biomes - terrestrial regions with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed ecological...

biomes -biomes -

terrestrial regions with characteristic terrestrial regions with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed types of natural, undisturbed ecological communities adapted to ecological communities adapted to the climate of the regionthe climate of the region

Dry woodlands and shrublands (chaparral)

Temperate grassland

Temperate deciduous forest

Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen coniferousforest (e.g., montane coniferous forest)

Arctic tundra (polar grasslands)

Tropical savanna,thorn forest

Tropical scrub forest

Tropical deciduous forest

Tropical rain forest,tropical evergreen forest

Desert

Ice

Mountains(complex zonation)

Semidesert,arid grassland

Tropic ofTropic ofCapricornCapricorn

EquatorEquator

Tropic ofTropic ofCancerCancer

PolarPolar

Rain forestRain forestTropicalTropical

seasonalseasonalforestforest

ScrublandScrubland

SavannaSavanna

Desert Desert

TropicalTropicalGrasslandGrassland

ChaparralChaparral

DeciduousDeciduousForestForest

Coniferous Coniferous forestforest DesertDesert

TemperateTemperate

SubpolarSubpolarTundraTundra

Wet

Cold

Dry

Ho

t

MountainMountainIce and snowIce and snow

AltitudeAltitude

Tundra (herbs,Tundra (herbs,lichens, lichens, mosses)

ConiferousConiferousForestForest

Tropical Tropical ForestForest


Tropical Forest


ConiferousConiferousForestForest

Tundra (herbs,Tundra (herbs,lichens, mosses)lichens, mosses)

Polar icePolar iceand snowand snow

LatitudeLatitude

Effects of altitude and latitudeEffects of altitude and latitude

Parallel changes occur in vegetation type Parallel changes occur in vegetation type when we travel from the equator to the when we travel from the equator to the poles or from lowlands to mountaintops.poles or from lowlands to mountaintops.

Plant Size, Shape, and Plant Size, Shape, and Survival StrategiesSurvival Strategies

1)1) Tall plants cannot survive in extreme Tall plants cannot survive in extreme coldcold

– Shrubs and grasses better adaptedShrubs and grasses better adapted

2)2) Desert plantsDesert plants– Adaptations to prevent overheatingAdaptations to prevent overheating– Adaptations to conserve waterAdaptations to conserve water– ““Succulent” Succulent” plantsplants

No leavesNo leaves Fleshy tissueFleshy tissue Stomates only open at nightStomates only open at night


3)3) Tropical rainforest treesTropical rainforest trees– BroadleafBroadleaf evergreenevergreen plants plants

Collect ample sunlightCollect ample sunlight Radiate heatRadiate heat

4)4) Cold (and dry) winter climatesCold (and dry) winter climates– BroadleafBroadleaf deciduousdeciduous plants plants

Shed leavesShed leaves Become dormantBecome dormant


5)5) Very cold winters, short cool Very cold winters, short cool summerssummers

– Coniferous evergreen plantsConiferous evergreen plants Narrow pointed leaves (needles)Narrow pointed leaves (needles) Waxy coatingWaxy coating Clustering of needlesClustering of needles Hold leaves year-roundHold leaves year-round

Don’t need to grow new leaves in SpringDon’t need to grow new leaves in Spring

Desert BiomesDesert Biomes

Desert BiomesDesert Biomes

• Evaporation Evaporation exceeds exceeds precipitationprecipitation

• Less than 10 Less than 10 inches of rain inches of rain per yearper year

• Sparse, widely Sparse, widely spaced , low spaced , low vegetationvegetation

DESERT BIOMESDESERT BIOMES

• Variations in Variations in annual annual temperature (red) temperature (red) and precipitation and precipitation (blue) in (blue) in tropicaltropical, , temperatetemperate and and polar or coldpolar or cold desertsdeserts.

Figure 5-12Figure 5-12

Tropical Tropical desertdesert

(Saudi Arabia)(Saudi Arabia)

Cold desert Cold desert (northwest China)(northwest China)

Temperate desertTemperate desert(Reno, Nevada)(Reno, Nevada)

““Beat the Heat” Beat the Heat” “Every Drop of Water Counts”“Every Drop of Water Counts”

Plant Adaptations• Wax-coated leaves• Deep roots and

wide-spread shallow roots

• Spongy tissue• Drop leaves• Become dormant• Store biomass in

seeds

Animal Adaptations• Hide in burrows

during day• Thick outer

coverings (insects)• Dry feces• Obtain water from

dew or food• Becoming dormant

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

FungiFungi

Gambel'sGambel'squailquail

Red-tailed hawkRed-tailed hawk

CollaredCollaredlizardlizard

JackJackrabbitrabbit

Yucca

Kangaroo ratKangaroo ratKangaroo rat

AgaveAgaveAgave

RoadrunnerRoadrunnerRoadrunner

Diamondback rattlesnakeDiamondback rattlesnakeDiamondback rattlesnakeDarklingbeetleDarklingDarklingbeetlebeetle

