Resources needed:

• Internet connection

• Atlases

• Graph paper and blank paper.

What is the value of the biosphere?

Aims:To define Biome and Biosphere

To know the distribution of world biomes

To be able to explain this distribution.

Key Term

• A biome is a major regional group of distinctive plant and animal communities best adapted to the region's physical natural environment, latitude, altitude and terrain factors.

• A biome is composed of the climax vegetation and all associated sub climax, or degraded, vegetation, fauna and soils, but can often be identified by the climax vegetation type.

Four world biomes:

Desert Mountain

Savannah

Tropical Rainforest

As you watch each clip complete the table to describe the characteristics of each biome.

Now answer question 1 pg 41

Biome Climate Vegetation Animals

Desert

Mountain

Savannah

Tropical

World biome distribution

• Study the atlas pg 118 -119 and your book pg 40.

• Answer the following:1. Describe the distribution of the world’s biomes.2. List the different factors which affect the

distribution of different biomes.3. Take two of these factors (other than altitude

and latitude) and explain how they affect biomes.

4. Answer question 3 and 4 pg 41.

Group Task

• Work in groups of 3.

• Produce a fact file on your assigned biome with climate graph annotated with connections to biome location and nature of the ecosystem, including local factors.

• Use the atlas and pg 42 to help you.

Plenary: True/False

• A biosphere is a world scale ecosystem.– False

• Temperature affects the growing season of a biome. – True

• Tundra is located in the northern most latitudes.– True

• Marine climates have extreme temperature rages.– False

• Continental climates are likely to have very hot summers– True