Biomes

Temperate Forest

Abiotic: cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year-round precip.; fertile soils Biotic: deciduous trees drop leaves and become dormant in winter, conifers have needle-like leaves, animals hibernate or migrate, camouflage Mostly made up of deciduous and evergreen coniferous trees. Conifers produce seed-bearing cones , and most have leaves shaped like needles., which are coated in a waxy substance that helps reduce water loss. In autumn, deciduous trees shed their leaves. In the spring, plants burst from the ground and flower. Fertile soils are often rich in humus, a material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter.

Tropical Rainforest

Abiotic: hot and wet year-round; thin, nutrient-poor soils subject to erosion. Biotic: understory plants have large leaves, tall trees have buttress roots, epiphytic plants grow on the branches of tall plants, animals use camouflage home to more species than all other biomes combined. Get a lot of rain - at least 2 meters per year. Tall trees form a dense, leafy covering called a canopy form 50 to 80 meters above the forest floor. In the shade below the canopy, shorter trees and vines form a layer called the understory. Organic matter on the forest floor is recycled and reused so quickly that the soil is not very rich in nutrients.

Boreal Forest

Abiotic: long cold winters; short mild summers; moderate precipitation; high humidity; acidic, nutrient-poor soils Biotic: conifers, animals have small extremities, some migrate Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are mild and long enough to allow the ground to thaw. Occur mostly in the northern hemisphere.

Desert

Abiotic: low precip., variable temps., soils rich in minerals but poor in organic material Biotic: plants store water in their tissues, minimize leaf surface area, nocturnal animals, extremities supplied with many blood vessels close to the surface Get less than 25 cm annual precipitation. Undergo extreme daily temp. changes, alternating between hot and cold

Northwestern Coniferous Forest

Abiotic: mild temps.; abundant precip. in fall, winter, and spring; cool dry summers; rocky acidic soils Biotic: plant growth is dense and lush, trees are tall, camouflage, browsers Mild moist air from the Pacific Ocean influenced by the Rocky Mountains provides abundant rainfall to this biome. Includes a variety of conifers,. Moss often covers tree trunks and the forest floor.

Temperate Woodland

Abiotic: not dry summers; cool moist winters; thin, nutrient-poor soils; periodic fires Biotic: tough waxy leaves, fire resistant, animals are browsers, camouflage is common Large areas of grasses and wildflowers such as poppies are interspersed with oak and other trees. Communities that are more shrubland than forest are known as chaparral. Dense low plants that contain flammable oils make fire a constant threat.

Tundra

Abiotic: strong winds; low precip.; short and soggy summers; long, cold, dark winters; poorly developed soils; permafrost Biotic: plants hug the ground, seeds dispersed by wind, legumes, animals migrate, small extremities, varied diet Characterized by permafrost. During the short cool summer, the ground thaws to a depth of a few centimeters and becomes soggy. In winter, the top layer of soil freezes again. This cycle of thawing and freezing, which rips and crushes plant roots, is one reason why plants here are small and stunted. Cold temperatures, high winds, a short growing season, and humus-poor soils also limit plant height.

Temperate Grassland

Abiotic: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate seasonal precipitation; fertile soils; occasional fires Biotic: plants are resistant to grazing and fire, dispersal of seeds by wind is common, predation is common, camouflage and burrowing Most have been converted for agriculture because their soil is so rich in nutrients and is ideal for growing crops.

Tropical Dry Forest

Abiotic: warm year-round; alternating wet and dry seasons; rich soils subject to erosion. Biotic: Deciduous plant life. Animals estivate. Grow in areas where rainy seasons alternate with dry seasons. In most places, a period of rain is followed by a prolonged period of drought.

Tropical Savannah

Abiotic: warm; seasonal rainfall; compact soils; frequent fires set by lightning Biotic: waxy leaf coverings and seasonal leaf loss, grass grows from base, animals migrate, smaller animals burrow Receives more seasonal rainfall than deserts but less than tropical dry forests. Grassy areas are spotted with isolated trees and small groves of trees and shrubs. Compacted soils, fairly frequent fires, and the action of large animals - for example, rhinos and elephants - prevent some areas from turning into dry forest.