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

Sloth

Jaguar

Tapir

Black Jaguar

Orchids

Boa constrictor

Toucan

Rain Forest• Most species of

plants & animals (species diversity)

• Soil lacks nutrients• Plants: broad leaved

evergreen trees, large woody vines, climbing plants, orchids, bromeliads

• Animals (photos)

Sloth

Jaguar

Tapir

Black Jaguar

Boa constrictor

Toucan

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

Hyena

Aardvark

Storks

Giraffe

Lion

Savanna• Plants: Tall perennial grasses,

small trees and shrubs that are often drought-tolerant and fire-resistant

• Animals: (photos)

Hyena

Aardvark

Storks

Giraffe

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

Desert big horned sheep

Mountain lion

Golden eagle Creosote bush

Mule deer

Kangaroo rat

Roadrunner

Desert• Plants with short

growth cycles that can retain water: cacti, succulents, creosote bush

• Animals with high tolerance to temperature changes

Desert big horned sheep

Mountain lion

Golden eagle Creosote bush

Mule deer

Kangaroo rat

Roadrunner

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• Moderate precipitation:

25-75 cm per year• Hot summers & Cold

winters• Periodic fires

Pronghorn antelope

Polecat

CoyotesBison

Black-tailed prairie dog

sunflowers

Blazing stars Badgers

Temperate Grassland• Plants: lush grasses

and herbs, drought and fire-resistant plants

• Animals: manyherbivores and carnivorous predators (photos)

Pronghorn antelope

Polecat

CoyotesBison

Black-tailed prairie dog

sunflowers

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

Temperate Forest• Warm summer with cold,

moderate winters• Four distinct seasons• Year around rain:

200-350 cm per year

Bobcat

Turkey

Skunk

Raccoon

Black bear

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

American BeechOak

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)

Spruce

Snowshoe hare

Moose

Lynx

Timber wolves

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)

Bearberry

Artic willow

Polar bear

Caribou

Artic fox

Tundra• Plants: small with short roots

because of permafrost, no trees

• Animals: Migratory animals or animals with high tolerances for harsh conditions

Snowy owl

Polar bear

Caribou

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