
Animal adaptations of
the Coral Reef
• Breeding area for
many fish
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/coral/
 Threats to the Coral Reefs

Temperature is important, Human intrusion (scuba diving)

too hot or too cold and is damaging if you
the animals can’t live touch/step on the reef
there to create limestone
Pollution is also a concern.

www.calacademy.org
Oceans
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/sandy/
Ocean Abiotic factors
Open ocean is one Covers
of the least nearly ¾
productive areas of the
on earth, too Earth’s
little sunlight to surface.
support plant
growth
http://www.worldbiomes.co
m/biomes_aquatic.ht
m
 Ocean Plant adaptations

Plants are micro and macroscopic

Have floating plants (kelp shown here)

http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/eviau/edit557/oceans/norma/
onfrm.htm
Ocean Animal Adaptations

Zooplankton—
Hammerhead
sea’s
smallest
herbivores
Deep ocean
animals feed on
detritus—floating
Lion fish debris in the
water column.
http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1951.htm
Threats to
the Oceans

While the
oceans are
Overfishing
vast, they
and some
are
fishing
becoming
methods
more
are
polluted
destroying
fishing
http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_aquatic.htm
 Polar Ecosystems
Can be
considered
marine
ecosystems
since the www.awi-bremerhaven.de

base of food
chain is
phytoplankto www.defenders.org
n
 Arctic vs. Antarctic
Arctic Antarctic
Relatively Penguins live
shallow, lots here—only
of nutrients continent not
for large used by humans
variety of (exc. Research)
animals in
food web,
People,
seals and nmml.afsc.noaa.g
ov
Threats to the Polar Ecosystems

Reserves of
minerals draw
humans to these
fragile
ecosystems.
The main threat to
wildlife has been
the increase in
newt.phys.unsw.ed
tourism— u.au