1. 1. Review- List the major biomes and describe on characteristic of each Compare and Contrast- Choose two very different biomes- for each select a common plant and animal and compare how the plants and animals have adapted to their biomes 2.Sequence- Imagine you are hiking up a mountain in the temperate forest biome. Describe how the plant life might change as you climb toward the summit

2. Ch 4 Ecosystems and Communities
4.4 Biomes

3. Biomes
Described in terms of abiotic factors like climate and soil type, and biotic factors like plant and animal life
Affected by latitude, winds, and proximity to mountains and oceans
Associated with seasonal patterns of temperature and precipitation.

4. Regional Climate

6. Tropical Rain Forest
Home to more species than all the other biomes combined
Get at least 2 meters of rain a year
Canopy
Tall dense trees form leafy covering 50+ meters high
Understory
Shaded region under canopy with shorter trees and vine.

7. Tropical Rain Forest

8. Tropical Rain Forest Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Hot and wet year-round
Thin, nutrient-poor soils that erode easily
Biotic Factors
Plants have large leaves to compete for sunlight
Buttress tree roots for support
Epiphytic plants (parasitic) don’t touch ground
Animals active all year
Many adaptations for climbing, jumping, and/or flight.

9. Tropical Dry Forest Rainy seasons alternate with dry seasons
Short period of rain is followed by a prolonged period of drought.

10. Tropical Dry Forest

11. Tropical Dry Forest Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Warm year-round, alternating wet and dry seasons
Rich soils are subject to erosion
Biotic Factors
Deciduous plants lose leaves during dry season
Extra thick waxy layer on their leaves to reduce water loss
Estivation- reduced activity of animals during dry season
Seasonal migration.

12. Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland
More seasonal rainfall than deserts but less than tropical dry forests
Grassy areas spotted with isolated trees and small groves of trees and shrubs
Compacted soils, fairly frequent fires, and the action of large animals prevent some areas from turning into dry forest.

13. Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland

14. Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland
Abiotic Factors
Warm, with seasonal rainfall
Compact soil and frequent fires from lightning
Biotic Factors
Waxy leaf coverings and seasonal leaf loss
High silica content in plants to make them less appealing for grazing
Migrate during the dry season in search of water
Burrow and remain dormant for dry season.

15. Desert Less than 25 centimeters of precipitation annually
Extreme daily temperature changes
Vary greatly depending on elevation and latitude.

16. Desert

17. Desert Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Low precipitation and variable temperatures
Soils rich in minerals, poor in organic material
Biotic Factors
Store water in their tissues
Specialized leaves with low surface area
Modified photosynthesis- stomata open at night
Nocturnal
Water comes from food
Large extremities to aid body cooling.

18. Temperate Grassland Covered vast areas of the U.S.
Maintained by periodic fires and heavy grazing by herbivores
Now mainly crops due to high nutrients.

19. Temperate Grassland

20. Temperate Grassland Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Thick, rich, high nutrient soil
Biotic Factors
Resistant to grazing and fire (grow from base)
Wind dispersal of seeds
Extensive root systems
Camouflage and burrowing are common.

21. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland
Frequent fires due to plants with high oil content
Varries from
Chaparral- mostly shrubland
Woodland- oaks with large areas or grasses.

22. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland

23. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland
Abiotic Factors
Hot dry summers and cool moist winters
Thin, nutrient-poor soils and experience periodic fires
Biotic Factors
Adapted to drought, tough waxy leaves
Some seeds germinate only with fire
Varied diets
Camouflage.

24. Temperate Forest
Deciduous and evergreen coniferous (cone bearing) trees
Cold winters
Rich, fertile soils with humus- decaying organic matter.

25. Temperate Forest

26. Temperate Forest Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Cold to moderate winters and warm summers
Year-round precipitation and fertile soils
Biotic Factors
Deciduous trees go dormant in winter
Coniferous trees have “needles” to lower water loss
Hibernation, migration, camouflage.

27. Northwestern Coniferous Forest
Mild moist air from the Pacific Ocean
Abundant rainfall due to mountains
“Temperate Rain Forest”
Variety of conifers, along with flowering trees and shrubs such as dogwood and rhododendron. Moss often covers tree trunks and the forest floor.

28. Northwestern Coniferous Forest

29. Northwestern Coniferous Forest
Abiotic Factors
Mild temperatures
High precipitation in fall, winter, and spring
Cool dry summer
Soils are rocky and acidic
Biotic Factors
Lush, dense plant growth, among the world’s tallest
Browsers- wide variety in diet.

30. Boreal Forest Taiga Dense forests of coniferous evergreens
Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are mild and long enough to allow the ground to thaw.

31. Boreal Forest

32. Boreal Forest Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Moderate precipitation and high humidity
Acidic and nutrient-poor soil
Long cold winter and short mild summer
Biotic Factors
Conifers
Shape sheds snow, low water loss, dark green absorbs sunlight
Extra insulation- fat or downy feathers
Migration

33. Tundra
Permafrost
Layer of permanently frozen subsoil
Short cool summer thaws ground a few centimeters and becomes soggy
Cold temperatures, high winds, a short growing season, and humus-poor soils also limit plant height.

34. Tundra

35. Tundra Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors
Strong winds and low precipitation
Long, cold, dark winters
Poor soil
Biotic Factors
Low-growing plants avoid wind damage
Many legumes
Adaptations such as natural antifreeze, small extremities that limit heat loss, and a varied diet
Migration.

36. “Others” Mountain Ranges Polar Ice Caps.
Rainfall and temperature goes down as elevation goes up
Polar Ice Caps.