Major Land Biomes
Biome- complex of terrestrial communities that cover a large area; characterized by soil, climate, plants, and animals Plants and animals vary by tolerance to temperature and precipitation 7 Major Biomes include: Rainforest, Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Forest, Desert, Savanna, Temperate Grassland
Rain Forest Hot and Wet close to equator so warm temperatures year round Over 250 cm rain per year Orchids Black Jaguar Toucan Sloth Boa constrictor Jaguar Tapir
Rain Forest Most species of plants & animals (species diversity) Toucan Boa constrictor Soil lacks nutrients Plants: broad leaved evergreen trees, large woody vines, climbing plants, orchids, bromeliads Black Jaguar Sloth Jaguar Animals (photos) Tapir
Rain Forest Adaptations of Plants and Animals - Plants grow in layers (canopy receives most light) - Shallow roots since soil is thin with poor nutrients - Many symbiotic relationships - Animals have camouflage to blend Ex: Insects shaped like leaves - Some animals have bright colors Ex: Poison arrow frogs are poisonous
Savanna Seasonal rainfall: 100-150 cm per year Warm year round Frequent fires Grasses, short trees, shrubs, drought/fire resistant plants Giraffe Storks Aardvark Hyena Lion
Savanna Plants: Tall perennial grasses, small trees and shrubs that are often drought-tolerant and fireresistant Animals: (photos) Giraffe Storks Aardvark Hyena Lion
Savanna Adaptations of Plants and Animals Drought tolerant and fire resistant plants can retain water or survive the frequent fires of this biome Thorns to protect against predation Animals migrate as necessary Baobab Umbrella Thorn Acacia
Desert Dry, less than 25 cm of rain a year Extreme changes in temperature throughout the day Extremely hot during the day and cold at night Kangaroo rat Roadrunner Mountain lion Mule deer Desert big horned sheep Golden eagle Creosote bush
Desert Plants with short growth cycles that can retain water: cacti, succulents, creosote bush Animals with high tolerance to temperature changes Kangaroo rat Roadrunner Mountain lion Mule deer Desert big horned sheep Golden eagle Creosote bush
Desert Adaptations of Plants and Animals Reptiles have thick, waterproof skin to hold in water Cacti and other succulents have thick fleshy leaves that can hold large amounts of water for a long time Plants have a shallow root system Animals are nocturnal (active at night) and in shade or burrow during the day. Animals are smaller and have large ears to help dissipate heat
Temperate Grassland Pronghorn antelope Moderate precipitation: 25-75 cm per year Hot summers & Cold winters Periodic fires Bison Polecat sunflowers Coyotes Black-tailed prairie dog Blazing stars Badgers
Pronghorn antelope Temperate Grassland Plants: lush grasses and herbs, drought and fire-resistant plants Animals: many herbivores and carnivorous predators (photos) Bison Polecat sunflowers Coyotes Black-tailed prairie dog Blazing stars Badgers
Temperate Grassland Adaptations of Plants and Animals Drought and fire-resistant plants Plants with long roots to allow for regrowth after fire and animal grazing Rich soil allows many lush grasses to grow and makes this biome excellent for farming. Animals live in herds for protection
Raccoon Temperate Forest Warm summer with cold, moderate winters Four distinct seasons Year around rain: 200-350 cm per year Skunk Turkey Black bear Bobcat
Temperate Forest Deciduous Trees- trees that lose their leaves during the winter( also called broadleaf) Ex: oak and maple Coniferous trees- trees that bear cones Ex: pine Maple Oak American Beech
Temperate Forest Adaptations of Plants and Animals Deciduous trees lose their leaves when winter approaches to keep them from freezing. Some animals migrate or hibernate during the winter Some animals shed their winter coat during the summer Squirrels, chipmunks, and some jays store large supplies of food for winter when food is scarce.
Taiga Also known as the boreal forest or coniferous forest Northern hemisphere Long, cold winter, short summers Moderate precipitation: 20-200 cm per year, mostly snow
Taiga Plants: Needle leaf coniferous trees, broad leaf deciduous trees, small berry bearing shrubs Animals: migratory animals and large herbivores (photos) Timber wolves Snowshoe hare Spruce Moose Lynx
Taiga Adaptations of Plants and Animals Waxy coating on conifers to retain water. Animals such as bears hibernate during the coldest months.
Tundra Northern hemisphere Characterized by permafrost- permanently frozen snow Cold & windy Little precipitation: 15-25 cm per year (almost as little as desert) Caribou Polar bear Artic willow Bearberry Artic fox
Tundra Plants: small with short roots because of permafrost, no trees Animals: Migratory animals or animals with high tolerances for harsh conditions Polar bear Caribou Snowy owl Artic fox
Tundra Adaptations of Plants and Animals Animals such as the arctic fox have white fur to camouflage themselves in the snow. Animals have small ears and thick coat to conserve heat Plants have adapted to grow with short roots because they cannot grow deep roots in the permafrost. Yellow Tundra Flower Lichen