Biomes Living Environment

Objectives I can define the term biome. I can identify the characteristics of major land biomes.

What is a biome? A biome is a large geographic area with the same climate and similar plants and animals.

Tropical Rain Forest Hot and wet year-round Nutrient-poor soil Great biodiversity (many different living organisms) Near the equator

Grassland/Savanna Hot, dry summers and colder winters Fertile soils Dominant plants are grasses

Temperate Deciduous Forest Warm summers and cold winters Adequate precipitation Dominant plants are broadleaf deciduous trees

Taiga/Boreal Forest Short, mild summers and long, cold winters Adequate precipitation Dominant plants are coniferous trees

Tundra Short, wet summers and very long, cold winters Low precipitation Permafrost – layer of permanently frozen subsoil Dominant plants are mosses and lichens

Desert Very low precipitation Variable temperatures Dominant plants are cacti and other succulents

CFU What two major abiotic factors affect the distribution of biomes? What biome do we live in? Which biome has the most biodiversity? Summarize variations in climate among three major biomes as you travel north from the equator toward the North Pole.