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)