BacteriaBacteriaBacteria

Pricklypearcactus

PricklyPricklypearpearcactuscactus

Human ImpactsHuman Impacts

• Soil destruction by vehiclesSoil destruction by vehicles

• Depletion of underground waterDepletion of underground water

• Urban developmentUrban development

• Soil salinizationSoil salinization

• Waste storage (radioactive and toxic)Waste storage (radioactive and toxic)

• Solar cells and solar collectorsSolar cells and solar collectors

Polar TundraPolar Tundra Alpine TundraAlpine Tundra Temperate GrasslandTemperate Grassland Tropical SavannaTropical Savanna

GrasslandsGrasslands

Grassland characteristicsGrassland characteristics

• Seasonal droughtSeasonal drought• GrazingGrazing• Occasional fires (prevent trees)Occasional fires (prevent trees)

GRASSLANDS BIOMES

• Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue).


Tropical grasslandTropical grassland (savanna)(savanna)

(Harare, Zimbabwe)(Harare, Zimbabwe)

TemperateTemperate grasslandgrassland

(Lawrence, Kansas)(Lawrence, Kansas)

Polar grassland (arctic tundra)Polar grassland (arctic tundra) (Fort Yukon, Alaska) (Fort Yukon, Alaska)

Tropical Grassland and Tropical Grassland and SavannasSavannas

• High average temperatureHigh average temperature

• Low to moderate precipitationLow to moderate precipitation

• Prolonged dry seasonProlonged dry season

Dry GrasslandDry Grassland Moist GrasslandMoist Grassland

WarthogWarthog Thompson'sThompson'sgazellegazelle

WaterbuckWaterbuck Grant's zebraGrant's zebra

Beisa oryxBeisa oryxTopiTopi

Cape buffaloCape buffalo WildebeestWildebeest

grazing – grass and herb eatinggrazing – grass and herb eating

Dry Thorn ScrubDry Thorn Scrub Riverine ForestRiverine Forest

Dik-dikDik-dik East AfricanEast Africanelandeland

Blue Blue duikerduiker

Greater Greater kudukudu

BushbuckBushbuck

Black rhinoBlack rhino

GiraffeGiraffe

African elephantAfrican elephant

GerenukGerenuk

browsing – twig and leaf nibblingbrowsing – twig and leaf nibbling

Temperate GrasslandsTemperate Grasslands

• Bitterly cold Bitterly cold winterswinters

• Hot, dry Hot, dry summerssummers

• Sparse, uneven Sparse, uneven precipitationprecipitation

1)1) Tall- and short-Tall- and short-grass prairies grass prairies (NA)(NA)

2)2) Pampas (SA)Pampas (SA)

3)3) Veldt (Africa)Veldt (Africa)

4)4) Steppes (Europe Steppes (Europe and Asia)and Asia)

Temperate Grasslands

• The cold winters and hot dry summers have deep and fertile soil that make them ideal for growing crops and grazing cattle.





FungiFungi

BacteriaBacteria

Golden eagleGolden eagle

PrairiePrairiedogdog

Blue stemgrassBlue stemBlue stemgrassgrass

CoyoteCoyoteCoyote

GrasshopperGrasshopperGrasshopper

GrasshoppersparrowGrasshopperGrasshoppersparrowsparrow

Pronghorn antelopePronghorn antelopePronghorn antelope

PrairieconeflowerPrairiePrairieconeflowerconeflower

Temperate Temperate tall-grass tall-grass prairieprairie

Polar GrasslandsPolar Grasslands(Artic Tundra)(Artic Tundra)

• Bitterly coldBitterly cold

• Frigid windsFrigid winds

• Ice and snowIce and snow

PermafrostPermafrost

Producer toprimaryconsumer

Primary to secondaryconsumer


All consumersand producers to decomposers

LemmingLemming

ArcticArcticfoxfox

Horned larkHorned lark

MosquitoMosquito

Grizzly bearGrizzly bear

Long-tailed jaegerLong-tailed jaeger

CaribouCaribou

Willow ptarmiganWillow ptarmiganWillow ptarmigan

Snowy owlSnowy owlSnowy owl

Dwarf willowDwarf willowDwarf willow

Mountain cranberryMountain cranberryMountain cranberry

Moss campionMoss campionMoss campion

PolarPolar

GrasslandsGrasslands

(Artic tundra)(Artic tundra)

Temperate Shrubland or Temperate Shrubland or ChaparralChaparral

• Dense growth of low-Dense growth of low-growing, evergreen growing, evergreen shrubsshrubs

• Mild wintersMild winters• Long, hot, dry summersLong, hot, dry summers• Referred to as Referred to as

“Mediterranean climate” “Mediterranean climate” along coastal areasalong coastal areas • People like to live in People like to live in

this biomethis biome

Chaparral

• Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of spiny shrubs are subject to periodic fires.


Temperate coniferous forestsTemperate coniferous forests Temperate deciduous forestsTemperate deciduous forests Tropical rain forestsTropical rain forests

Forest BiomesForest Biomes

FOREST BIOMES

• Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate, and polar forests.

