Unit 6 Biomes and Climate Regions

Unit 6 Objectives Upon completion of this unit, TSWBAT: 1.Describe the major biomes and climate regions of the world 2.Describe the animals and vegetation that are located in each biome 3.Identify biomes on a map based on latitude and longitude.

Part 1 Biomes

What is a Biome? Biomes are complex living communities maintained by the climate of a region and characterized by a distinctive type of vegetation. A biome’s structure and appearance are similar throughout its distribution. The world’s biomes are tropical rain forest, savanna, desert, temperate grassland, temperate deciduous forest, taiga and tundra. There are conflicting reports of how many biomes there are in the world.

Where are biomes located? Biomes are located throughout the world. Each continent with the exception of Antarctica has several different biomes and climate regions. Climate plays a huge role in determining the location and the type of biome of a particular place. There are 10 major terrestrial biomes in the world and 2 aquatic (water) biomes. Plants and animals are adapted to their biomes. For example, polar bears do not live in the desert and toucans do not live in the Tundra!

Biomes (con’t) The Taiga is the largest terrestrial biome in the world. The smallest biome is Each biome consists of unique animals and vegetation. Biomes are organized into four categories: 1. Forest Biomes 4. Tundra Biome 2. Grassland Biomes 3. Desert Biomes

Biomes (con’t) The four major biome categories can be further divided into many different subcategories. These subcategories often are referred to by different names in different parts of the world as well as at different latitudes. For example, coniferous forests are known as the Boreal Forest in North America and the Taiga in Russia.

Forest Biomes Coniferous, Deciduous, and Tropical Rain Forests

An Introduction Forests occur in the mid-latitudes from the tropical regions to the high latitudes. They have numerous trees and vegetation. Trees can reach 40 to 60 ft. in height! They generally live less than 300 years due to deforestation (the clearing and destruction of forests).

Coniferous Forests Approximately one-quarter of the forests biome is coniferous after the types of trees that grow there. Conifer trees grow cones that contain seeds. Examples of conifer trees are spruce, fir, and pine. The climate here is cold with little rainfall. Temperatures are below freezing 6 months out of the year.

Coniferous Forests (con’t) Summers only last 50 to 100 days. Locations include: The Pacific Northwest, the southeastern U.S., and the eastern U.S., Canada, Alaska, northern Europe, and northern Asia. During the winter, the ground is frozen. In the spring, the snow melts and the ground becomes swampy (the Taiga).

Coniferous Forests

Deciduous Forests Deciduous Forests are also known as Mid- latitude Deciduous Forests. It lies between the tropics (The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn) and the polar region. It is also associated with a variety of climate regions where average annual precipitation ranges between 30 to 60 inches. Average yearly temperature is at least 75°F but can be as high as 86°F.

Deciduous Forests (con’t) The word “deciduous” comes from the Latin word “deciduous”, which means to fall off or shed at a certain season. These forests experience all four seasons with no dry season. The soil here is generally very rich in nutrients. Plants and trees are also abundant. Trees lose their leaves during the fall and winter months and grow back during the spring and summer.

Deciduous Forests (con’t) These forests have tall, broad-leafed hardwood trees. Small flowers, shrubs, ferns, and grasses grow here. They are found across North America, Europe, and parts of China and Japan. They are often found near the ocean or a major body of water. This region also has high humidity (the measure of hw much water vapor is in the air).