The Earth’s Land The Earth’s Land BiomesBiomes

Book “I”Book “I”

Chapter 3Chapter 3

Pages 74 - 82Pages 74 - 82

What is a Biome?What is a Biome? A biome is a large geographical A biome is a large geographical

area characterized by a specific area characterized by a specific climate and climate and

the plants and animals that live the plants and animals that live there. there.

Major biomes include deserts, Major biomes include deserts, forests, grasslands, tundra, and forests, grasslands, tundra, and several types of aquatic several types of aquatic environments. environments.

Each biome consists of many Each biome consists of many ecosystems whose communities ecosystems whose communities have adapted to the small have adapted to the small differences in climate and the differences in climate and the environment inside the biome.environment inside the biome.

TROPICAL RAINFORESTTROPICAL RAINFOREST

INTERESTING FACTS-THIN AND NUTRIENT

POOR SOIL, ALWAYS WARM AND

WET

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE- 77 to

82 DEGREES FARENHEIT

AVERAGE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF

PRECIPITATION- 200cm OR MORE, RAIN

ANIMALS-MONKEYS, TREE FROGS, JAGUARS,

LEMURS

RAINFOREST ANIMALS RAINFOREST ANIMALS AND VEGETATIONAND VEGETATION

VEGETATION-BOUGAINVILLEA,

MAHOGANY, BAMBOO, FERNS

TROPICAL DESERTSTROPICAL DESERTS

Average temperature - 61 to 120 degrees

Fahrenheit

Average amount and type of precipitation-

0 to 25cm of rain

Interesting facts- winters in hot deserts

are usually mild, majority of hot

deserts are tropical deserts.

ANIMALS AND ANIMALS AND VEGETATION OF VEGETATION OF THE THE TROPICAL DESERTTROPICAL DESERT

Animals- kangaroo rats, toads, lizards,

and bats

Vegetation- barrel cactus,

euphorbia, shrubs, and thorny trees

INTERESTING FACTS - Generally nutrient-poor soil and grass fires common during dry season.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE - 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit

AVERAGE AMOUNT and TYPE of PRECIPITATION- 100 cm of rain

Tropical Savanna Tropical Savanna AnimalsAnimals and and

VegetationVegetation

Vegetation-tall

grasses, trees, thorny shrubs,

kangaroo paw

Animals-crocodiles, hyenas, giraffes, and gazelles

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE- 32 TO 82 DEGREES FERINHEIT

AVERAGE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION-

76 TO 250CM OF RAIN

INTERESTING FACT - VERY FERTILE AND

ORGANIC SOIL, SUMMERS ARE

WARM WINTERS ARE COLD

Temperate Forest Temperate Forest Animals and VegetationAnimals and Vegetation

Animals- Deer, wolves, black bears, and wild cats

Vegetation- Guelder rose, trees, shrubs, and lady ferns

Temperate GrasslandsTemperate Grasslands

Average Temperature - 21 to 78 degrees

Fahrenheit.

Average type and amount of precipitation-38 to 76 cm of

rain

Interesting Facts- contains the most fertile soil of all

biomes, too little rainfall for trees

to grow

Temperate Grasslands Temperate Grasslands Animals and VegetationAnimals and Vegetation

Animals-Lynx, kangaroo, antelope, and bison

Vegetation- sweet vernal, croplands, grasses, and tumbleweed

Interesting facts- rocky, nutrient-poor soil, vegetation adapted to fire

Average temperature- 51 to 78 degrees

Fahrenheit

Average amount and type of precipitation-48 to 56cm of

rain

Chaparral Animals Chaparral Animals and Vegetation and Vegetation

Animals- Kit fox,

wolves, elk, and ground

squirrels

Vegetation- King protea,

herbs, evergreen

shrubs, and scrubby

trees

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE - 30 t0 120 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT

AVERAGE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF PRECIPITATION - 0 TO 25 CM OF RAIN

INTERESTING FACTS- POOR SOIL WITH LITTLE ORGANIC MATTER, TENDS TO BE A COLD DESERT.

TEMPERATE DESERT TEMPERATE DESERT ANIMALS AND ANIMALS AND VEGETATIONVEGETATION

ANIMALS - TURTLES,

KANGAROO RATS,

LIZARDS, AND TOADS

VEGETATION - CACTUS, SHRUBS, THORNY TREES,

AND SUCCULENTS

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE - - 17 TO -41 DEGREES

FARINHEIT

AVERAGE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION-

O-25 CM OF SNOW

INTERESTING FACTS-FROZEN

SOIL, MANY BIRDS MIGRATE TO THE TUNDRA DURING THE SUMMER TO FEED ON INSECTS

TUNDRA ANIMALS AND TUNDRA ANIMALS AND VEGETATIONVEGETATION

ANIMALS-WOLVES, RABBITS,

ARCTIC FOX, POLAR BEARS

VEGETATION-MOSSES, LICHENS,

SEDGES, BEARBERRY

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE -

14 TO 59 DEGREES

FARINHEIT

AVERAGE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION- 40 TO 60 CM OF

SNOW

INTERESTING FACTS- ACIDIC SOIL, LONG COLD WINTERS AND SHORT WARM SUMMERS

TAIGA ANIMALS AND TAIGA ANIMALS AND VEGETATIONVEGETATION

ANIMLAS-RABBITS,

ELK, WOLVES,

BEARS

VEGETATION- PINE TREES, MOSSES,

LINCHENS, SPRUCE TREES

Average temperature

- 50 to 59 degrees

Fahrenheit

Average amount and

type of precipitation-

30 cm of snow; windy

Interesting facts-Mountain

altitudes of 10,000 feet or

more, only about 200 different

species of mountain plants

Mountains Animals Mountains Animals and Vegetation and Vegetation

Vegetation - bear grass, wild potatoes, moss, and pine

Animals - alpaca, snow leopard, condor, and yak

BibliographyBibliography

• Holt Science and Technology, Weather and Climate: Holt Reinhart and Winston. Text Book

• www.bluplanetbiomes.org. Online. Accessed January 29, 2005

• Tropical Forests Africa. editors, Jeffrey A. Sayer, Caroline S. Harcourt, N. Mark Collins . Simon and Schuster. 1992, New York

• Savage, Stephen. Animals of the rain forest . Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1997. Austin Texas.

THE ENDMade by: Laura Calai & Samantha Ragan