1. Describe the difference between the Deciduous Forest and the Coniferous Forest Biomes.

2. How are the TUNDRA and DESERT similar? How are they different?

1. Put ANSWERS INTO I-RESPOND…. (I will call you up to do so.) Not everyone can use an

i-respond at once.

2. While we are waiting, you should be working on the AQUATIC BIOMES WORKSHEET if needed. It needs to be handed in when you are finished.

3. BIOME PASSPORT FILL IN– We will work as a class to fill in any gaps in your passport books.

Please take careful notes!! You will use the Biome books for your

upcoming Biome project!

FYI Biome visual Quiz– Friday 10/24 Biome Exam (Ecology Exam 3)- 11/5

1. Deciduous Forest 2. Coniferous Forest (Tiaga) 3. Tropical Rainforest 4. Savanna (Tropical Grassland) 5. Desert 6. Tundra 7. Marine 8. Freshwater

Temperature: Summer: 28 Deg. C (82 F)

Winter: 6 Deg. C (43 F)

Rainfall: 75-125 cm (29.5-49in)

Soil: Fertile (Allows many different types of trees to grow)

Common Plants(Flora): Trees-oak, beech, maple, elm, willow

Flowering herbs

Plant Adaptations: Leaves fall off the trees in order to conserve water

Common Herbivores: ◦ Possums, rabbits,

squirrels, raccoons, deer

◦ Common Carnivores: Bears, snakes,

woodpeckers

Animal Adaptations: ◦ Some animals

hibernate in the winter

◦ Animals gather food to store to make it through the winter

◦ Many grow thicker

coats to keep warm in winter and shed in summer

American Bald Eagle

American Black Bear

Duckbill Platypus

4 Seasons (summer, winter, spring, fall)

Found in the eastern half of North America, middle of Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia

Losing land due to farms and humans building (some areas protected)

Temperature: Summer:14

Deg C(57 F) Winter: -10 Deg. C (14 F)

Rainfall: 35-75 cm (14-29.5 in)

Soil: thin, nutrient poor, and

acidic

Common Plants (Flora):

Conifer trees (have seeds, pinecones) Pine, Fir, Spruce

Plant Adaptations: ◦ Conifer trees have a waxy

coating to prevent them from drying out, and protects them from cold winters

◦ Trees stay green all year round– called evergreen trees

Common Animals: ◦ Woodpeckers, hawks,

moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, deer, chipmunks, bats

◦ Animal Adaptations: Hibernation

Migration

Storage

Body and Color Adaptation (thicker coats in winter, different colors)

Grizzly Bear

Great Grey Owl

Siberian Tiger

The Coniferous Forest has cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons, at least four to six frost-free months.

Temperature: Daytime: 34 Deg C (93 F) Nighttime: 20 Deg C (68 F) (Doesn’t have distinguished seasons)

Rainfall: up to 400cm per year (157.5 in)

Soil: Nutrient poor, acidic, topsoil is only 2 inches Where rainforests are located: -Central America -Africa -Indo-Malaysia India -Southeast Asia, - New Guinea and Australia.

Common Plants (Flora):

Highly diverse plant life, has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world, Only covers 6% of the Earth’s surface, but provides 20% of our oxygen.

Plant Adaptations: ◦ plants shed water off

their leaves quickly so the branches don't get weighed down and break

To absorb as much sunlight as possible, leaves are very large

Common animals:

◦ Jaguar, many tropical

birds, small mammals, Insects make up the largest single group of animals

Animal Adaptations:

Jaguars

Orangutans

Macaws

Sloths

Savannas (Tropical Grasslands)

Contain the greatest number of grazing animals on Earth.

Location: Found in the tropics…near equator

Amount of precipitation supports tall grasses but only occasional trees.

The word savanna stems from an Amerind term for plains

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/savanna/savanna.html

Tropical Savanna

Abiotic Factors Temperature: Dry Season- 34 Deg C (93 Degrees)

Wet Season: 16 Deg. C (61Degrees)

~Rainy and dry season ~25-150 in/yr precipitation ~Fire plays a large role in this ecosystem

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/savannah.html

Umbrella Thorn Acacia

Tropical Savanna

Plant

Adaptations

Grows in Tufts

Resistance to Drought

Many plants have thorns and

sharp leaves to protect

against predation.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_plant_page.htm

