APES Unit 4 biomes

Temperate deciduous forest

Abiotic Factors: Cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year-round precipitation; fertile soils. Dominant Plants: Broadleaf deciduous trees; some conifers; flowering shrubs; herbs; a ground layer of mosses and ferns.

Taiga (Boreal Forest)

Abiotic Factors: Long, cold winters; short, mild summers; moderate precipitation; high humidity; acidic, nutrient-poor soils. Dominant Plants: needleleaf coniferous trees such as spruce and fir; some broadleaf deciduous trees; small, berry-bearing shrubs.

Arctic Tundra

Abiotic Factors: Short, mild summers, long cold winters. With permafrost layers of soil. Dominant Plants: Mosses, grasses, lichens, sedges, and shrubs.

Tropical Savanna

Abiotic Factors: Warm temperatures; seasonal rainfall; compact soil; frequent fires set by lightning Dominant Plants: tall, perennial grasses; sometimes drought tolerant and fire-resistant trees or shrubs.

Tropical Rainforests

Abiotic Factors: hot and wet year-round; thin, nutrient-poor soils. Dominant Plants: broad-leaved evergreen trees; ferns; large woody vines and climbing plants; orchids and bromeliads.

Temperate Shrublands (Chaparral)

Abiotic Factors: hot, dry summers; cool, moist winters; thin, nutrient-poor soils; periodic fires Dominant Plants: woody evergreen shrubs with small, leathery leaves; fragrant, oily herbs that grow during the winter and die in the summer.

Temperate woodlands

Abiotic Factors: hot, dry summers; cool, wet winters; periodic fires; thin soil with a poor nutrient content. Dominant Plants: Shrubs, grasses, ferns, and flowers.

Desert

Abiotic Factors: low precipitation, variable temperatures; soils rich in minerals but poor in organic material. Dominant Plants: Cacti and other succulents; creosote bush and other plants with short growth cycles.

Temperate rainforest

Abiotic Factors: mild temperatures; abundant precipitation during the fall, winter, and spring; relatively cool, dry summer; rocky, acidic soils.

Alpine Tundra

Abiotic Factors: strong winds; low precipitation; short and soggy summers; long, cold and dark winters; poorly developed soils; permafrost. Dominant Plants: mosses, lichens, sedges, and short grasses.

Temperate Grasslands (prairie)

Abiotic factors: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate, seasonal precipitation; fertile soils; occasional fires. Dominant Plants: lush, perennial grasses and herbs; most are resistant to drought, fire, and cold.