Environmental Project Work: Bioms

By Delfina Porchetto

Savanna

Location

• Africa

• South America

• India

• Northern Australia

Are located near the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Climate

Savannas are found in tropical wet and dry climates.

The savanna climate has a temperature range of 20° - 30° C. In the winter, it is

usually about 20° - 25° C. In the summer the temperature ranges from 25° - 30° C.

These areas are overall very dry, but they do have a season of heavy rain. Annual

rainfall is from 20-50 inches per year. If the rain were well distributed throughout

the year, many such areas would become tropical forest.

AnimalsTropical grassland animals include giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, kangaroos, mice, moles, gophers, ground squirrels,

snakes, worms, termites, beetles, lions, leopards, hyenas, and elephants. The world's greatest diversity of

ungulates (hoofed mammals) is found on the savannas of Africa. The antelopes and hervivores are especially

diverse. Carnivores include lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, wild dogs and hyenas. Termites are especially

abundant in the tropical grasslands of the world.

Vegetation

The vegetation of the Savanna may have tall, dry grass. They may also

have a few trees around. Since there are many wildfires there are not

that many trees. There maybe also bushes and shrubs in the Savanna.

The animals in the Savanna depend on these plants to survive. It

depends a lot on the season during the year. During the rainy season a

lot of plants grow and the grass gets really tall but there are a lot

floods. During the hot season a lot of plants and trees dry up and die.

Most of the land in the savanna is flat.

Human Impacts

Negative

Large areas of grassland have been turned into farmlands for growing crops and for rearing cattle.

Sometimes, fires are started by human and they spread quickly through grasses and damage the

soils. Moreover, a large number of animals have been hunted for their valuable body parts. For

example, elephants were shot for their tusks and lions were killed for their fur. Also humans being in

the grasslands increase the chance of fires.

Positive

Tourism keeps natural sections of Africa alive. The money brought in by tourism helps fund

conservation reserves and shows the government and local communities that conservation of

animals and the landscape is important because millions of people travel thousands of miles to

come to Africa to observe and explore these landscapes.

Tropical Rain Forest

• Asia• Australia • Africa • South America • Central America • Mexico • Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean islands.

Climate

The climate is very humid because of all the rainfall, which amounts to

about 250 cm per year. The rain forest has lots of rain because it is very hot

and wet. 50 % of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation.

The average temperature is about 25° C but never drops below 18° C. They

are so hot because they are found near the equator. Rain forest are never

found in climates which have temperatures 0° C and below because the

plant life will not be able to live because they aren't adapted to frost

VegetationBark: Most trees have a thin, smooth bark. The smoothness of the bark may also make it difficult for other plants to grow on their surface.

Lianas: They have adapted to life in the rainforest by having their roots in the ground and climbing high into the tree canopy to reach available sunlight.

Drip Tips. The leaves of forest trees have adapted to survive with exceptionally high rainfall. Many tropical rainforest leaves have a drip tip. Plants need to shed water to avoid growth of fungus and bacteria

Buttresses. Buttress roots provide extra stability, especially since roots of tropical rainforest trees are not typically as deep as those of trees in temperate zones.

Prop and Stilt Roots. Prop and stilt roots help give support and are characteristic of tropical palms growing in shallow, wet soils. Although the tree grows fairly slowly, these above-ground roots can grow 28 inches a month.

Animals

Human impacts

• Deforestation (cutting down trees)

• Loss of animal habitat (they kill animals to get food)

• Flooding

• Overexploitation: Human activity in the tropical rainforest has lead to

massive amounts of forest land being converted into other human

uses such as mining or agriculture

DessertsMajor desserts:

• The largest hot and dry desert in the

world is the Sahara Desert in Northern

Africa.

• Arabian Desert in the Middle East

• The Gobi Desert in Northern China and

Mongolia

• Kalahari Desert in Africa

Climate

Hot and Dry Deserts temperature ranges from 20 to 25° C. The maximum T° is 49° C.

Cold Deserts temperature in winter ranges from -2 to 4° C and in the summer 21 to

26° C a year

Hot and Dry Deserts usually have very little rainfall and intense rainfall in short

periods between long rainless periods. This averages out to under 15 cm a year.

Cold Deserts usually have lots of snow. They also have rain around spring. This

averages out to 15 - 26 cm a year.

Vegetation

Hot and Dry Deserts vegetation is very rare. Plants are almost all ground-

hugging shrubs and short woody trees. For all of these plants to survive they

have to have adaptations. Some of the adaptations in this case are the ability

to store water for long periods of time and the ability to stand the hot

weather.

Cold Desert's plants are scattered. In areas with little shade, about 10 percent

of the ground is covered with plants. In some areas of sagebrush it reaches 85

percent. The height of scrub varies from 15 cm to 122 cm. All plants are either

deciduous and more or less contain spiny leaves.

