Biomes Ch 6

Tide Pools

Formed when ocean tide comes in and out. Low places along the shore that are exposed by low tides. Living things change their behavior as the water goes in and out - clams, sea anemones, sea urchin

tundra

Found in the northern latitudes around the Arctic Circle.

Prairies

Wide variety of grasses. Grasses vary in height. Buffalo grass - short Prairie cord grass - tall - 10ft Types - wheat, corn, rice, rye

tundra

Winter and summer are the two main seasons for this biome.

Snowshoe hare

Fur changes to brown in the summer and white in the winter to camouflage. Air filled spaces to insulate. Large black feet "snow shoes" Stiff hair on bottom of feet "fur pads", keep feet warm.

Wallace's flying frog

Has flaps of skin along the sides of its body and webbed feet to glide for distances of up to 50 ft.

Jackrabbit

Has large ears that help its body get rid of excess heat.

Desert plants

Have long, deep roots or a system of wide shallow roots. Deep roots - allows plants to reach water deep underground. Shallow roots - spread out in many directions and can get water from a larger area of soil. Lose water through small pores on their leaves and stems.

Swamps

Have many trees - type depends on where located. Wading birds and snakes Alligators

Salt Water / Freshwater

Higher concentration of salt, but ____ also has a little salt.

Deciduous trees

In autumn the days get shorter and the temperatures become cooler, causing these trees to block nutrients and water from the leaves. Leaves no longer make chlorophyll, so their green color fades and other colors hidden by the green begin to show. Leaves fall to ground, decay, and add nutrients back into the soil. In spring, the trees use their stored food energy to make new leaves.

Deciduous trees

In the summer, this tree's leaves use sunlight to make food for growing, but some is stored in the trees' roots.

tundra

In this biome, most of the ground stays frozen all year long;Trees do not grow here because their roots cannot get through the frozen soil which is permafrost.

tundra

In this biome, the plants have dark red leaves instead of green leaves. The red color helps to absorb more sunlight and keeps the plants warmer.

Understory layer

Younger trees and leafy plants Plants here do not need much sunlight. Most plants here have large leaves to help gather sunlight. Many leaf-eating animals live in this section.

Mosses

____ attach themselves to rocks in a stream.

River

____ gets wider, slower, and warmer as it flows toward the ocean. May also get muddy as dirt and debris get mixed in.

Ponds

____ is not as deep as lakes. Cattails and reeds grow here. Also, water lily.

Mouth / End

____ of a river empties into the ocean.

Temperature ; Speed

_____ and ____ of water affect what kinds of plants and animals can live in freshwater biomes.

River Water / gravity

_____ comes from snow, rain, glaciers and ground water. ____ keeps the water flowing downhill toward the ocean.

Zones of the Ocean

Ocean and shoreline meet - Tide pool Coral reef Open ocean

Water Biomes

One biome gradually turns into a different one. Can happen where grasslands meet a forest or where water meets the land. Can happen where a river flows into the ocean.

Bogs

Only have fresh water. Water is cold Found in cooler northern climates Form near lakes, ponds, or other places where water cannot drain easily through the soil. Most water comes from precipitations.

Saltwater Marshes

Oysters, crabs, and water birds - pelicans and cranes.

Peat Piles

Partially decayed plant material. Swampy soil in bogs forms from this. Moss, grass and trees grow in it

Fast Moving

Plants and animals that live in slower water can be very different from those that live in ____ water.

Freshwater Biomes

Ponds Lakes Streams Rivers

Corals

Prefer clear, warm, shallow salt water of the tropics. Some attach themselves to underwater objects.

Tropical rain forest

Receive abundant rainfall throughout the year. Most rain in this biome. Located in some temperate areas, but most are near the equator. Humid and rainy Biodiversity Four main layers

Open Ocean Toy Layer

Receives the most sunlight. Tiny organisms live here because they need sunlight to grow. Many fish and sea mammals because they need the tiny organisms for food.

Deserts

Receives very little precipitation. Less than 10 inches of rain a year. Temperatures are extreme. Day - 100 F or higher Night - temp drops quickly, sometimes below freezing

Biodiversity

Refers to how many species of plants and animals are found in a specific area.

