Transcript Intro PPT

Biomes
What is a Biome?
• The earth is covered by many different types of
ecosystems
• Scientists group similar ecosystems into Biomes.
• A biome is a large area with a specific climate and
certain plants and animals.
There are 10 main land biomes
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Polar ice
Tropical rainforest*
Temperate forest*
Taiga*
Tropical savanna
Temperate grassland*
Chaparral*
Desert*
Tundra*
Mountains
Biomes and
Vegetation (plants)
• Biomes are described by the plants that grow in them
because the plants determine what animals will live
there
• Plants in a biome will all have characteristics that allow
the plants to survive better in that biome
• These characteristics include size, shape and color
Biomes and
Vegetation (plants) cont.
• Ex. A cactus that lives in the hot desert does not have
leaves because leaves let out water. In a hot desert
having leaves would mean the cactus would dry out
and die
Biomes and Climate
• Climate refers to weather conditions like:
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temperature
rainfall
humidity
wind
• Temperature and rainfall are the 2 most important
factors
Temp. and Precip.
• The climate of a biome is determined by it’s average
temperature and it’s average amount of rainfall.
• Most organisms have a certain temperature range that
they can live in.
• They also must live in an area that gets enough water
to keep them hydrated.
Latitude and Altitude
• Biomes, climates and the things that live there change
with latitude and altitude.
• Latitude is how far north or south of the equator you
are.
– As your latitude increases you get farther from the equator
which means there is less direct sunlight and the climate
gets colder
• Altitude is how high above sea level you are.
– It also gets colder as the altitude increases (as you go up a
mountain)
• The colder climates change the plants that grow there.
Biome Bag Project/Presentation