Biomes

Biomes

• Contain similar average annual temperature and precipitation.

• Contain distinctive plant growth

• For every 10° C increase, plants need 20 mm of rain to meet the increase temp. demands

• For every 10° C increase, plants need 20 mm of rain to meet the increase temp. demands

Three Types of Biomes

• Tropical

• Temperate

• Tundra and Boreal

Three Types of Biomes

• Tropical

• Temperate

• Tundra and Boreal

• Warm and rainy – good for growing crops

• Warm with less rainfall – good for growing grains

• Colder regions good for harvesting lumber

Tundra• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Adaptations:

• Soil nutrient level:

• Permafrost:

Tundra• Temperature: Cold• Precipitation: Low

• Growing season: Short – 4 months

• Vegetation: small shrubs, mosses, lichens

• Adaptations: can grow in shallow waterlogged soil, survive short growing seasons and cold

• Soil nutrient level: Low

• Permafrost: impermeable, permanently frozen layer, prevents H20 from draining and roots from penetrating (no trees)

Boreal Forest• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Adaptations:

• Like the tundra, the boreal forest has nutrient poor soil. Why?

Boreal Forest• Temperature: Cold

• Precipitation: Low

• Growing season: Short

• Vegetation: Coniferous and deciduous

• Adaptations: Coniferous needles tolerate cold, deciduous drop leaves before cold

• Like the tundra, the boreal forest has nutrient poor soil. Why?

Temperate Rain Forest• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil nutrient level:

• Location:

• Threats:

Temperate Rain Forest• Temperature: Moderate

• Precipitation: High

• Growing season: Long – 12 months

• Vegetation: very large trees – fir, spruce, redwoods

• Soil nutrient level: Low – due to coniferous needles that are slow to decompose

• Location: Coastal – oceans moderate temperature and provide water vapor

• Threats: Large trees are logged

Temperate Seasonal Forest• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil nutrient level:

• Adaptations:

• Threats:

Temperate Seasonal Forest• Temperature: Warm summers and

cold winters

• Precipitation: High

• Growing season: 12 months

• Vegetation: deciduous trees

• Soil nutrient level: Rapid decomp. – fertile soil

• Threats: Often cleared for agriculture due to fertile soil

Woodland/Shrubland

• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil nutrient level:

• Adaptations:

Woodland/Shrubland• Temperature: hot summer and mild

winter

• Precipitation: dry summer and rainy winter

• Growing season: 12 month – constrained by low rain in summer and low temps. in winter

• Vegetation: yucca, scrub oak, sagebrush

• Soil nutrient level: Low – leaching by winter rains

• Adaptations: plants adapted to fire and drought – seeds open after intense heat, plants resprout quickly after fire

Temperate Grassland (Prairie, Steppes, Pampas)

• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil Nutrient Level:

• Adaptations:

• Tall grass prairie vs. short grass prairie vs. cold desert

Temperate Grassland (Prairie, Steppes, Pampas)

• Temperature: Cold winter, hot summers

• Precipitation: Dry summers

• Growing season: 12 month – constrained by low rain in summer and low temps. in winter

• Vegetation: grasses and non woody flowering plants

• Soil Nutrient Level: Rapid decomp. makes this biome very productive

• Adaptations: wildfires and frequent grazing – deep roots store energy for quick regrowth

• Tall grass prairie vs. short grass prairie vs. cold desert

Tropical Rainforest• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil Nutrient Level:

• Canopy vs. understory• Epiphytes and lianas

Tropical Rainforest• Temperature: High

• Precipitation: High

• Growing season: 12 months

• Vegetation: More biodiversity than any other biome

• Soil Nutrient Level: Warm and wet – rapid decomp. but nutrients are taken up quickly

• Canopy vs. understory• Epiphytes and lianas

Tropical Seasonal Forest

• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Soil Nutrient Level:

• Adaptations:

Tropical Seasonal Forest• Temperature: Warm

• Precipitation: Wet and dry seasons

• Growing season: Long – but limited by rain

• Vegetation: deciduous trees and grasses

• Soil Nutrient Level: Warm temps. allow rapid decomp. - fertile soils

• Adaptations: drop leaves during dry season

Desert

• Temperature:

• Precipitation:

• Growing season:

• Vegetation:

• Adaptations:

Desert• Temperature: Hot

• Precipitation: Dry

• Growing season: Short – limited by rain

• Vegetation: sparse vegetation

• Adaptations: small, thick waxy layer with few pores to conserve water. Spines to protect themselves from herbivores

Lakes and Ponds

• List the letter and define the zones below

• _____ Littoral zone-

• _____ Limnetic zone-

• _____ Profundal zone-

• _____Benthic zone -

Freshwater Wetlands

• Define: wetlands • Differentiate• Swamps

• Marshes

• Bogs

• What ecosystem services do wetlands provide?

Intertidal Zone

• Define intertidal zone: • Describe the challenges that organisms undergo in this biome.

Coral Reefs

• What is coral? • How do corals survive in low nutrient water?

• Explain coral bleaching.

Oceans

• List the letter and define the zones below

• _____ Photic zone-

• _____ Aphotic zone-

• _____ Intertidal zone-

• _____Benthic zone -

Oligotrophic v. Eutrophic Lakes

Oligotrophic v. Eutrophic Lakes

Oceans

• Describe each mechanism as well as where it occurs

• Chemosynthesis –

• Bioluminescence -