Transcript MN Biomes - RschoolToday

Biomes
of
MN
Biomes of MN
• Biome
– Major type of ecosystem
with distinctive organisms
determined by
• Climate, Soil, Landforms,
and Similar Communities
• MN has 3 Terrestrial
Biomes
– Prairie
– Deciduous Forest
– Coniferous Forest
Prairies
• Prairies
– Flat, rolling, Grasslands.
• Abiotic Factors:
• Low Rainfall Amts.
– Tall or Short Grass Prairie
• Fire
– Kills invading species,
fertilizes soil, rejuvenates
by opening up soil to sun
• Huge Temp swings
• Windy
Prairies
(continued)
• Native species:
– Bison, Prairie Dogs, Badgers,
Rattle Snakes
– Big Blue Stem, Little Blue
Stem, Switch Grass, Prairie
Coneflower
• Bison and other large
herbivores acted like fires
as they moved in huge
herds across the prairie
• Cowboy wars (fence vs
open range and cows vs
sheep)
• Best farmland in the world
Deciduous Forest
• Forest with trees that lose
their leaves at the end of
each growing season.
• Abiotic Factors:
• Lots of rain from the Gulf
• Warm and moderate
• Near lakes/rivers to protect
them from fire
• Some species (Bur Oak)
that live on the edge of
prairies are fire resistant
Deciduous Forest (continued)
• Native Species
– Trees: Oak, maple, basswood,
elm, cotton wood, aspen
– Forbs: columbine, trout lilies,
jack in the pulpit, sorrel, trillium
• Dense forests can be very
open in the spring time and
support many forbs early in
the season
• Fall provides numerous
seeds and nuts to be stored
for winter food supplies
• “The Big Woods” is nearly
gone due to logging
Coniferous Forest
• Contains evergreen
trees that are cone
bearing
• Abiotic Factors:
• Very short growing
season
• Cold but above average
moisture including huge
snowfall totals
• Poor and acidic soil and
often very shallow with
high water table (bogs)
Coniferous Forest (continued)
• Native Species:
– White Pine, Red Pine,
Tamarack, cedars, and also an
assortment of deciduous trees
(poplar)
– Black bear, moose, flying
squirrels, pine martens
• Many animals have
adaptations for living in the
deep snow
• Most was logged off by Paul
Bunyan
Land Use Today
• Although our biomes are
still evident most have
been altered
• Prairie: Farms
• Deciduous: Logging,
Farms, Mining
• Coniferous: Logging,
Mining, and Cabins
• Housing, roads, cities,
recreation (ball
fields/parks)
• http://mapserver.lmic.state
.mn.us/landuse/
MN Biome Icons
The End