Biomes

BiomesBiomes Regions of our planet Regions of our planet distinguished by their climate distinguished by their climate

and vegetationand vegetation

Types of Biomes:Types of Biomes:•AquaticAquatic•DesertDesert•ForestsForests•GrasslandsGrasslands•TundraTundra

Biomes are the various regions of our planet Biomes are the various regions of our planet which can be distinguished by their climate, which can be distinguished by their climate, fauna and flora.fauna and flora.

Types of BiomesTypes of Biomes

Polar Ice CapPolar Ice Cap Polar Ice CapPolar Ice Cap

Always covered with snow and ice; Always covered with snow and ice; bitterly cold year round with little or no bitterly cold year round with little or no precipitation.precipitation.

AntarcticaAntarctica

The tundra biome encircles the North Pole. The tundra biome encircles the North Pole. Below a thin layer of tundra soil is its Below a thin layer of tundra soil is its permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of ground. ground.

TundraTundra

During the brief summers, the top section of the soil may During the brief summers, the top section of the soil may thaw just long enough to allow plants and thaw just long enough to allow plants and microorganisms to grow and reproduce. Mosses and microorganisms to grow and reproduce. Mosses and lichens are common vegetation.lichens are common vegetation.

Tundra animalsTundra animals

Clockwise from above:Clockwise from above:•baby harp seal,baby harp seal,•penguins of Antarctica,penguins of Antarctica,•musk oxenmusk oxen

highland climatehighland climate

Sea Level

1,000 ft

3,300 ft

6,600 ft

9,900 ft

13,200 ft

16,500 ft

19,800 ft

81°F

77°F

70°F

57°F

49°F

34°F

21°F

9°F

*GuayaquilGuayaquil

*QuitoQuito

Hot ZoneHot Zone

TemperateTemperate ZoneZone

Cold ZoneCold Zone

TundraTundra

Snow capSnow cap

Mountain areas where the Mountain areas where the air air temperature cools as temperature cools as

altitude altitude increases.increases.

highlandshighlands

Alpine tundra Alpine tundra Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountain highhighAlpine tundra Alpine tundra Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountain highhigh

The alpine tundra, The alpine tundra, which is a biome which is a biome that exists at the that exists at the tops of high tops of high mountains, above mountains, above the tree line.the tree line.

The growing season The growing season is about 180 days, is about 180 days, and nighttime and nighttime temperatures are temperatures are usually below usually below freezing.freezing.

Mountain animalsMountain animalsMountain animalsMountain animals

The yellow-pine chipmunk and The yellow-pine chipmunk and the torrent salamander are the torrent salamander are unique to the Olympia Range unique to the Olympia Range on the west coast.on the west coast.

The Bighorn sheep The Bighorn sheep (right and below) is the is the Nevada state animal.Nevada state animal.

ForestsForestsForestsForests Represent the largest and Represent the largest and

most diversemost diverse Trees – take in carbon Trees – take in carbon

dioxide and produce dioxide and produce oxygenoxygen

Boreal, Taiga, and Boreal, Taiga, and Temperate DeciduousTemperate Deciduous

TaigaTaigaA biome is A biome is characterized characterized by its by its coniferous coniferous forests. In forests. In Canada, the Canada, the term term boreal boreal forestforest is used to refer to the southern is used to refer to the southern part of this biome; the term part of this biome; the term taigataiga is is used to describe the more barren used to describe the more barren northern areas south of the Arctic northern areas south of the Arctic tree-line.tree-line.

boreal forest winterboreal forest winter

Orographic effect - rain shadowOrographic effect - rain shadow

This shows why one side of a mountain range This shows why one side of a mountain range may be a rainforest while the other is a desert.may be a rainforest while the other is a desert.

Marine West CoastMarine West Coast

An oceanic climate (also An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) climate and maritime climate) is the climate typically found is the climate typically found along the west coasts at the along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of all the middle latitudes of all the world's continents, and in world's continents, and in southeastern Australia; similar southeastern Australia; similar climates are also found at high climates are also found at high elevations within the tropics.elevations within the tropics.

The mighty Columbia River drains the temperate The mighty Columbia River drains the temperate rain forest of the western United States.rain forest of the western United States.

