XI. Earth’s Biomes – major type of ecosystem; determined by climate; has altitude and latitude, supply of water and sunlight
Biome | Tundra | Grassland | Desert | Coniferous Forest | Temperate Deciduous Forest | Tropical Rainforest |
Location | Circles under arctic ocean and all around the north pole | Africa, North America, Central Asia, South America, Neat Coast Australia | Western North America, West Coast of S.A., Western Asia, Central Australia |
| Canada, Europe, Japan, China, Australia | South America, SE Asia, Central America, Africa |
Climate | Short summer days and short periods of winter sunlight; yearly temperatures less than -5 degrees | Dry season where insufficient water exists to support forests | Extreme heat during the day and extreme cold at night | Long cold and dry winter (sunlight of 6-8 hours a day) short summer; mild to warm temp. (sun shines for 19 hours a day); 10 degrees summer – 40 degrees winter | Four season (winter, spring, summer and fall) | Normally warm and relatively constant temperature (about 25 degrees) high humidity |
Rainfall | Less than 25 cm of annual rain and snow fall | 25-26 cm annual rainfall | Less than 25 cm annual rainfall | 25-100 cm annual rainfall | At least 75 cm | At least 200 cm of annual rainfall (with daily rains) |
Growing Season | Brief spring and summer (which last a total of three months) | Short growing season | Depends on precipitation levels | Brief summer | Summer | Year-round |
Rate of Decomposition |
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| Slow due to cold climate | Rapid due to warm and moist conditions; forest floor is rich in nutrients; floor is covered with plants and animals; pollination is dependent on insects | Rapid recycling of nutrients; much of the nutrients is stored in biomass (large trees); soil is poor in nutrients |
Dominant Vegetation | Lichens, dwarf shrubs, mosses, sedges | Grasses, cereal grains | Cactus | Conifers – cone-bearing trees; spruce, fir, pine, birch, aspen, redwood trees | Deciduous – shed leaves in winter, grow new ones in spring, stay green in summer and drop leaves in fall | Varied, green year-round |
Examples (trees and plants) | Dwarf willows, grasses, dwarf shrubs, mosses, sedges | Thistle, sunflower, blazing stars, buffalo grass, wheat grass, bluegrass, needle grass | Aloe, saguaro cactus, sagebrush, preakly pear, creosote bush, Palo Verde | Spruces, pine, fir, redwood | Oak, maple, beech, birch, hickory, poplar, aspen, sycamore, maple, elm | Lianas (large woody vines) balsa, teakwood, epiphytes |
Examples (birds) | Ducks, geese, sandpipers, snowy owl, plover, ptarmigans, arctic tern | Titmouse, woodpecker, hawk | Desert bird | Warbler, gray jay, crossbill, great horned owls, spruce grouse, chickadees, siskin, woodpeckers, warblers | Ruffled grouse, blue jay, mallard ducks, woodpecker, warblers, grouse | Eagle, toucan, parrots |
Examples (animals) | Caribou, wolves, musk, oxen, lemmings, fox, polar bear, hares | Buffaloes, antelopes, lion, prairie dogs, bison, rodents, ground squirrels, coyotes, wolves, snakes, badgers, bobcat | Lizards, kangaroos, rats, gecko, scorpions | Moose, lynx, beaver, weasel, caribou, wolves, squirrel,, grizzlies, moose, chipmunks, bobcat, shrews | Coyote, fox, salamander, badger, weasel, raccoon, deer, squirrels, bear, bobcat | Tapir, boa constrictor, jaguar, tamandua |
Unique Features/Key Words/ Adaptation | Permafrost, carpet-like vegetation, midnight sun, during summer, Finnish word: barren land, found at mountain slopes and near the poles | Grasses with complex network of grass roots, wildfire helps renew the vegetation, herbivores are grazers and browsers, has the largest number of herbivores, savannas – grasslands with scattered or few trees because of low and erratic precipitation | Extreme temperature, burning hot during day time, freezing cold at night, driest biome on earth | Waxy needle-like leaves; low plant diversity due to harsh winter conditions and acidic soil or poor nutrient soil | Usually dominated by 2 – 3 species of trees; mild and moderate climate | Greatest plant and animal diversity; broadleaf evergreen trees, canopy; 200 cm rainfall |
Ecotone | With taiga: animals – caribou, ptarmigan, snowy owl |
| Chaparrals – found a t the edges of deserts, Savannas found in Africa |
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