Animals

• Hot and Dry Deserts animals include small nocturnal carnivores, insects, arachnids, reptiles, and

birds. Cold Deserts have animals like Antelope, Ground Squirrels, Jack Rabbits, and Kangaroo Rats.

Human impacts

Like off roading, when we run our vehicles over the desert soil and

carve the tracks into the soil that will scar the land for many years.

These tracks can kill off vegetation in the desert. When the vegetation

is hurt so are the animals. Animals that rely on the sandy desert floor

for camouflage can also be harmed greatly.

Temperate Forest

Major Temperate Forests of the World

• Eastern North America

• Europe

• Eastern China

• Japan

• Southeast Australia

• New Zealand

Climate

The average temperature in temperate forests is 10°C. Summers are

mild, and average about 23°C, while winter temperatures are often well

below freezing. The rainfall ranges from 102 to 380 cm per year.

Vegetation

The main trees living in this biome are: beeches, sycamores, oaks, aspens, walnut trees, lime trees,

chestnut trees, birches, elms and in America tulip trees.

The plants of the forests grow in different layers. The top layer is called the canopy and is made up of

full grown trees. The middle layer is called the understory. The lowest layer is the forest floor.

• They lost their leaves - Many of the trees that grow here are deciduous trees, meaning they lose

their leaves during the winter. There are a few evergreen trees as well that keep their leaves for the

winter.

• Sap - many trees use sap to help them through the winter. It keeps their roots from freezing and is

then used as energy in the spring to start growing again.

AnimalsThere are a wide variety of animals that live here including black bears, mountain lions, deer, fox, squirrels,

skunks, rabbits, and a number of birds. Some animals are predators like mountain lions and hawks. Many

animals survive off of nuts from the many trees like squirrels and turkeys.

Each species of animal has adapted to survive the winter.

Remain active - Some animals stay active during the winter. Some are just good at finding food while

others, like squirrels, store up and hide food during the fall that they can eat during the winter.

Migrate - Some animals, migrate to a warmer place for the winter and then return home come springtime.

Hibernate - Some animals hibernate or rest during the winter. They basically sleep for the winter and live

off of fat stored in their body.

Die and lay eggs - Many insects can't survive the winter, but they lay eggs that can.

Human Impact• Deforestation• Biodiversity Loss• Pollution• Habitat Loss and FragmentationHuman activities contribute to habitat loss and fragmentation in the temperate rainforests. By losing their natural habitats, some species become threaten and can migrate to other areas, affecting the balance of local populations.

Grasslands

Located north of the Tropic of Cancer (23.5

degrees North) and south of the Tropic of

Capricorn (23.5 degrees South).

The major temperate grasslands:

• Veldts of Africa

• The pampas of South America

• The steppes of Eurasia

• The plains of North America.

Climate

Grasslands often occur in areas with annual precipitation between 600

mm and 1,500 mm and average mean annual temperatures ranges

from −5 and 20 °C. However, some grasslands occur in colder (-20 °C)

and hotter (30 °C) climatic conditions.. Temperate grasslands occur in

temperate climates typified by distinct seasonality (warm summers and

cold winters).

Vegetation

Grasses are the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are largely

absent. Seasonal drought, occasional fires and grazing by large mammals all

prevent woody shrubs and trees from becoming established. A few trees such

as cottonwoods, oaks and willows grow in river valleys, and a few hundred

species of flowers grow among the grasses. The various species of grasses

include purple needlegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, and galleta. Flowers

include asters, blazing stars, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clovers,

psoraleas, and wild indigos.

Animals

Grasslands have a low diversity of wildlife, but a high abundance of wildlife.

In North America the dominant grazing animals are bison and pronghorn.

Rodents include pocket gophers and prairie dogs. Carnivores include wolves,

coyotes, swift foxes, badgers and black-footed ferrets. Birds include grouses,

meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks and owls.

Human ImpactsThe biggest impact that humans have on grasslands is by developing open areas for farming or urban development. Such development is prevalent because grasslands are generally level areas with little need for major work to develop the land. The development of land drives animals away from populated areas and changes the conditions of the environment.

Farming

When grasslands are converted into cropland, it reduces the food source for many wild animals. This can lead to migration or possibly the starvation of the animals. Hunting has had and continues to have a serious impact on the biome.

Global Warming

As the Earth's climate changes in response to human involvement, the grasslands become vulnerable. Changing temperatures, weather patterns and water availability can throw an area of grassland out of balance and change it forever.

Fires

Because grasslands can be found in drier climates, the plant life is susceptible to fires.

Tundra

Tundra regions are found in the

northern and southern hemispheres

between the ice-covered poles and the

taiga. In the north, this biome stretches

across northern Canada and Alaska,

Siberia and northern Scandinavia, on or

close to the Arctic Circle. There are also

areas of tundra in coastal Antarctica.

