6-2 Forest Biomes

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A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 1. Humid and warm and get about 200 to 450 cm of rain a year.

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 2. Located near the equator of the earth.

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 3. Receive strong sunlight and temperatures are constant.

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 4. Plants live in different layers in the rain forest.

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 5. The top layer is the emergent layer made up of the tallest trees (60-70 meters).

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 6. The canopy contains a dense layer of trees that grow up to 30 meters and absorb most of the sunlight.

A. Tropical Rain Forests

• 7. The understory is below the canopy and receives very little light. Plants adapted to shade (ex: shrubs) grow there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUuA-C_I3DE

B. Temperate Rain Forests

• 1. Occur in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

B. Temperate Rain Forests

• 2. A lot of precipitation, high humidity and moderate temperatures.

B. Temperate Rain Forests

• 3. Rainfall and ocean breezes keep temperatures cool.

B. Temperate Rain Forests

• 4. Trees have long growing seasons and plenty of water.

C. Temperate Deciduous Forests

• 1. Trees in this forest drop their leaves every fall.

C. Temperate Deciduous Forests

• 2. Located between 30 and 50 degrees north latitudes.

C. Temperate Deciduous Forests

• 3. Temperatures change with the seasons.

C. Temperate Deciduous Forests

• 4. Plants must adapt to the changing seasons.

D. Taiga

• 1. northern coniferous forest that stretches in a broad band below the arctic circle.

D. Taiga

• 2. Conifer trees are well-adapted to this biome.

D. Taiga

• 3. Birds migrate away from the taiga during winter.

D. Taiga

• 4. The fur of the snowshoe hare changes from winter to summer.