Transcript Biomes of the World - Randolph High School

Biomes of the
World
What is a Biome?
A biome is a major terrestrial
community that is found in
different areas with similar
climates.
There are 7 major biomes
recognized on planet Earth.
RAIN FORESTS
Rain forests are lush forests that are
diverse in plant and animal species.
They generally experience 80-180 inches of
rainfall per year.
Tropical rain forests contain at least half of
the Earth’s terrestrial animals (that is more
than 2 million different animals!!)
Rain forests have a
high productivity of
plants even though
the soil is often
infertile. Because of
this, nutrients are
located within the
plants & is recycled
into the ground when
they die.
Some animals
commonly found in
rain forests: Gorillas,
chimpanzees, tree
shrews, tapirs,
cobras, orangutans,
bearded pigs and
lorises.
SAVANNAS
Savanna
Savannas are dry
grasslands that are found in
tropical areas with little
rainfall and prolonged dry
seasons.
A savanna is often thought
of as a biome that is a
cross between a rain forest
and a desert.
Savanna
Due to seasonal
droughts &
fluctuating
temperatures,
savannas have
evolved into open
landscapes for
grazing animals.
Savanna
Some common
animals of the
savanna include:
Lions, giraffes,
zebras, wildebeests
and rhinoceroses.
DESERTS
Deserts are typically thought of as arid
lands with fewer than 10 inches of
rainfall per year.
Due to limited water supply, vegetation
is usually sparse.
Less than 5% of North America is
comprised of desert land.
Temperatures in
the desert can
vary greatly from
day to night with
day temperatures
up to 54° higher
than nighttime
temperatures.
Some common
desert animals
include: Gila
monsters, vultures,
owls, dingos, bats,
and various other
bird and reptile
species.
GRASSLANDS
Temperate grasslands once covered
much of the interior of North America.
These grasslands are often highly
productive when they are converted for
farming & agriculture.
The roots of
grassland grass
typically
penetrate far
into the soil,
which tends to
be deep and
very fertile.
Some common
animals of the
grasslands
include: Bison,
elephants, lions,
giraffes, rhinos,
ostriches, prairie
dogs and hyenas.
DECIDUOUS FORESTS
Deciduous forests are rich hardwood
forests with relatively mild climates and
plentiful rain.
Trees in this forest are deciduous, which
means that they shed their leaves all at
once in the fall.
Typically, these forests have warm
summers and cold winters.
Annual rainfall in a
deciduous forest is
30-100 inches per
year.
Moisture is generally
not available to plants
in the winter because
it is frozen.
Some animals of
the deciduous
forest include:
Deer, bears,
beavers, raccoons,
squirrels, wild boar,
turkeys and
snakes.
TAIGA
The taiga is often known as the
coniferous forest (meaning it has
conifers like pine trees, spruces & firs).
This biome is one of the largest on
Earth.
Winters are long & cold and rainfall
occurs mostly during the summer.
Days are short
during the winter
(only about 6 hours)
and long in the
summer (sometimes
nearly 19 hours
long!)
Marshes, lakes &
ponds are commonly
found in the taiga.
Some animals
commonly found
here include: Elk,
moose, deer,
wolves, bears,
wolverines and
various bird species.
TUNDRA
The tundra consists of
cold plains of the far
north.
This enormous biome
covers 1/5 of the
Earth’s land surface.
Annual precipitation is
low, usually less than
10 inches per year.
During brief
summers, the tundra
has a swampy
appearance because
permafrost exists
constantly about 3
feet under the
surface of the
ground.
Some common
animals of the
include: Foxes,
caribou, lemmings,
owls, sled dogs
and polar bears.