Rain ShadowRain Shadow

Because rain-bearing storms typically come Because rain-bearing storms typically come from the west, east of the Sierran crest the from the west, east of the Sierran crest the climate is drier. This is effect is known as a "rain climate is drier. This is effect is known as a "rain shadow" and is reflected in the steppe biomes shadow" and is reflected in the steppe biomes that develop here.that develop here.

Canadian Rocky MountainsCanadian Rocky Mountains

Alpine Alpine tundratundra Alpine Alpine tundratundra

The alpine tundra The alpine tundra is a biome that is a biome that exists at the tops exists at the tops of high of high mountains, above mountains, above the tree line.the tree line.

The growing The growing season is about season is about 180 days, and 180 days, and nighttime nighttime temperatures are temperatures are usually below usually below freezing.freezing.

Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountain highhigh

mountain animalsmountain animals

(left) The yellow-pine chipmunk The yellow-pine chipmunk and the torrent salamander are and the torrent salamander are unique to the Olympia Mountain unique to the Olympia Mountain Range on the west coast.Range on the west coast.

The Bighorn sheep The Bighorn sheep (right and below)(right and below) is the is the Nevada state animalNevada state animal

Temperate Deciduous ForestTemperate Deciduous Forest

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests are a temperate and Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests are a temperate and humid humid biome. Typically, they occur in warm and rainy climates, sometime with a distinct dry season.

Deciduous trees lose their leaves every fall, but before Deciduous trees lose their leaves every fall, but before they do, early frosts produce magnificent colorbursts.they do, early frosts produce magnificent colorbursts.

Vast deciduous forest once covered nearly the Vast deciduous forest once covered nearly the entire eastern seaboard of North America. This entire eastern seaboard of North America. This view is from the Shenandoah National Park in view is from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.Virginia.

Bald eagleBald eagle

raccoonraccoon

White-White-tailed deertailed deer

Deciduous forest Deciduous forest animalsanimals

GrasslandsGrasslands savanna – tall; prairie – savanna – tall; prairie –

medium and tall; steppe - medium and tall; steppe - shortshort

GrasslandsGrasslands Grass is dominantGrass is dominant Prairie-mostly grass, few Prairie-mostly grass, few

treestrees Steppe-drySteppe-dry Savanna-hot and dry Savanna-hot and dry

PrairiePrairieMuch of the Great Much of the Great Plains principally Plains principally supports medium supports medium grasses, with few grasses, with few trees, and a trees, and a generally generally temperatetemperate or or moderate climate.moderate climate.

Herds of bison once covered the Great Plains.Herds of bison once covered the Great Plains.

formed by sediment dropped formed by sediment dropped by a river when it floodsby a river when it floods

Flood PlainFlood Plain

Steppe grasslandSteppe grassland Steppe is defined as a Steppe is defined as a

plain without treesplain without trees

DesertDesertAnimals/plants adaptAnimals/plants adaptarid, semi-arid, coastal, arid, semi-arid, coastal, and cold desertsand cold deserts

mesamesa

Sand dunesSand dunes

This image shows world’s deserts in yellow. Notice there are none in Europe. Windows Original

deserts

desertsdeserts

The Sonoran Desert is an arid region covering The Sonoran Desert is an arid region covering 120,000 sq. mi. in Arizona, California, most of 120,000 sq. mi. in Arizona, California, most of Baja California and the western half of the state Baja California and the western half of the state of Sonora, Mexico.of Sonora, Mexico.

DesertDesert

Desert animalsDesert animals

Clockwise from right:Clockwise from right: Western Pipistrelle, prairie Western Pipistrelle, prairie rattlesnake, collared lizardrattlesnake, collared lizard

SavannaSavanna

Grassland dotted with trees; occurs in several types of Grassland dotted with trees; occurs in several types of biomes. In savannas, grasses form the predominant biomes. In savannas, grasses form the predominant vegetation type, usually mixed with herbs and shrubs, vegetation type, usually mixed with herbs and shrubs, with trees scattered individually or in small clumps.with trees scattered individually or in small clumps.

