Five Biomes of AlaskaFive Biomes of Alaska

TundraTundra Boreal ForestBoreal Forest Temperate Rain ForestTemperate Rain Forest WetlandsWetlands OceanOcean

VocabularyVocabulary Biome: Biome: A large community of plants and animals that occupies a A large community of plants and animals that occupies a

distinct region. Terrestrial biomes, typically defined by their climate distinct region. Terrestrial biomes, typically defined by their climate and dominant vegetation, include grassland, tundra, desert, tropical and dominant vegetation, include grassland, tundra, desert, tropical rainforest, and deciduous and coniferous forests. There are two basic rainforest, and deciduous and coniferous forests. There are two basic aquatic biomes, freshwater and marine, which are sometimes further aquatic biomes, freshwater and marine, which are sometimes further broken down into categories such as lakes and rivers or pelagic, broken down into categories such as lakes and rivers or pelagic, benthic, and intertidal zones. benthic, and intertidal zones.

Biotic: Biotic: Consisting of living organisms. An ecosystem is made up Consisting of living organisms. An ecosystem is made up of a biotic community (all of the naturally occurring organisms within of a biotic community (all of the naturally occurring organisms within the system) together with the physical environment. the system) together with the physical environment.

Abiotic: Abiotic: Not associated with or derived from living organisms. Not associated with or derived from living organisms. Abiotic factors in an environment include such items as sunlight, Abiotic factors in an environment include such items as sunlight, temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation.temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation.

Ecosystem: Ecosystem: A community of organisms together with their A community of organisms together with their physical environment, viewed as a system of interacting and physical environment, viewed as a system of interacting and interdependent relationships and including such processes as the flow interdependent relationships and including such processes as the flow of energy through trophic levels and the cycling of chemical elements of energy through trophic levels and the cycling of chemical elements and compounds through living and nonliving components of the system. and compounds through living and nonliving components of the system.

TundraTundra

Characteristics of tundra include: Characteristics of tundra include: Characteristics of tundra include:Characteristics of tundra include:

1.1. Extremely cold climate Extremely cold climate 2.2. Low biotic diversity Low biotic diversity 3.3. Simple vegetation structure Simple vegetation structure 4.4. Limitation of drainage Limitation of drainage 5.5. Short season of growth and Short season of growth and

reproduction reproduction 6.6. Energy and nutrients in the form of Energy and nutrients in the form of

dead organic material dead organic material 7.7. Large population oscillations Large population oscillations

Boreal Boreal ForestForest

Characteristics of the Boreal Forest1. Temperatures are very low. 2. Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm

annually. 3. Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic. 4. Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result,

understory is limited. 5. Flora consist mostly of cold-tolerant evergreen conifers

with needle-like leaves, such as pine, fir, and spruce. 6. Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear,

weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares, chipmunks, shrews, and bats.

Temperate RainforestTemperate Rainforest

Characteristics of the Temperate RainforestCharacteristics of the Temperate Rainforest1.1. Temperature varies from -30° C to 30° C. Temperature varies from -30° C to 30° C. 2.2. Precipitation (75-150 cm) is distributed evenly Precipitation (75-150 cm) is distributed evenly

throughout the year. throughout the year. 3.3. Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter. Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter. 4.4. Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to

penetrate, resulting in well-developed and richly penetrate, resulting in well-developed and richly diversified understory vegetation and stratification of diversified understory vegetation and stratification of animals. animals.

5.5. Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per square Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per square kilometer. Trees are distinguished by broad leaves that kilometer. Trees are distinguished by broad leaves that are lost annually and include such species as oak, are lost annually and include such species as oak, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, willow, and spring-flowering herbs. elm, willow, and spring-flowering herbs.

6.6. Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear.and black bear.

WetlandsWetlands

Characteristics of Wetlands:Characteristics of Wetlands:1.1. Wetlands are areas of standing water that support Wetlands are areas of standing water that support

aquatic plants. Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all aquatic plants. Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all considered wetlands. considered wetlands.

2.2. Plant species adapted to the very moist and humid Plant species adapted to the very moist and humid conditions are called hydrophytes. These include pond conditions are called hydrophytes. These include pond lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, and black spruce. lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, and black spruce. Marsh flora also include such species as cypress and Marsh flora also include such species as cypress and gum. gum.

3.3. Wetlands have the highest species diversity of all Wetlands have the highest species diversity of all ecosystems. Many species of amphibians, reptiles, birds ecosystems. Many species of amphibians, reptiles, birds (such as ducks and waders), and furbearers can be found (such as ducks and waders), and furbearers can be found in the wetlands. in the wetlands.

4.4. Wetlands are not considered freshwater ecosystems as Wetlands are not considered freshwater ecosystems as there are some, such as salt marshes, that have high there are some, such as salt marshes, that have high salt concentrations — these support different species of salt concentrations — these support different species of animals, such as shrimp, shellfish, and various grasses. animals, such as shrimp, shellfish, and various grasses.

OceanOcean

Characteristics of the Ocean:Characteristics of the Ocean:1.1. The largest of all the ecosystems, The largest of all the ecosystems,

oceans are very large bodies of water oceans are very large bodies of water that dominate the Earth's surface. that dominate the Earth's surface.

2.2. The ocean regions are separated into The ocean regions are separated into separate zones: separate zones: intertidalintertidal, , pelagicpelagic, , abyssalabyssal, , andand benthicbenthic. All four zones . All four zones have a great diversity of species. have a great diversity of species.

3.3. Some say that the ocean contains the Some say that the ocean contains the richest diversity of species even richest diversity of species even though it contains fewer species than though it contains fewer species than there are on land. there are on land.

Alaska’s Alaska’s Biomes!Biomes!

A rich diverse A rich diverse home to a home to a plethora of plethora of organisms.organisms.