Studied in 3rd grade as part of

the Science curriculum

Land Biomes

Scientists divide the Earth based on the distinctive plant and animal species that live in a region. This

region also has a specific climate.

There are many types of land biomes, but the ones most commonly talked about are:

Desert Grassland

Tundra

Taiga

Forest

• The desert biome receives, on average, less than 10 inches of rain per year.

• Animals have special adaptations to live here:– Nocturnal– Less fur– Scales

• Plants have special adaptations to live here:– Waxy skin– Needles– Shallow roots– Thick stems

The Desert

Return to land biomes

There are two types of grasslands, temperate and

tropical.

• A temperate grassland can

be found in North America

and is also known as a prairie.

• A tropical grassland can be

found in Africa and is also

known as a savanna.

The Grasslands

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• The prairies have a mild climate that has about 10 to 25 inches of rain on average per year. Animals that can be found here are prairie dogs and buffalo.

• The savannas are more hot and are typically warm all year round. Animals here consist of zebra and lions.

The Grassland Duo

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• The tundra can be found further north of the grasslands. This biome has low-growing plants as there is a layer underneath the soil that is permanently frozen. This is also known as permafrost.

• Plants that live here are moss and low growing shrubs.

The Tundra

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• This biome is south of the tundra and has evergreen forests. Animals from the north migrate to here in the winter.

The Taiga

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• There are two main types of forests, the tropical rain forests and the deciduous forests.

• The deciduous forests, so named because the leaves fall in autumn, have a temperate climate.

• The tropical rain forest has more than 200 cm of rainfall, on average, each year.

The Forests

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• The tropical rainforest has the most animal and plant species than in any other biome. – Plants have adapted to live in an environment that

allows for a lot of light, little light and catching the rain.

• Plant adaptations include long, broad leaves, growing tall, and being able to grow with little light.

– Animals have adaptations that allow them to live in an environment that has a many unusual plants and animals.

• Such animal adaptations include: bright colors, poisonous bodies, and long arms and tails.

The Tropical Rainforest’s Flora and Fauna

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• Since the temperature changes with the seasons, plants and animals have adapted to live in an ever changing environment.– Some animals hibernate during the winter

due to lack of food.– Trees lose their leaves and plants die due

to the cold temperature.

The Deciduous Forest’s Flora and Fauna

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Think About It

• If mankind were to use up all of the trees in the forest for fuel, paper and other products, a terrible chain of events would occur. The animals that once made the trees their homes would either die out because they used the trees as homes and food or they would move into another environment and cause competition for food and shelter. This in turn causes more problems, can you think of what else can happen?

• Can you think of something that mankind can deplete from a particular environment and what kinds of events would follow?