Prairies

Roots here are usually matted together and spread deep underground. This keeps seeds from trees and other plants from taking root. Also enables the grasses to grow again after fires or eaten by grazing animals.

Waterlily

Round leaves of these plants help protect them from wind on lakes and ponds.

Marine Biomes

Saltwater biomes. Largest one is in the ocean. Divided into four zones or sections.

Prairies

Same amount of precipitation as a coniferous forest, but water evaporates faster here than in the forest, which means plants here do not have as much water available as the trees in the coniferous forest.

Coral Reefs

Section of the ocean and found in or near the tropics. Formed by living animals called corals.

Tributaries

Smaller rivers joining river.

Coniferous forest

Stretches across most of Canada and into some of the northern United States. Also covers large parts of Europe and Asia.

tundra

Summer is the growing season, but very short in this biome. Only lasts 2 months. Temp is still cool in the summer and sometimes as low as freezing. During most of the summer, the sun never sets.

Coniferous forest

Sun may shine for 20 hrs a day during summer. Growing season lasts longer. Summer is short and cool. Most precipitation last in the summer.

Coniferous forest

The largest land biome

Firm and Solid

The surface of the bog may look ____ and ____, but it is really mostly water.

climate

The usual weather of a region over a long period of time. Includes temperature and the amount of precipitation in an area.

Coral Reefs

"Rain forest of the sea" Angelfish and parrotfish live here.

Standing Water

Any water that is not constantly moving. Ponds and lakes - comes from rivers, springs, rain, melting snow. Hot and cold climates

Wetlands

Areas of land that are almost always wet. Some covered by water year round. Some do not have water for part of the year. Some water comes and goes with ocean tides.

Headwater

Beginner of a river, usually a stream. Clear and moves quickly.

Baobab tree

Can survive in the savanna during the dry season. Stores water in its trunk during the wet season, then depends on the water stored in the trunk during the dry season.

Freshwater Biomes

Classified as either standing water or moving water.

Wetlands

Classified as marshes, swamps, or bogs.

Aquatic Biomes

Classified by saltwater or freshwater

Conifers

Cone-bearing trees Spruce, fir, and pine trees. Most are evergreens (do not lose leaves during the winter) - able to make food during the long winter season. Some are shaped like cones - protects from snow damage.

Cold deserts

Cool winters and warm summers. Located between the tropics and polar region.

Mississippi River delta

Covered with marshes and swamps.

Emergent layer

Crowns or tops of tall trees form a green canopy. Receives the most sunlight. Must face the strongest winds and the hottest temperatures.

Cactus and Aloe

have waxy surfaces that help keep water inside the plant.

permafrost

permanently frozen soil on the ground.

Forest floor

A few plants grow here, but most cannot. Home to organisms such as termites, fungi, and bacteria.

Prairies

A kind of temperate grassland. Four regular seasons. Winters - cold Summers - warm

biome

A large area of the earth in which plants and animals share a similar environment; section of the biosphere. Desert, a forest, a prairie or ocean.

Succulent

A plant that stores water in its stem or leaves.

Salmon and Eels

Able to live in both saltwater and freshwater.

Nocturnal

Active at night and sleep during day. In the hotter places, this helps them to conserve energy and water.

biosphere

All of the areas where life can exist and the living organisms that live there.

Coniferous forest

Also called the taiga; located south of the tundra

Salinity

Amount of dissolved salt in the water. Varies with each biome.

Open Ocean

Divided into layers based on the amount of sunlight each layer receives.

Aquatic/Water Biome

Do not have one specific climate. Pacific Ocean - cold Alaska to warm tropics to cold shores of Antarctica

Ponds and Lakes

Dragonflies, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, perch, largemouth bass, beavers

Mountains

Dry regions, desert or grassland biomes are usually at the base, but as you go up, the desert or grassland vegetation becomes scarce, and more trees grown - usually deciduous forests. As you get farther up, deciduous forest changes to coniferous forest. Then, then turns into a biome similar to the tundra, known as the alpine tundra. At the top, snow.

Catfish

Feed on bottoms of rivers. Prefer slow moving waters.

Coral

When the ____ dies, its limestone skeleton remains. Other corals attach themselves to the skeletons and the cycle continues. Result - beautiful coral reef.

