Biomes

What is a biome?

• Biome is a large region of land that has a specific climate and certain plant and animal communities.

• Described by plants because plants determine what other organisms can live there.

• Climate can also determine what organisms can live where.

Climate

• Refers to the weather conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, humidity and winds in an area over a long period of time.

• Temperature and precipitation are the two most important factors determine a regions climate.

Latitude and Altitude

• Latitude is the distance north or south of the equator.

• Altitude is the height of an object above sea level.

Arctic Tundra

•  Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga.

• The average winter temperature is - 30° F, but the average summer temperature is 37-54°.

• Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 6 to 10 inches.

• Has a thin layer (3 cm) of topsoil with permafrost underneath.

• Permanently frozen ground (permafrost).• Vegetation includes lichens and mosses. Plants grow

close to the ground and have wide, shallow roots.• Animals include migratory birds in the summer, caribou,

wolves, moose, arctic foxes, burrowing rodents.• The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days. • One of the most fragile biomes on the planet.

Grasslands

• Interiors of continents – North America, Russia and South America.

• Few trees, moderate rainfall (20-35 inches), very hot summers 100 degrees Fahrenheit and cold winters -40 degrees Fahrenheit .

• Prairies can be short, middle or tall grass depending upon the amount of rainfall.

• Most fertile soil of any biome.• Animals include antelope, bison, badgers, prairie

dogs, owls, snakes, burrowing animals.• Grasslands are endangered due to farming and

overgrazing.

Taiga/Boreal/Coniferous Forest

• Just below the Arctic Circle• Represent the largest terrestrial biome • The length of the growing season in boreal

forests is 130 days. • The temperature range is -65° F to 70°F. • For half of the year, the average temperature is

below freezing. Long dark winters (6-10 months).

• Average annual rainfall of 12 - 33 inches. • Vegetation includes conifers causing acidic soil

and little growth. Do not shed their leaves.• Animals include shrews, rodents, burrowing

animals, lynx, wolves and fox

Deciduous Forests

• Found in North America, Europe and Asia.• Has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and

winter. • The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is

50° F. • The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year. • Help decompose dead organic matter – rich deep soils.• Grow in layers – tree zone, small tree zone, shrub zone,

herb zone, ground zone.• Trees found are oak, beech, maple, chestnut hickory,

elm, basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. • Plants drop leaves in autumn.• Animals include squirrels, bears, insects, deer, birds.• The animals adapt to the climate by hibernating in the

winter and living off the land in the other three seasons.• Most of the animals are camouflaged to look like the

ground.

Temperate Rain Forest

• Occurs in N. America, Australia and New Zealand.

• Large amounts of precipitation, high humidity and moderate temperatures.

• Lush ferns, lichens• Evergreen trees 90 meters tall• Moderate temperature because of the

Pacific Ocean

Desert

• Located in N. America, Africa, Asia, S. America and Australia and the Middle East.

• Driest place on Earth.• Receive less than 1 inch of precipitation a year.• Little to no vegetation.• Very extreme temperatures.• Hot and cold deserts – hot deserts average 64 degrees

Fahrenheit.• Plants have thick, fleshy stems and leaves that store

water.• Succulents, waxy leaves, spines – roots spread out.• Plants die when dry and drop seeds for next rain.• Snakes, lizards, insects and owls• Most animals are nocturnal or bury themselves in the

ground.

Chaparral

• Temperate woodland biome.• Broad leafed evergreen shrubs.• Warm dry summers and mild wet winters.• The temperature range is between 30° and 100°

Fahrenheit. • Average precipitation is 10-17 inches.• Many low lying evergreen shrubs and small

trees are found in dense patches.• Plants have small leathery leaves that hold

water.• Contain oils that promote burning – very

adapted to fire.• Coyote brush, poison oak, sage brush, olive

tree.• Animals include coyotes, jack rabbits, mule deer,

alligator lizards and horned toads.

Savanna

• Located in Africa, India, Australia, S. America.• Rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and

isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome.

• Grazing animals and predators.• Temperature averages from 68 to 86 degrees

Fahrenheit.• A very long dry season (winter) – 4 inches of

precipitation, and a very wet season (summer) – 15-25 inches of rain. Grass fires in dry season.

• Many animals active only in the wet season.• Large horizontal root systems• Sharp thorns on trees, loss leaves in heat.

Tropical Rain Forest

• Greatest amount of species diversity.• Located in a belt around the world near the

equator.• Help regulate world climate.• Play vital role in nitrogen, oxygen and carbon cycles.• An average of 50 to 260 inches of rain a year.• Strong sunlight year round and constant

temperature – no higher than 98 or lower than 68.• 50 million native people• Run off from rain forest is as pure as distilled water

because nutrients decompose very efficiently.• Soil lacks nutrients• Animals try to avoid competition.• Once covered 20% of Earth, now only covers 6%. Every

minute of every day 100 acres are cleared for logging operations, agriculture, oil or trading.

Layers of the Rain Forest

• Emergent – tallest trees, 60 to 70 meters tall and 5 meters wide. (Eagles, bats, monkeys)

• Upper canopy – 30 meters tall, dense layer absorbs 95% of sunlight, most animals live here.

• Lower canopy – less light, many plants use the surface of trees to live

• Understory – very little light reaches, trees/shrubs adapted to shade

Careers• Atmospheric scientists – median pay in May 2006 was $77,150. The

middle 50 percent earned between $55,530 and $96,490. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,090, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $119,700.

• Meteorologists – median salary for people employed by the Federal Government was $84,882 in 2007. Many meteorologists in the Federal Government with a bachelor’s degree received a starting salary of $35,752. Many local meteorologists make 19,500.

• Geoscientists – median salary was $72,660 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $51,860 and $100,650; the lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,740, the highest 10 percent more than $135,950. The petroleum, mineral, and mining industries offer higher salaries, but less job security, than other industries because economic downturns sometimes cause layoffs.

• Field scientist • Wildlife parks and rec• Climatologist – The average salary of a climatologist a year is any where

from $20,000 to $50,000 a year.

Extremes• Highest temperature: In 1922 the temperature reached 136°

Fahrenheit (58° C) in Libya. Death Valley in California holds the record for the highest temperature in the U.S. at 134° in 1913.

• Lowest temperature: Antarctica has the coldest average annual temperatures, and the lowest temperature ever recorded on earth -129 °F was at Vostok in 1983." United States −80 °F Prospect Creek, Alaska in 1971.

• Fastest temperature rise: 49 °F in just 2 minutes; Spearfish, South Dakota, 1943

• Fastest temperature drop: 47 F° in just 15 minutes; Rapid City, South Dakota, 1911.

• Least Rainfall per year: 0.00 in/year, none in recorded history; Antofagasta Region, Atacama Desert, Chile.

• Most Rain in one minute: 1.5 in; Barst, Guadeloupe, 1970. • Most in 42 minutes: 12 in. in 42 minutes. Holt, Missouri. • Highest average annual total: 523.6 in; Lloro, Colombia.• Most snow in one-year period: 1224 in; Mount Rainier,

Washington State, 1971-72. • Largest snowflake ever observed: 15 in in diameter; Montana,

1887.