Biomes

Desert

Description: all deserts dry-desert biome defined as having annual precipitation of less than 25 cm, beyond that, desrts vary greatly, depending on elevation and latitude, undergo extreme temperature changes during course of day (hot and cold), organisms tolerate extreme conditions Abiotic: low precipitation; variable temperatures; soils rich in minerals but poor in organic material Plants: cacti and other succulents; creosote bush and other plants with short growth cycles Wildlife: predators such as mountain lions, gray foxes, and bobcats; herbivores such as mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, desert bighorn sheep, and kangaroo rats; bats; birds such as owls, hawks, and roadrunners; insects such as ants, beetles, butterflies, flies, and wasps; reptiles such as tortoises rattlesnakes, and lizards GD: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, United States, Mexico, South America, and Australia

Boreal Forest

Description: along northern edge of temperate zone are dense evergreen forest of coniferous trees called boreal forests/taiga, winters bitterly cold, summers mild and long enough to allow ground to thaw, "boreal" comes from Greek word fro "north", occur mostly in Northern Hemisphere Abiotic: long, cold winters; short,mild summers; moderate precipitation; high humidity; acidic, nutrient-poor soils Plants: needleleaf coniferous trees such as spruce and fir; some broadleaf deciduous trees; small, berry-bearing shrubs Wildlife: predators such as lynxes and timber wolves and members of the weasel family; small herbivorous mammals; moose and other large herbivores; beavers; songbirds and migratory birds GD: North America, Asia, and northern Europe

Tropical Dry Forest

Description: grow in places where rainfall is highly seasonal rather than year-round, dry season trees drop leaves to conserve water, tree that sheds leaves called deciduous Abiotic: generally warm year-round; alternating wet and dry season, rich soils subject to erosion Plants: tall, deciduous trees that form a dense canopy during wet season; drought-tolerant orchids and bromeliads; aloes and other succulents Wildlife: tigers; monkeys; herbivores such as elephants, Indian rhinoceroses, hog deer; birds such as great pied hornbills, pied harriers, and spot-billed pelicans; insects such as termites; reptiles such as snakes and monitor lizards GD: parts of Africa South and Central America, Mexico, India, Australia, and tropical islands

Tropical Rain Forest

Description: home to more species than all other biomes combined, canopy (50-80 m high) and understory, organic matter on forest floor quickly decomposes, nutrients recycled Abiotic: hot and wet year-round; thin, nutrient-poor soils Plants: broad-leaved evergreen tress; ferns; large woody vines and climbing plants; orchids and bromeliads Wildlife: herbivores such as sloths, tapirs, and capybaras; predators such as jaguars; anteaters; monkeys; birds such as toucans, parrots and parakeets; insects such as butterflies, ants, and beetles; piranhas and other freshwater fishes; reptiles such as caymans, boa constrictors, and anacondas GD: parts of South and Central America, Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, southern India, and northeastern Australia

Northwestern Coniferous Forest

Description: mild, moist air from Pacific Ocean give abundant rainfall, made of variety of conifers (redwoods along coast of northern California to spruce, fir, and hemlock farther north), moss covers tree trunks and forest floor, flowering trees and shrubs like dogwood and rhododendron are also abundant, bc of lush vegetation, northwestern coniferous forest is sometimes called "temperate rain forest" Abiotic: mild temperatures; abundant precipitation during fall, winter, and spring; relatively cool, dry summer; rocky, acidic soils Plants: Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, redwood Wildlife: bears; large herbivores such as elk and deer; beavers; predators such as owls, bobcats, and members of the weasel family GD: Pacific coast of northwestern United States and Canada, from northern California to Alaska

Temperate Forest

Description: mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees, conifers produce see-bearing cones and most have needle leaves, cold winters that halt plant growth for several months, autumn deciduous trees shed leaves, spring small plants burst out of ground and flower, soils rich in humus-material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter that make soil fertile Abiotic: cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year-round precipitation; fertile soils Plants: broadleaf deciduous trees; some conifers; flowering shrubs; herbs; a ground layer of mosses and ferns Wildlife: deer; black bears; bobcats; nut and acorn feeders such as squirrels; omnivores such as raccoons and skunks; numerous songbirds; turkeys GD: eastern United States; southeastern Canada; most of Europe; and parts of japan, China, and Australia

