Biomes

• Kella Randolph M.Ed.

There are seven main biomes.
Defining Biomes
• Biomes  Classification of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems based on regional climate communities.
• Major biomes include:
• tropical rain forest,
• tropical dry forest,
• tropical grassland/savanna/shrubland,
• desert,
• temperate grassland,
• temperate woodland and shrubland,
• temperate forest,
• northwestern coniferous forest,
• boreal forest,
• tundra.
The Major Biomes
• All biomes have both abiotic and biotic factors.
• Abiotic factors are non-living such as climate and soil type.
• Biotic factors are living or formerly living such as plant and animal life.
Directions: For the problem below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic
factors in the ecosystem. Think about it for a moment, then check your answers on the next slide.

Ecosystem: Home
• Biotic factors • Abiotic factors
Directions: For the problems below identify the ecosystem and then list possible abiotic and biotic factors in the
ecosystem.

Ecosystem: Home
• Biotic Factors: • Abiotic Factors:
• man, woman, dog • carpet, lamp and television
Factors that affect global climate
• latitude
• heat
• area’s proximity to an ocean or mountain range.
Defining Biomes
The map shows the locations of the major biomes.
TROPICAL RAIN
FOREST
home to more species than all the other
biomes combined.
get at least 2 meters of rain a year!
Animals of tropical rainforests

• www.upf.edu900 × 600
TROPICAL RAIN
FOREST
Canopy:
Tall trees
dense, leafy covering
50 to 80 meters above the forest floor.
Understory:
below the canopy,
shorter trees and vines
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
Biotic Factors – Animal Life
• Many use camouflage to hide
from predators or to match their
surroundings.
• Animals that live in the canopy
have adaptations for climbing,
jumping, and/or flight.
TROPICAL DRY FOREST

• Abiotic Factors
• warm year-round, with
alternating wet and dry seasons.
• rich soils which are subject to
erosion.
Biotic Factors – Plant Life
• Adaptations:
• extra thick waxy layer on leaves
to reduce water loss,
• or they store water in their
tissues.
• seasonal loss of leaves to survive
the dry season.
• A plant that sheds its leaves
during a particular season is
called deciduous.
Biotic Factors – Animal Life
• Adaptaions: • TROPICAL DRY FOREST
• Emigration of animals in dry
season
• reduce need for water by
estivation.
• Estivation long period of
inactivity.
• similar to hibernation, but
typically takes place during a dry
season. • Snails in estivation
TROPICAL
GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND
Abiotic Factors
–warm, with seasonal rainfall.
–Compact soil
–frequent fires set by lightning.
TROPICAL
GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND
Biotic Factors – Plant Life
Adaptations
waxy leaf coverings to
prevent water loss.
seasonal leaf loss.
Some grasses have a
high silica content that
makes them less
appetizing to grazing
herbivores.
TROPICAL
GRASSLAND/SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND
Biotic Factors – Animal
Life
Adaptations:
Migration in dry
season to search for
water.
Some smaller
animals burrow and
remain dormant
during the dry
season.
 DESERT
Abiotic Factors
low precipitation and variable
temperatures.
Their soils are rich in
minerals, but poor in organic
material.
Biotic Factors – Plant Life
Adaptations:
Plants like cacti store water in
their tissues
Small leaf surface area to cut
down on water loss.
 Cactus spines are actually
modified leaves.
Biotic Factors – Plant Life DESERT
–Modified photosynthesis--
some plants leaf pores open
only at night, so they can
conserve moisture on hot,
dry days.
Biotic Factors – Animal Life
–get the water from the food
they eat.
–nocturnal—to avoid the day
time heat.
–Large or elongated ears,
many blood vessels close to
the surface to help the
animal lose body heat and
regulate body temperature.
Long-eared Jerboa,
TEMPERATE GRASSLAND
Biotic Factors – Plant Life
–Grasses are resistant
to grazing and fire.
–Wind dispersal of
seeds
–grassland plants help
establish and retain
deep, rich, fertile topsoil.
Biotic Factors – Animal
Life
–Open, exposed
environments make
predation a constant
threat for smaller
animals.
–Camouflage and
burrowing are two
common protective
adaptations.
TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLAND
–Communities that are
more shrubland than
forest are known as
chaparral.

Abiotic Factors
–hot dry summers
–cool moist winters.
–thin, nutrient-poor soils
–periodic fires.
TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND SHRUBLAND
Biotic Factors – Plant Life Biotic Factors – Animal Life
–tough waxy leaves that –varied diets of grasses,
resist water loss. leaves, shrubs etc.
–Some seeds are fire –camouflage is common.
resistant
–Some seeds need fire
to germinate.
 • Abiotic Factors
TEMPERATE FORESTS • cold to moderate winters and warm
summers.
• year-round precipitation and fertile
• Biotic Factors – Plant Life soils.
• Deciduous trees drop their leaves and • The fertile soils are rich in humus
go into a state of dormancy in winter. material formed from decaying leaves
• Conifers have needlelike leaves that and other organic matter.
minimize water loss in dry winter air.
• Biotic Factors – Animal Life
• Some animals hibernate,
• Others migrate to warmer climates.
• Animals that do not hibernate or
migrate may be camouflaged to
escape predation in the winter.
NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST
–moist air from the Pacific
Ocean influenced by the
Rocky Mountains provides
abundant rainfall to this
biome.
–Due to the lush
vegetation it is sometimes
called a “temperate rain
forest.”
NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST
• Abiotic Factors
• mild temperatures
• abundant precipitation in fall,
winter, and spring.
• Summers cool &dry.
• Soils rocky & acidic.
• Variation in seasonal temperature
results in less diversity.
• Biotic Factors – Plant Life
• Trees among the world’s tallest.
• Biotic Factors – Animal Life
• Camouflage helps insects and
ground-dwelling mammals avoid
predation. .
• Many animals eat a varied diet—an
advantage in an environment
where vegetation changes
seasonally.
BOREAL FOREST
Also called taiga.
Occurs mostly in the northern part of the
Northern Hemisphere.
The word boreal comes from the Greek word
for “north.”

BOREAL FOREST
Abiotic Factors
long cold winters and short mild summers.
moderate precipitation and high humidity.
soil is acidic and nutrient-poor.
• Biotic Factors – Plant Life
• conical shape of conifers sheds snow,
• wax-covered needlelike leaves
prevent excess water loss.
• dark green color of most conifers
absorbs heat energy.
• Biotic Factors – Animal Life
• Most have small extremities and
extra insulation in the form of fat or
downy feathers.
• Migrate in winter.
TUNDRA
• characterized by permafrost
• permafrost a layer of
permanently frozen subsoil.
TUNDRA
Biotic Factors – Plant Life
Abiotic Factors –mosses and other low-growing
–strong winds and low plants.
precipitation.
–Seed dispersal by wind.
–short and soggy
–legumes, which have
summers
symbiotic bacteria on their roots
–long, cold, and dark that fix nitrogen to the soil
winters
Biotic Factors – Animal Life
–Poorly developed soil
–Some migrate to warm areas.
–Those that live here year-
round display adaptations such
as
natural antifreeze,
small extremities that limit
heat loss,
a varied diet.
Mountain Ranges
–not easily classified
into a biome
–exist on all continents
and in many biomes.
–temperature,
precipitation, exposure
to wind, and soil types
all change with
elevation, and so do
organisms.
Yaks and Sherpas at the Foot of
Himalayan Mountain Range
Thank you for viewing.
Artwork from Bing Online Images and Creative Commons