Biome

-Terrestrial communities with wide geographic distribution

-The world's major communities, classified according to the predominant vegetation
-Abiotic factors play a large role in determining the type and location of biomes

· Boreal or Taiga Forest

-Coniferous forest
-Cold winters and cool summers
- Largest terrestrial biome (extends across Europe, North America, and Asia)
- Located below the tundra biome
- Short, wet summers and long, cold winters.
-Animals include moose, deer, bear, etc.

Chaparral or Mediterranean

- Hot-dry summers and mild and rainy winters

-Smallest biome
-Found in coastal areas
-Vegetation include cacti, olive trees, low-growing, moisture resistant plants.

Community

-Two or more populations of different species in

a specific area

Desert

-Forms due to low level of rain each year

-Lack of moisture
-Summers range from hot - very hot and winters from cool - warm
-Vegetation includes cacti, small Shrubs.
-Animals include lizards, rodents, some birds, coyotes.
Ecological Hierarchy

-Levels of ecological order

Grassland

-Lack of trees and large amount of grasses

-Animals include: prairie dogs, bison, birds

Population

-Species in an place that often interact with each

other

Rainforest

-Most ecologically diverse

-Covers about 7% of the Earth's surface
- Found all over the world, majority found in South America
_Vegetation includes deciduous trees, vines, smaller plants.
-Hot & humid summers & winters.

Savanna

-Similar to grasslands but distinct wet season and dry season

- Known as tropical grasslands
- Warm weather all year round
-Vegetation includes few trees, grasses.
-Animals include, lions, zebras, antelope, rodents, & birds.
Temperate Deciduous Forest

-Eastern part of the United States and Canada, some Europe, China and Japan
- Four distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall
-Vegetation is mostly deciduous, some coniferous
-Animals include deer, rodents, large & small birds, foxes
-Summers range hot & winters cool.

Tundra

-Coldest of the all the biomes

- Ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic and mountaintops
-Climate is cold, windy, little rainfall
-Vegetation includes moss, shrubs, lichen, limited tree growth
-Animals includes polar bears, caribou, musk oxen, rabbits, owls