Transcript 4.4 Biomes

1. Review- List the major biomes and describe on
characteristic of each
Compare and Contrast- Choose two very different
biomes- for each select a common plant and animal
and compare how the plants and animals have
adapted to their biomes
2.Sequence- Imagine you are hiking up a mountain in
the temperate forest biome. Describe how the plant
life might change as you climb toward the summit
CH 4 ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES
4.4 Biomes
Biomes

Described in terms of abiotic factors like climate
and soil type, and biotic factors like plant and
animal life
 Affected by
latitude, winds, and proximity to
mountains and oceans

Associated with seasonal patterns of temperature
and precipitation.
Regional Climate
Tropical Rain Forest



Home to more species than all the other biomes
combined
Get at least 2 meters of rain a year
Canopy
 Tall

dense trees form leafy covering 50+ meters high
Understory
 Shaded
vine.
region under canopy with shorter trees and
Tropical Rain Forest
Tropical Rain Forest

Abiotic Factors
 Hot
and wet year-round
 Thin, nutrient-poor soils that erode easily

Biotic Factors
 Plants
have large leaves to compete for sunlight
 Buttress tree roots for support
 Epiphytic plants (parasitic) don’t touch ground
 Animals active all year
 Many adaptations for climbing, jumping, and/or flight.
Tropical Dry Forest


Rainy seasons alternate with dry seasons
Short period of rain is followed by a prolonged
period of drought.
Tropical Dry Forest
Tropical Dry Forest

Abiotic Factors
 Warm
year-round, alternating wet and dry seasons
 Rich soils are subject to erosion

Biotic Factors
 Deciduous
plants lose leaves during dry season
 Extra thick waxy layer on their leaves to reduce water
loss
 Estivation- reduced activity of animals during dry season
 Seasonal migration.
Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland



More seasonal rainfall than deserts but less than
tropical dry forests
Grassy areas spotted with isolated trees and small
groves of trees and shrubs
Compacted soils, fairly frequent fires, and the
action of large animals prevent some areas from
turning into dry forest.
Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland
Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland

Abiotic Factors
 Warm,
with seasonal rainfall
 Compact soil and frequent fires from lightning

Biotic Factors
 Waxy
leaf coverings and seasonal leaf loss
 High silica content in plants to make them less
appealing for grazing
 Migrate during the dry season in search of water
 Burrow and remain dormant for dry season.
Desert



Less than 25 centimeters of precipitation annually
Extreme daily temperature changes
Vary greatly depending on elevation and latitude.
Desert
Desert

Abiotic Factors
 Low
precipitation and variable temperatures
 Soils rich in minerals, poor in organic material

Biotic Factors
 Store
water in their tissues
 Specialized leaves with low surface area
 Modified photosynthesis- stomata open at night
 Nocturnal
 Water comes from food
 Large extremities to aid body cooling.
Temperate Grassland



Covered vast areas of the U.S.
Maintained by periodic fires and heavy grazing by
herbivores
Now mainly crops due to high nutrients.
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Grassland

Abiotic Factors
 Thick,

rich, high nutrient soil
Biotic Factors
 Resistant
to grazing and fire (grow from base)
 Wind dispersal of seeds
 Extensive root systems
 Camouflage and burrowing are common.
Temperate Woodland and Shrubland


Frequent fires due to plants with high oil content
Varries from
 Chaparral-
mostly shrubland
 Woodland- oaks with large areas or grasses.
Temperate Woodland and Shrubland
Temperate Woodland and Shrubland

Abiotic Factors
 Hot
dry summers and cool moist winters
 Thin, nutrient-poor soils and experience periodic fires

Biotic Factors
 Adapted
to drought, tough waxy leaves
 Some seeds germinate only with fire
 Varied diets
 Camouflage.
Temperate Forest



Deciduous and evergreen coniferous (cone
bearing) trees
Cold winters
Rich, fertile soils with humus- decaying organic
matter.
Temperate Forest
Temperate Forest

Abiotic Factors
 Cold
to moderate winters and warm summers
 Year-round precipitation and fertile soils

Biotic Factors
 Deciduous
trees go dormant in winter
 Coniferous trees have “needles” to lower water loss
 Hibernation, migration, camouflage.
Northwestern Coniferous Forest




Mild moist air from the Pacific Ocean
Abundant rainfall due to mountains
“Temperate Rain Forest”
Variety of conifers, along with flowering trees and
shrubs such as dogwood and rhododendron. Moss
often covers tree trunks and the forest floor.
Northwestern Coniferous Forest
Northwestern Coniferous Forest

Abiotic Factors
 Mild
temperatures
 High precipitation in fall, winter, and spring
 Cool dry summer
 Soils are rocky and acidic

Biotic Factors
 Lush,
dense plant growth, among the world’s tallest
 Browsers- wide variety in diet.
Boreal Forest



Taiga
Dense forests of coniferous evergreens
Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are mild
and long enough to allow the ground to thaw.
Boreal Forest
Boreal Forest

Abiotic Factors
 Moderate
precipitation and high humidity
 Acidic and nutrient-poor soil
 Long cold winter and short mild summer

Biotic Factors
 Conifers
 Shape
sheds snow, low water loss, dark green absorbs
sunlight
 Extra
insulation- fat or downy feathers
 Migration
Tundra

Permafrost
 Layer


of permanently frozen subsoil
Short cool summer thaws ground a few
centimeters and becomes soggy
Cold temperatures, high winds, a short growing
season, and humus-poor soils also limit plant
height.
Tundra
Tundra

Abiotic Factors
 Strong
winds and low precipitation
 Long, cold, dark winters
 Poor soil

Biotic Factors
 Low-growing
plants avoid wind damage
 Many legumes
 Adaptations such as natural antifreeze, small
extremities that limit heat loss, and a varied diet
 Migration.
“Others”

Mountain Ranges
 Rainfall
and temperature goes down as elevation goes
up

Polar Ice Caps.