Kangaroos Paws

Baobab

Adapt for short rainy season—migrate as necessary

Limited food leads to vertical feeding

Reproduce during rainy season—ensures more young survive

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_animal_page.htm

Zebras

Chacma Baboon

Tropical Savanna

Animal Adaptations

Threats to the Tropical

Savanna

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_animal_page.htm

Invasive species

Changes in fire management

Because of their low elevation,

some savannas are threatened

by minor rises in sea level

associated with global climate

change

Koala

Elephant

Location: Found in Russia

and the Ukraine

Temperature: Summer: 30

Degrees C (86F)

Winter: 0 Degrees C (32

F)

Rainfall:150 cm(59 inches) http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe.htm

Steppe Abiotic Factors

www.plasmacy.de

www.wsu.edu

Precipitation: Less than 50

inches per year (50-90 cm)

Soil: Deep Dark, fertile upper

layers. Nutrient rich.

Mountains often play a role in climate characteristics

Tumbleweed

Sweet Vernal

Plant adaptations of the Steppe

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe_plant_page.htm

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe_animal_page.htm

Adaptations of Steppe Animals

Mongolian Gerbil

Saiga Antelope

Gazelle herd

Threats to the Steppe

(List under description of biome)

Overgrazing…nomadic tribes have

started to spend more time in one

location,

Infrastructure development (roads,

buildings, etc)

Unmanaged hunting and poaching is

destroying herds of animals

Corsac fox

Lynx

Milk vetch http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/steppe.h

tm

Desert

Ecosystems

Location:

Depending

on type of

desert, you

will find

them in

various

locations.

Desert Abiotic

factors

Less than10 in/yr of rain (Less than 25 cm)

SOIL: ~Shallow, rocky or gravely ~Little to no topsoil due to high winds. ~Minerals not deep in soil.

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

While there are many types of

deserts, they all share one

characteristic: They are the

driest places on Earth!

Temperature:

Summer 38 Deg

C (100 F)

Winter: 7 Deg C

(45 F)

Desert Plant

Adaptations:

Spines

Succulents

Thick, waxy cuticle

Shallow, broad roots

All adapt to having little water

Barrel Cactus

Ocotollio

Desert Animal

Adaptations:

Get water from food Thick outer coat Burrow during day Large ears Smaller animals = less surface area

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm

Javelina

Bob Cat

Armadillo Lizard

Threats to the Desert

Residential development

Off road recreational

activities destroy habitat

for plants and animals.

Some plants are removed by

collectors, endangering the

population.

Sonoran Desert

Dry Desert

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

Desert Plant

Adaptations:

Spines

Succulents

Thick, waxy cuticle

Shallow, broad roots

All adapt to having little water

Barrel Cactus

Ocotollio

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html

Tundra

Temperature:

Summer:12 D

Deg. C(54F)

Winter: -26 Deg.

C (-15F)

Location:

Found

north of

the Arctic

Circle

Tundra Abiotic Factors

Rainfall: Less than 25 inches per year Temp rarely higher than 100C Permafrost layer Short growing season

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

Tundra Plant Adaptations

Growing close to the ground

Having shallow roots to absorb the limited

water resources.

Trees grow less than 1 m high!

cottongrass

Reindeer lichen

Woody shrubs

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html

Heaths

Examples of Tundra Plants

~Breed and raise young quickly in the summer, ~migration ~Few predators

Small ears

Insulation, thick coat

Arctic fox snowy owl

Grizzly Bear Tundra Animal

Adaptations

Other

animals: ~polar bears

~salmon

~caribou

~ falcons

Threats to the Tundra

One of the most fragile biomes on the planet

The tundra is

slow to

recover from

damage.

Oil drilling

is

proposed

in Alaska

and other

areas!

Tufted Saxifrage

Polar Bear

Freshwater Ecosystems

Salinity <0.5 ppt. Lake are the deepest of fresh water systems Lakes are fed by underground aquifer or

stream Ponds are fed by rainfall and may be seasonal http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/

Sun can reach bottom

Fed by rainfall May be seasonal Algae and plants

throughout

Microscopic Animals

and Algae

Lakes and ponds—Abiotic Factors

Littoral

zone: nutrient rich

area found

close to shore

Benthic

zone: bottom of the

lake where no

sunlight can

reach.

www.dnr.wi.gov

www.uwsp.edu

Plants are floating algae and plants along shoreline

Animals live in or near water

Lakes and ponds:

Plants and Animals

Adaptations

Threats to lakes and ponds

All water

systems

are being

polluted

and

degraded

by human

impact www.aquaticbiomes.gov

Uses:

