APES: Biomes & Climatograms, Biomes

tundra precipitation

150 to 250 millimeters (6 to 10 inches) of rain per year including melted snow, similar to desert , tundra is usually a wet place because low temperatures cause evaporation of water to be slow, rain and fog in the summers, and water gathers in bogs and ponds

rainforest average temperatures

20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F)

temperate deciduous forest vegetation

Broadleaf trees (oaks, maples, beeches), shrubs, perennial herbs, and mosses. Many different kinds of trees, shrubs, and herbs, Most of the trees are broadleaf trees such as oak, maple, beech, hickory and chestnut. There are also several different kinds of plants like mountain laurel, azaleas and mosses that live on the shady forest floor where only small amounts of sunlight get through

desert vegetation

Cacti (store water in their stems + use it slowly), small bushes (conserve water by growing few leaves or having large root systems), short grasses plants need to have adaptations to compensate for lack of water some plants die quickly due to no rain

coniferous forest location

Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States. The coniferous forest is sandwiched in between the tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south

desert temperature

During the day, desert temperatures rise to an average of 38°C (a little over 100°F). At night, desert temperatures fall to an average of -3.9°C (about 25°F).

Temperate deciduous forests in the fall and winter

During the fall, trees change color and then lose their leaves (preparation for the winter season). Because it gets so cold, the trees have adapted to the winter by going into a period of dormancy or sleep. They also have thick bark to protect them from the cold weather. Trees flower + grow during the spring and summer growing season

temperate deciduous forest location

Eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan. located in the mid-latitude areas which means that they are found between the polar regions and the tropics

majority of houseplants come from

the rainforest

two types of rainforest

tropical and temperate

tundra comes from the finnish word

tunturia, meaning "treeless plain"; it is the coldest of the biomes

tundra temperature

usually range between -40°C (-40 °F) and 18°C (64°F), frequently cold but can get warm in the summers

grasslands size

vary in size from 2.1 m (7 ft) tall (roots extending down into the soil 1.8 m (6 ft)) to the short grasses growing to a height of 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) tall (can have roots that extend 1 m (about 3 ft) deep)

Grasslands height of grass correlates with

amount of rainfall, Grasslands receive about 500 to 950 mm of rain per year

shrubland regions include

chaparral, woodland and savanna

temperate grasslands temperature description

cold winters and warm summers with some rain

coniferous forest other

cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons, at least four to six frost-free months

coniferous forests consist mostly of

conifers, trees that grow needles instead of leaves and cones instead of flowers. Conifers tend to be evergreen-bear needles all year long. These adaptations help conifers survive in areas that are very cold or dry. Some common conifers are spruces, pines, and firs

describe the Tropical Desert climatogram

consistant high temperatures with slight fluctuation, very little rain

describe the Tropical grassland climatogram

consistently warm (60-70F), wet and dry seasons vary dramatically.

describe the Tropical rain forest climatogram

constant high temperatures. Rainfall all year, some parts of the year recieve more rainfall than others

tropical rainforests top layer (canopy)

contains giant trees that grow to heights of 75 m (about 250 ft) or more, prevents much of the sunlight from reaching the ground, thick woody vines climb trees in the canopy to reach for sunlight

temperate grasslands

occur in regions too dry for forests and too moist for deserts. dominant plant species are grasses and other flowering plants. good soil. great diversity of large animals. fire is natural

temperate woodlands

occur where temperature patterns are like those of deciduous forests but climate is dryer. more open spaces allowing for light to reach the ground. fire is common

tropical rain forest

occur where the average temperature is high and relatively constant throughout the year and rainfall is high and relatively frequent throughout the year. high diversity of vegetation.

grasslands precipitation

receive around 500 to 900 millimeters (20 - 35 inches) of rain per year

describe the Polar desert climatogram

temperature ranges from below freezing to well above freezing (upto 80F), very little rainfall

describe the temperate grassland climatogram

temperature ranges from freezing/slightly below freezing to around 90F. Large fluctuation in temperatures and rain patterns vary greatly and have a large range.

rainforest temperature and precipitation

temperature stays pretty constant around May through December, less precipitation

describe the Temperate desert climatogram

temperatures range from freezing to around 70F, mainly dry

Taiga

- boreal forest - cold - shape of tree is in a cone, coniders - mosquitoes - high latitudes and high altitudes - low biodiversity

temperate deciduous forest

- tall deciduous trees - little vegetation growth due to deep shade - natural fires - below freezing - foxes, deer, porcupine - hurricanes, tornadoes

temperate rain forests

- temperatures are moderate - precipitation exceeds 350 cm/yr - dominant trees are evergreen conifers. winters are wet and mild. low diversity of plants and animals due to abundant growth of dominant vegetation which makes deep shade.

tundra

- treeless plains - low rainfall - low temp - high altitudes - permafrost - polar bears - lichen - ferns,berries,shrubs

coniferous forest precipitation

300 to 900 millimeters (12 to 35 inches) of rain per year. some temperate coniferous forests receiving up to 2,000 mm/ year (79 in/year) amount of precipitation depends on the forest location. In the lower latitudes, precipitation is more evenly distributed throughout the year.