Climate

Winter temperatures don't reach above -6° C and average -6° to -1°C.

The tundra is an unusually cold and dry climate. Precipitation totals 15-

25 cm of rain a year, which includes melted snow. The tundra seems

like a wet and soggy place because the precipitation that falls

evaporates slowly, and because of the poor drainage caused by the

permafrost.

Vegetation

Plants that grow in the tundra include grasses, shrubs, herbs, and lichens.

They grow in groups and stay low to the ground to stay protected from the icy

winds. They tend to have shallow roots and flower quickly during the short

summer months.

Most of the plants in the tundra are perennials that come back each year

from the same root. This allows them to grow during the summer and save

up nutrients as they lay dormant for the winter. They also tend to have hairy

stems and dark leaves. This helps them in absorbing energy from the sun.

Animals

The tundra has a lot more animal activity during the summer than the winter. This is because

most birds migrate south for the summer and some mammals hibernate for the winter.

There are some animals that have adapted to winter in the tundra. Some of them change coats

from brown in the summer to white in the winter so they can blend in with the snow. These

include the arctic hare, the ermine, and the arctic fox. Other animals that are active in the

winter include the snowy owl, musk oxen, and ptarmigans.

During the summer, the tundra will be teeming with insects. There will also be a lot of bird

activity as they come to eat the insects and fish. Animals will be more active, coming out of

hibernation or migrating from the south.

Human ImpactsNegative

• Global Warming

Global warming will continue to have an inevitable effect on the tundra, the world’s most fragile biome. Rising temperatures will melt glaciers and permafrost, flood the surrounding areas and kill the delicate plant species.

• Overdevelopment

Building roads and structures in the tundra has attracted much more human traffic to an area where merely stepping on the fragile plant species can kill them.

• Pollution

Positive

This region has provided economic wealth in terms of oil and gas which has continued to grow jobs and industry in the region

Taiga

These forests are located in the far north

typically between the temperate forest

biome and the tundra biome. The largest

taiga forest covers much of northern Russia

and Siberia. Other major taiga forests:

• North America (Canada and Alaska)

• Scandinavia (Finland, Norway, and

Sweden).

Climate

The temperature range is -54 to 21° C. For half of the year, the average

temperature is below freezing. In the winter the average air

temperature is warmer than it is for tundra, which lies north of the

taiga.

The taiga climate has an average annual rainfall of 30 - 84 cm. Most of it

falls in the summer as rain.

Vegetation

The dominant plant in the taiga is the coniferous evergreen tree. These trees include spruce,

pine, cedar, and fir trees. They grow close together forming a canopy over the land, like an

umbrella. This canopy soaks up the sun and only lets a little bit of sunlight through to the

ground.

The conifers of the taiga produce their seeds in cones. They also have needles for leaves.

Needles are good at holding in water and surviving the harsh cold winds each winter. The

trees also grow in a cone shape. This helps the snow to slide off their branches.

Under the canopy of the trees, few other plants grow. In some moist areas plants such as

ferns, sedges, mosses, and berries will grow.

Animals

Some animals, like birds, migrate to the south for the winter. Insects lay eggs that can survive the winter and then

die. Other animals, like squirrels, store up food for the winter while others hibernate by going into a long, deep

sleep.

Predators of this biome include the lynx, wolverines, Cooper's hawk, and wolves. Other animals include moose,

the snowshoe hare, deer, elk, bears, chipmunks, bats, and woodpeckers.

They generally have thick fur or feathers to keep them warm.

Many animals have sharp claws and are good at climbing trees.

They have large feet to allow them to walk on the snow without sinking.

Many of them change colors from white fur in the winter, to help them hide in the snow, to brown fur in the

summer, to help them hide in the trees.

Human impacts

Deforestation - Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance.

Acid rain - Acid rain is also causing significant problems for the Taiga forests. Acid rain is rain that is more

acidic than normal. Scientists have discovered that air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels is the major

cause of acid rain. Power plants and factories burn coal and oil. The smoke and fumes from burning fossil

fuels rise into the atmosphere and combine with the moisture in the air to form acid rain. The main

chemicals in air pollution that create acid rain are sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Global Warming - Organisms will have trouble responding to these changes and will face even greater odds

of surviving. Extreme changes in temperature and precipitation could cause climatic zones to shift several

hundred kilometers toward the poles over the next 50 years. Climatologists are also predicting that the

area covered by boreal forests (the taiga) will be reduced by 50-90%.

Bibliography

• http://www.defenders.org/grasslands/tropical-grasslands• http://mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/plants/index.htm• http://www.ehow.com/facts_5903440_human-impact-tundra_.html• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/• http://www.ducksters.com/