UNIT 6. THE EARTH´S BIOMES

REMEMBER!!!!

BIOME• Is an area of the world that can be defined by a

particular type of climate and by a specific flora (plants) and fauna (animals).

• We can distinguish different types of biomes:1. Biomes in cold zones2. Biomes in temperate zones3. Biomes in hot zones

1. BIOMES IN COLD ZONES

POLAR BIOME

• Landscape is white, covered with permanent snow, including vast glaciers and ice caps.

• In some regions (Alaska, Iceland or Greenland), the ice sheet melts in the summer, allowing TUNDRA to form. The flora of the tundra is made up of dwarf shrubs, lichens and mosses.

Fauna• Few types of animals can survive the ice temperatures.

However, we can find the following: In Antarctica: penguins, elephant seals and sea lions

In the Arctic: seals, walruses (morsa) and polar bears.

ALPINE BIOME• Vegetation varies depending on the altitude, so the flora is arranged in layers.

Layers of vegetation in the temperate

zone

Layers of vegetation in the

inter-tropical zone

2. BIOMES IN HOT ZONES

EQUATORIAL BIOMES• Typical biome is the

EQUATORIAL RAINFOREST, with a wide variety of plants, especially perennials, such as lianas and orchid (Amazonian, Congo or Madagascar rainforest).

• In the coastal areas of the equatorial region there are palm trees and MANGROVE SWAMPS. These swamps contain mangrove trees, which can survive in salt water.

FAUNA• Rainforests have an incredible diversity of animals. There are

many different species of birds, such as macaws and toucans. There are also many species of amphibians, insects, reptiles, and mammals, such as monkeys and jaguars

TROPICAL BIOMES• The most typical biome is the

SAVANNAH. In the wetter areas, closer to the Equator, the savannah is made up of large areas of tall grass and small woods or isolated trees.

• In the more arid regions, the savannah has short grass, scrubland and trees, such as the baobab or the acacia, which can survive in spite of the low rainfall.

• In the monsoon zones, precipitation creates the ideal conditions for monsoon forests. These are called JUNGLES and contain deciduous trees, such as teak (teca) and bamboo.

Venezuela Tanzania

• The fauna includes spectacular species: large herbivores, such as elephants and giraffes, and large carnivores, such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs (guepardo).

DESERT BIOMES• Scant vegetation, such as cacti, that has adapted to high

temperatures and low levels of rainfall.• There is very little fauna. Only certain reptiles, insects, birds and

small mammals can adapt to this harsh (duro) climate. However, some large animals, such as camels and dromedaries, use their hump (joroba) to store water and fat to survive in the desert.

Gazelle

3. BIOMES IN TEMPERATE ZONES

OCEANIC BIOMES• The most typical biome is the DECIDUOUS FOREST biome. The most

common trees are oak, beech, elm and chestnut. In areas where the forest has been degraded, vegetation is made up of shrubs and scrubland. These biomes are called MOORS. When the shrubs disappear, large areas of grass known as OCEANIC GRASSLANDS emerge (to appear).

DECIDUOUS FOREST MOORS: páramos o LANDAOCEANIC GRASSLANDS

FAUNA• The most abundant fauna are herbivores including deer, rabbits and

squirrels, and predators such as bears and wolves.

MEDITERRANEAN BIOMES• The typical biome is called

MEDITERRANEAN FOREST, made up of evergreen trees which can withstand the high temperatures of the summer months.

• The most common species are Holm oak and cork oak.

• When the Mediterranean forest deteriorates, it is sometimes replaced by areas of scrubland, with plants such as rock rose, rosemary and thyme. These types of shrubland are known as ‘MAQUIS’ AND ‘GARRIGUE’.

• The fauna is varied. There are many herbivores such as wild boar, roe deer (corzo) and hares, as well as birds such as partridge and quail. There are also predators such as foxes, lynxes and birds of prey.

CONTINENTAL BIOMES• The typical biome of the

northern latitudes is the TAIGA. The forests are made up of evergreen trees, which can survive the low winter temperatures. The most common species are pines and firs.

• To the south of the taiga, there are CONTINENTAL GRASSLANDS. When these plains of tall grass are close to desert regions, they become STEPPES, with small shrubs and short grass.

FAUNA• In these biomes, there are a lot of herbivores, such as deer

and wild boar. There are also rodents, such as squirrels and beavers, as well as predators, such as bears and wolves. Large herbivores, such as bison and horses, live on the grasslands

CANADA

HUMID SUBTROPICAL BIOMES The most typical biome is the MIXED FOREST. It has a lot of deciduous

trees, including oak, maple (arce) and willow (sauce), along with tropical species, such as palm trees and bamboo.

In Argentina and Uruguay (in South America) there are extensive fertile grasslands known as ‘PAMPAS’.

The fauna is varied, with large herbivores, such as water buffalo, and large predators, such as tigers. Native species include mammals such as pandas in China and koalas in Australia.

BIOMES IN SPAIN

• ALPINE BIOME: The vegetation grows in layers that vary according to altitude.

• OCEANIC BIOME: Atlantic forest, made up of deciduous trees, such as oak, beech…

MEDITERRANEAN BIOMES

• MARITIME MEDITERRENEAN BIOME

• CONTINENTAL MEDIERRANEAN BIOME

SUBTROPICAL BIOME

ISLAS CANARIAS

DRAGO CANARIO PINO CANARIOLAURISILVA