tundra vegetation

Almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost; lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs. trees that do manage to grow stay close to the ground so they are insulated by snow during the cold winters

shrubland vegetation

Aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano), shrubs, acacia, chamise, grasses. shrubs (thrive on steep, rocky slopes) or short trees. not enough rain to support tall trees

desert location

Between 15° and 35° latitude (North and South of the equator); examples are Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahua, and Great Basin (North America); Sahara (Africa); Negev (Middle East); and Gobi (Asia)

rainforest location

Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn (equator)

grasslands temperature

Dependent on latitude, the annual range can be between -20°C (-4°F) to 30°C (86°F)

desert precipitation

Deserts get about 250 millimeters (10 inches) of rain per year—the least amount of rain of all of the biomes (10% of what what rain forests get)

grasslands vegetation

Grasses (prairie clover, salvia, oats, wheat, barley, coneflowers)

temperate deciduous forest precipitation

On average, this biome receives 750 to 1,500 millimeters (30 to 59 inches) of rain per year

desert other

Perennials survive for several years by becoming dormant and flourishing when water is available. Annuals are referred to as ephemerals because some can complete an entire life cycle in weeks

tundra location

Regions south of the ice caps of the Arctic and extending across North America, Europe, and Siberia (high mountain tops) Much of Alaska + about half of Canada are in the tundra biome

grasslands location

The prairies of the Great Plains of North America, the pampas of South America, the veldt of South Africa, the steppes of Central Eurasia, and surrounding the deserts in Australia (Found on every continent except Antarctica)

what does deciduous mean?

They will lose their leaves at the same time around the fall.

coniferous forest vegetation

Trees that produce cones and needles called Coniferous-evergreen trees. Some needles remain on the trees all year long.

rainforest vegetation

Vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns

shrubland location

West coastal regions between 30° and 40° North and South latitude. southern California, Chile, Mexico, areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and southwest parts of Africa and Australia. regions are usually found surrounding deserts and grasslands

why do deciduous forests have four seasons?

are exposed to warm and cold air masses

temperate deciduous forest temperature

average daily temperatures range between -30°C (-22°F) and 30°C (86°F) with a yearly average of 10°C (50°F). Hot, wet summers and cold winters are typical in this biome

coniferous forest temperature

average temperature in summer ranges from -40°C (-40°F) to 20°C (68°F), summer temperatures are usually around 10°C (50°F)

tropical rainforest bottom layer (floor)

covered with wet leaves and leaf litter, material decomposes rapidly in the wet, warm conditions (compost pile) sending nutrients back into the soil, Few plants are found (lack of sunlight), hot, moist atmosphere + dead plant material create perfect conditions where bacteria + other microorganisms thrive

upwellings

deep waters are cold and dark, like is scarce. waters are rich in nutrients because numerous creatures that die in surface waters sink. upward flows of deep-ocean waters bring nutrients to surface causing lots of algae to grow.

temperate shrublands

drier climate, dominated by dense stands of shrubs that rarely exceed a few meters in height. low rainfall concentrated in cool season. favored by humans in terms of temperature due to its moderate and sunny climate.

desert biomes are the

driest of all biomes, receives very little rainfall

tropical Grasslands temperature description

dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time

shrubland plants have adapted to

fire caused by the frequent lightning that occurs in the hot, dry summers

tropical rainforests

found closer to the equator where it is warm hot, moist biome where it rains all year long known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers

temperate rainforests

found farther north near coastal areas near the cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator

northern boreal forest (coniferous forest)

found in 50° to 60°N latitudes the winters are long, cold and dry, while the short summers are moderately warm and moist

Temperate deciduous forests are most notable because they go through

four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Leaves change color (or senesce) in autumn, fall off in the winter, and grow back in the spring; this adaptation allows plants to survive cold winters.

Grasslands description

generally open and continuous fairly flat areas of grass, located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes

grasslands plant growth description

grasses die back to their roots annually and the soil and the sod protect the roots and the new buds from the cold of winter or dry conditions. A few trees may be found in this biome along the streams (not many due to the lack of rainfall)

temperate coniferous forests

grows in lower latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia, in the high elevations of mountains

describe the polar evergreen coniferous forest climatogram

large temperature range from much below freezing to much above. some rainfall all year, parts of the year have more rain than others

tundra winters are

long, dark, and cold, with temps below 0°C for six to 10 months. The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost (defining characteristic of the tundra biome) In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation

rainforest precipitation

receive the most rain of all of the biomes in a year! 2,000 to 10,000 millimeters (79 to 394 inches) of rain per year

Rainforest biome

remains warm all year and must stay frost-free

shrubland precipitation

shrublands vary greatly but, 200 to 1,000 millimeters of rain per year can be expected. rain is unpredictable, varying from month to month. There is a noticeable dry season and wet season

shrubland temperature

summers are hot and dry with temperatures reaching up to 38°C (100°F). winter, temperatures stay around -1 °C (30°F) and are cool and moist

grasslands temperatue and precipitation

temperature highest from May to September precipitation fluctuates

describe the Polar Grassland climatogram

temperature range from very much below freezing to comfortable temperature. Little rainfall

describe the Temperate deciduous forest climatogram

temperature range is large, but never goes below freezing. fluctuating amounts of rainfall year-round, now distinguishable wet and dry season

tropical rainforest second/middle layer (understory)

vines, smaller trees, ferns, and palms, large number of plants are common houseplants (due to small amount of sunlight + rainfall, easily adapt to homes)