Manatee

Large river mammal. Lives in slow-moving rivers. Eat water plants that grow in slower water.

Sahara Desert

Largest desert in Africa. Hot

Deciduous forest

Lines the eastern coast of North America. Also found in Europe and Asia Gets its name from the trees that make of the forest.

Firefly Squid

Live in the deep layers of the ocean where it is dark and cold. Have light producing organs to help attract prey.

Temperate areas

Located between the polar and tropical regions.

Atacama Desert

Located in Chile Cold and dry

Gobi Desert

Located in China and Mongolia Cold

Coniferous forest

Long and cold winters. Temperatures usually stay below freezing for at least six months of the year. Winter days are short, sun up 4-6 hrs.

tundra

Long, cold winters. Temperature below freezing for at least nine months of the year. Part of the winter, the sun never rises.

Deciduous

Lose leaves in the winter. Large, wide leaves. If they kept through winter, the water in the leaves would freeze and damage the tree.

Grass

Main vegetation or plant life in the grasslands.

Saltwater Swamps

Mangrove trees

Lake

Many ____ plants grow only at the edge. Waterlily

Deserts

Many located in tropical areas on either side of the equator. These hot deserts are warm year-round but get even hotter in the summer.

Freshwater Swamps

Maple, willow, or bald cypress trees.

Mountains

May have more than one biome. Air may be thinner and colder at the top. Changes climates as you move up, which will in turn affect the types of plants and animals that can survive.

Marshes

Most common wetlands. Freshwater or saltwater Reeds and cattails Usually no trees.

Marine Biomes

Most plants and animals that live in fresh water could not survive in ____ _____.

tundra

Most plants in this biome are small and grow in groups. Being close to the ground helps protect them from the wind and allows them to absorb heat from the ground.

Prairies

Most precipitation falls in late spring and early summer. Amount of rainfall is low to moderate.

Coniferous forest

Mostly conifer trees.

Montane forests

Mountain forests

Freshwater Marshes

Muskrats and alligators

tundra

The coldest biome. Also very dry; only a small amount of precipitation falls during the year, which is usually snow.

clams ; sea anemones ; sea urchin

Tide pool: When water is low,____ snap their shells shut to keep water inside. ____ pull in their tentacles and keep moist by covering themselves with slimy mucus. ____ wedge themselves between rocks, and sand dollars burrow into the sand to keep from being pulled back into the ocean.

Canopy layer

Trees grow closely together. The upper branches of these trees are often covered with vines. Ferns, orchids, and mosses Very little sunlight gets through to the plants below. Keeps moisture from evaporating. Under this area it is very warm, dar, and damp.

Rain forest

Trees here need little sunlight, but need nutrients to grow and stay healthy - gets nutrients in the top layer of the soil. Roots spread horizontally under the ground and intertwine with other roots. Roots get extra support from falling by growing roots out of the sides of their trunks.

Savannas

Tropical grasslands. Located in tropical areas of Africa, Australia, South America, and India.

musk ox

Tundra animal that has a double coat of hair; thick undercoat of soft fur and a thick overcoat of coarse straight hair

Alpine tundra

Tundra near the peak of a mountain

Coniferous forest

Two main seasons: summer and winter Spring and atom occur, but are short and barely noticed.

Savannas

Two seasons - dry and wet 25-60 inches of rain - wet season 4 inches of rain - dry season Grass grows quickly during the wet season, so they store up food and water in their roots. During the dry season the grass turns brown and appear to die, but the roots are still alive. The grasses grow again when the wet season returns.

Grasslands

Usually found between deserts and forests. Some are flat, and others have gently rolling hills. Wildflowers, grass, small bushes, very few trees.

Savannas

Vegetation is similar to a prairie. More trees than a prairie. Warmer climate than the prairie. Close to the equator and hot all year.

Deciduous forest

Warm growing season that lasts about half of the year. Longer growing season. Shrubs, berry bushes, flowers

Deciduous forest

Weather changes with seasons. Spring - warm and rainy Summer - hot and humid Autumn - cool and crisp Winters - cold and snowy

Deciduous forest

Wet biome. Receives precipitation throughout the whole year. More rain than any other biome, except for the rain forest.