1. Biomes Section #1: What is a Biome?

2. Biomes of the World

3. What is a Biome? a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant & animal communities made up of many individual ecosystems

4. Biomes & Vegetation biomes get their name from the plants that grow in the area WHY? plants can’t move on their own (they’re stuck there!) plants determine what other organisms can live there (i.e. they’re the food source)

5. Biomes & Vegetation plants in a particular biome have characteristics, specialized structures, or adaptations that allow the plants to survive in that biome includes –size –shape –color –ability to conserve & retain water

6. Vegetation Examples rhododendron shrubs – need cooler temps mahogany trees – need warm, moist weather some shorter plants can’t get enough water to grow taller most desert plants don’t have leaves to conserve water

8. Biomes & Climate the climate in a region determines what plants can grow in that area this refers to the weather conditions –temperature –precipitation –humidity –prevailing winds in an area over a long period of time (average of 20-50 years or more)

9. Temperature & Precipitation most organisms are adapted to live within a particular range of temps bigger organisms need more water - this is limited by the amount of precipitation overall – higher temps and higher precipitation yields taller & denser vegetation

10. Latitude & Altitude latitude = the distance north or south of the equator (measured in degrees 0 to 90) altitude = the height of an object above sea level both affect climate

12. Latitude & Altitude As both latitude & altitude increase, the climate gets colder Ex. (latitude? altitude ? both?) –climbing up the mountain –moving to Alaska –driving the Canadian Rockies

13. Discussion: The equator passes through the country of Ecuador. The climate in Ecuador can range from hot & humid to cool & dry. Explain what might cause this range in climates.