SavannaSavanna

SavannaSavanna

Africa’s Africa’s SerengetiSerengeti

Green areas locate the world’s most lush rain Green areas locate the world’s most lush rain forests.forests.

Tropical rainforestsTropical rainforests

Tropical rain forests are mainly the product of Tropical rain forests are mainly the product of climatic interactions, particularly temperature climatic interactions, particularly temperature and rainfall. In general, tropical rain forests and rainfall. In general, tropical rain forests occur where a mean monthly temperature of occur where a mean monthly temperature of between 20 and 28 degrees C is combined with between 20 and 28 degrees C is combined with an annual rainfall of between 1.5 and 10 metres, an annual rainfall of between 1.5 and 10 metres, evenly distributed throughout the year. evenly distributed throughout the year.

rain forestrain forestrain forestrain forest

Bananas Bananas visible in visible in the the foreground foreground of this of this picture are picture are planted in planted in the tropical the tropical wet-dry forest near San Blas, Mexico in the state wet-dry forest near San Blas, Mexico in the state of Nayarit. The tall trees of the original forest of Nayarit. The tall trees of the original forest along with their heavy burden of vines can be along with their heavy burden of vines can be seen in the background on these tall trees.seen in the background on these tall trees.

Tropical rain Tropical rain forestforest

Tropical Rain Forest animalsTropical Rain Forest animals

While While covering less covering less than 6 than 6 percent of percent of Earth's Earth's surface, rain surface, rain forests are forests are home to more home to more than 50 than 50 percent of the percent of the world's plant world's plant and animal and animal species.species.

ToucanToucan

MandrillMandrill

Tree FrogTree Frog

Boa Boa ConstrictorConstrictor

WetlandsWetlands

Wetlands are Wetlands are lands where lands where saturation saturation with water is with water is the dominant the dominant factor factor determining the nature of soil development and determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities living the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surfacein the soil and on its surface..

Swamp Swamp forestforestpoorly drained poorly drained riverine forested riverine forested communities which communities which are semi-are semi-permanently floodedpermanently flooded

EstuarEstuar

yy --EstuarEstuar

yy -- The part of the wide lower course of The part of the wide lower course of a river where its freshwater current a river where its freshwater current is met by the brackish tidesis met by the brackish tides

Salt Marsh Salt Marsh Hummocks, Hummocks, South Slough South Slough National National Estuarine Estuarine Research Research Reserve, OregonReserve, Oregon Photograph by Mark Eberle, August 2000

Estuaries and coastal waters are among the Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services.benefits and services.

Salt Salt marsh marsh -- Salt Salt marsh marsh -- a type of wetland subject to a type of wetland subject to

occasional or regular flooding by occasional or regular flooding by tidestides

Wetlands animalsWetlands animals

Clockwise from left:Clockwise from left: Pelican, Pelican, Blue Heron, AlligatorBlue Heron, Alligator

BeachBeach

OceaOcean -n -

The Sargasso Sea The Sargasso Sea in the western in the western Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean seaweed growing seaweed growing in it and floating in it and floating on the surface. on the surface. The water is very The water is very blue, warm, salty blue, warm, salty and clear with and clear with slow-moving slow-moving currents but currents but surrounded by surrounded by much faster much faster currents like the currents like the Gulf Stream.Gulf Stream.

one of the great bodies of one of the great bodies of water that covers 70% of water that covers 70% of the earth’s surfacethe earth’s surface

Aris Multimedia Entertainment, Inc. 1994

AquaticAquaticWater covers about Water covers about three quarters of three quarters of our planet.  From our planet.  From oceans to rivulets, oceans to rivulets, aquatic biomes are aquatic biomes are host to a wide host to a wide variety of life-forms, variety of life-forms, and minerals, from and minerals, from the most common the most common algae to the most algae to the most mysterious deep-mysterious deep-sea creature.sea creature.

LinksLinkshttp://www.ecb.org/surf/weather.htmhttp://www.amphi.com/~tlcf/rakowitz/web4/frog5.jpghttp://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/herps/boa/boa4.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/whsa/factsheets.htmhttp://www.thefeltsource.com/Screensavers.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/meve/http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/tundra/index.htmhttp://raysweb.net/wildlife/pages/13.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/what/definitions.html