Animal/plant

homes

Carbon “sink”

Water

recharge

areas,

removing

pollutants

Types: Brackish and

freshwater

Very shallow with land occasionally exposed

Saturated soil

Low oxygen in water and soil

Emergent plants

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

Heron

Location: Found on flat, poorly

drained land, often near streams

Bogs - sphagnum

moss is

dominant http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/

Threats to Wetlands

Previous backfilling

and clearing for

farmland or

development has

been a concern.

www.kathimitchell.com

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/bi

ome/aquatic.html

River: Plant and Animal

Adaptations

Will vary based

on where in

the river they

are…at the

headwaters,

organisms

need to hang

on!

www.3d-screensaver-

downloads.com

www.cs.dartmouth.edu

Threats to Rivers

Industry uses

water to

dispose of

waste products

Runoff from

homes and

other places

causes

changes in

acidity,

pollution, etc.

Dams alter the

flow of the

water

www.nwk.usace.army.mil

Fresh and salt water meet

Plant and Animal Adaptations of

Estuaries

Very productive

biome because

it receives lots

of light and

nutrients

Often used as

nursery for

young www.lookoutnow.com & www.visualparadox.com

Manatee and

goose

Threats to Estuaries

Many ports are found

on estuaries—

pollution

Human population

www.davenewbould.co.uk

pers-erf.org

Close to equator

Consistent water temperature

Shallow water

Low in Nutrients

Breeding area for many fish

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/coral/

Animal adaptations of

the Coral Reef

Threats to the Coral Reefs

Temperature is important,

too hot or too cold and

the animals can’t live

there to create limestone

Human intrusion (scuba diving)

is damaging if you

touch/step on the reef

Pollution is also a concern.

www.calacademy.org

Ocean Abiotic factors

Open ocean is one of

the least productive

areas on earth, too

little sunlight to

support plant

growth

Covers nearly

¾ of the

Earth’s

surface.

http://www.worldbiomes.com/bio

mes_aquatic.htm

Ocean Plant adaptations

http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/eviau/edit557/oceans/norma/onfrm.htm

Ocean Animal Adaptations

Zooplankton—

sea’s smallest

herbivores

Deep ocean animals

feed on detritus—

floating debris in the

water column.

http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1951.htm

Hammerhead

Lion fish

Threats to

the Oceans

While the

oceans are

vast, they

are

becoming

more

polluted

Overfishing

and some

fishing

methods are

destroying

fishing

grounds. http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_aquatic.htm

Polar Ecosystems

Can be

considered

marine

ecosystems

since the base

of food chain is

phytoplankton

www.defenders.org

www.awi-bremerhaven.de

Arctic vs. Antarctic

Arctic

Relatively

shallow, lots of

nutrients for

large variety of

animals in food

web, People,

seals and polar

bears found

here. nmml.afsc.noaa.gov

Antarctic

Penguins live

here—only continent

not used by humans

(exc. Research)

Threats to the Polar Ecosystems

Reserves of minerals

draw humans to

these fragile

ecosystems.

The main threat to

wildlife has been

the increase in

tourism—garbage

left behind newt.phys.unsw.edu.a

u

Oceans

Photic Zone– Portion of marine biome that is shallow enough to penetrate sunlight

(coastlines-shore, beaches, mudflats)

Aphotic Zone– Deeper Waters that do not receive sunlight. (Deep, least explored oceans)

Phos- Light (Greek)

A- Without (Greek)

Largest amounts of biomass (living materials) though often very small

Whales, seals, sea otters, sea cows

Kelp, algea, sea grass

Bay, sound, fjord, salt marshes, wetlands

Freshwater mixes with salt water (some land)

Brackish Water (more salt than freshwater; but less than marine)

Salinity ranges ◦ Amount of freshwater vs. Saltwater

◦ Tides

◦ Biodiversity

Eelgrass, smooth cordgrass, sea lavender

Shiner Perch, Starry Flounder Orange Striped Jellyfish, Purple Shore Crab, Scallop

Predators– cranes and other birds

Decay of dead organisms is quick, nutrients recycled through food web.

Major abiotic factors: temperature and light

Not enough sunlight penetrates to bottom to support photosynthesis ◦ Few aquatic plants or algea grow

◦ Population density lower

◦ Bacteria break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

Concentric bands or clusters of species

Cattails, sedges

Tadpoles, aquatic insects, turtles, worms, crayfish, beetles, dragonflies, minnows, bluegill, carp.