Tropical rainTropical rain forestforest

(Manaus, Brazil)

TemperateTemperate deciduous forestdeciduous forest

(Nashville, Tennessee)

Polar evergreen coniferous forest (boreal forest, taiga)Polar evergreen coniferous forest (boreal forest, taiga)(Moscow, Russia) (Moscow, Russia)

Tropical Rain ForestsTropical Rain Forests

• Warm temperaturesWarm temperatures• High humidityHigh humidity• Heavy daily rainfallHeavy daily rainfall

• Most biologically Most biologically diverse biome diverse biome

• Nutrient Nutrient poorpoor soils soils

ShrubShrublayerlayer

CanopyCanopy

EmergentEmergentlayerlayer

UnderstoryUnderstoryUnderstory

GroundlayerGroundGroundlayerlayer

HarpyHarpyeagleeagle

TocoTocotoucantoucan

WoolyWoolyopossumopossum

BrazilianBraziliantapirtapir

Black-crownedBlack-crownedantpittaantpitta

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45H

eigh

t (m

eter

s)

stratificationstratification

Temperate RainforestTemperate Rainforest

• Occurs in coastal Occurs in coastal temperate areastemperate areas– Coast of North America Coast of North America

from Canada to northern from Canada to northern CaliforniaCalifornia

• Ample rainfall or moist, Ample rainfall or moist, dense ocean fogsdense ocean fogs

• Spruce, Douglas fir, Spruce, Douglas fir, redwoodsredwoods

Temperate Temperate Deciduous Deciduous

ForestForest

• Long, warm Long, warm summerssummers

• Cold wintersCold winters• Abundant Abundant

precipitationprecipitation• Nutrient rich Nutrient rich

soilssoils





BacteriaBacteria

FungiFungi

Wood frogWood frog

RacerRacer

Shagbark hickoryShagbark hickory

White-tailedWhite-taileddeerdeer

White-footedWhite-footedmousemouse

White oakWhite oak

GrayGraysquirrelsquirrel

HairyHairywoodpeckerwoodpecker

Broad-wingedBroad-wingedhawkhawk

Long-tailedweaselLong-tailedLong-tailedweaselweasel

May beetleMay beetleMay beetle

MountainwinterberryMountainMountainwinterberrywinterberry

Metallic wood-boringbeetle and

Metallic wood- Metallic wood- boring beetle boring beetle and larvaeand larvae

Evergreen Coniferous ForestsEvergreen Coniferous Forests ‘Boreal’ or ‘Taiga’‘Boreal’ or ‘Taiga’

• 6060°° N Latitude N Latitude• Long, dry and extremely Long, dry and extremely

cold winterscold winters• Short, mild summersShort, mild summers• Plant diversity is lowPlant diversity is low• Deep layer of Deep layer of

decomposed conifer decomposed conifer needles provide rich needles provide rich source of peat bogssource of peat bogs





BacteriaBacteria BunchberryBunchberry

StarflowerStarflower

Fungi

SnowshoeSnowshoeharehare

BebbBebbwillowwillow

MooseMoose

WolfWolf

Balsam firBalsam fir

Blue jayBlue jay Greathornedowl

GreatGreathornedhornedowlowl

WhitespruceWhiteWhitesprucespruce

Pine sawyer Pine sawyer Pine sawyer beetle and beetle and larvaelarvae

MartenMartenMarten

Human impacts on forestsHuman impacts on forests

• Clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, Clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, livestock grazing, and timberlivestock grazing, and timber

• Clearing of temperate deciduous forests Clearing of temperate deciduous forests for timber, agriculture and urban for timber, agriculture and urban developmentdevelopment

• Clearing of evergreen coniferous forestsClearing of evergreen coniferous forests• Conversion of diverse forests to less Conversion of diverse forests to less

biodiverse tree plantationsbiodiverse tree plantations

Tree Tree PlantationPlantation

(monoculture)(monoculture)

MOUNTAIN BIOMES• High-elevation

islands of biodiversity

• Often have snow-covered peaks that reflect solar radiation and gradually release water to lower-elevation streams and ecosystems.

HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIOMES

• Human activities have damaged or disturbed more than half of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems.

• Humans have had a number of specific harmful effects on the world’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

Natural Capital Degradation

Desert

Large desert cities

Soil destruction by off-road vehicles

Soil salinization from irrigation

Depletion of groundwater

Land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction

Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra

Overgrazing by livestock

Release of CO2 to atmosphere from grassland burning

Conversion to cropland

Grasslands


Clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing, timber, and urban development

Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations

Damage from off-road vehicles


Forests

Pollution of forest streams


Mountains

Agriculture

Timber extraction

Mineral extraction

Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs

Increasing tourism

Urban air pollution

Increased ultraviolet radiationfrom ozone depletion

Soil damage from off-roadvehicles

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGCZY47YS0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGCZY47YS0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active



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