Tropical Savanna

Description: more seasonal rainfall than deserts but less that tropical dry forests, also called grasslands, cover of grasses, isolated trees and small groves of trees and shrubs, action of large animals such as rhinoceroses prevent some savanna areas from turning into dry forest Abiotic: warm temperatures; seasonal rainfall; compact soil; frequent fires set by lightning Plants: tall, perennial grasses; sometimes drought-tolerant and fire-resistant trees or shrubs Wildlife: predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals; aardvarks; herbivores such as elephants, giraffes, antelopes, and zebras; baboons; birds such as eagles, ostriches, weaver birds, and storks; insects such as termites GD: large parts of eastern Africa, southern Brazil, and northern Australia

Tundra

Description: permafrost-layer of permanently frozen subsoil, short, cool summer, ground thaws to a depth of a few cm and gets soggy and wet, winter topsoil freezes again, thawing and freezing rips and crushes plant roots, one reason why tundra plants are small and stunted, cold temperatures, high winds, short growing season, humus-poor soils limit plant height too Abiotic: strong winds; low precipitation; short and soggy summers; long, cold, and dark winters; poorly developed soils; permafrost Plants; ground-hugging plants such as mosses, lichens, sedges, and short grasses Wildlife: few resident birds and mammals that can withstand the harsh conditions; migratory waterfowl, shore birds, musk ox, Arctic foxes, and caribou; lemmings and other small rodents GD: northern North America, Asia, and Europe

Temperate Grassland

Description: rich mix of grasses and underlaid by some of the world's most fertile soils, some are plains and prairies, used to cover vast areas of the midwestern and central United States, steel plow turned lands to agricultural fields, periodic fires and heavy grazing by large herbivores maintain characteristic plant community Abiotic: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate, seasonal precipitation; fertile soils; occasional fires Plants: lush, perennial grasses and herbs; most are resistant to drought, fire, and cold Wildlife: predators such as coyotes and badgers-historically included wolves and grizzly bears; herbivores such as mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, rabbits, prairie dogs, and introduced cattle-historically included bison; birds such as hawks, owls, bobwhites, prairie chickens, mountain plovers; reptiles such as snakes; insects such as ants and grasshoppers GD: central Asia, North America, Australia, central Europe, and upland plateaus of South America

Polar Ice Caps

border tundra, cold year-round, plants and algae are few but have mosses and lichens, mostly ice and snow, north polar region, Arctic Ocean covered with ice sea, thick ice cap covers most of Greenland, Polar bears, seals, insects, and mites are dominant animals. in south polar region, Antarctica covered by layer of ice nearly 5 km thick at some places, dominant wildlife penguins and marine mammals

Mountain Ranges

found on all continents, abiotic and biotic conditions vary with elevation, move from base to summit, temperatures colder and precipitation increases, plants and animals also change, Rocky mt. start in grassland, then open woodland of pines, forest of spruce and other conifers, near summit, reach open areas of wildflowers and stunted vegetation like tundra. Canadian Rockies, ice at peaks of some ranges

Temperate Woodland and Shrubland

semiarid climate and mix of shrub communities and open woodlands, large areas of grasses and wildflowers such as poppies are interspersed with oak trees in open woodlands, communities dominated by shrubs known as chaparral, growth of dense, low plants that contain flammable oils makes fires constant threat Abiotic: hot, dry summers; cool, moist winters; thin, nutrient-poor soils, periodic fires Plants: woody evergreen shrubs with small, leathery leaves; fragrant, oily herbs that grow during winter and die in summer Wildlife: predators such as coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and mountain lions; herbivores such as blacktailed deer, rabbits, and squirrels; birds such as hawks, California quails, warlbers and other songbirds; reptiles such as lizards and snakes; butterflies GD: western coasts of North and South America, areas around the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, and Australia