Biomes and Ecosystems

1. Biomes and Ecosystems A Webquest for 4th Grade Designed by Christopher Becker, Joeie Puckett, Michael Ruthenberg, and Satura Thomas

2. Introduction Biomes are defined as "the world's major communities, classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment" (Campbell,1996). This web quest deals with both biomes and ecosystems because of the interactions displayed between the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. Enjoy the journey through each of these terrestrial biomes, while learning about the ecosystems that exist within each. Good luck and have fun.

3. TASK

4. PROCESS

5. Directions During your webquest, you will be able to click on any of these pictures to find out more about the biome of your choice. Have fun in your journey. We won’t tell anyone you’re learning. Your secret is safe with us! What animals live in this biome? Where is your biome found? What’s the weather like here? Action! Take me to a movie. Links to other websites

6. Where do you want to go? Begin your journey here by choosing which biome fits your specific interests or continue your journey to a different ecosystem.

7. Tundra Love the Winter Olympics? Hate getting sunburns? The tundra may be the place for you. Yes, it’s a little chilly and there isn’t much precipitation, but you can get almost 24 hours of daylight during some parts of the year! Click on any of the pictures to find out more.

8. Taiga The taiga is one of our planet’s harshest biomes. Although abundant with life, survival is difficult because of the cold climate and little precipitation. The word “taiga” comes from a Russian word meaning, “marshy, pine forest”. Click on any of the pictures to find out more about the taiga!

9. Temperate Forest If you love all four seasons, the temperate forest might be the place for you. Find an abundance of wildlife and plant life in this unique biome, possibly located in your own backyard! Click on a picture to find out more.

10. Tropical Rainforest Are you willing to get a few insect bites for the chance to visit the biome with the most species of animals? Sure it’s hot and wet, but the scenery is fantastic! Click a picture to find out more about the Tropical Rainforest.

11. Desert Like it dry? You’ve come to the right place. Did you know that there are both hot deserts and cold deserts? It’s true. Antarctica is the world’s largest cold desert! Click on one of the pictures to find out what makes the desert one of the most interesting and diverse biomes!

12. Grassland Feel like travelling to west central North America to possibly see some buffalo or maybe central Africa to see a lion or some elephants? The grassland biome is for you! Click on a picture to find out more about this biome!

13. Taiga Animals The taiga contains all sorts of furry creatures. Such animals as moose, wolverines, red squirrels, fox, and lynx all live in the taiga. What do these animals all have in common to battle the cold weather? Click the moose to go back!

14. Where is the Taiga found? Northern North America Northern Asia Northern Europe The taiga is located in the far north of North America, Europe, and Asia. Picture big pine trees covered in snow and you get the idea! The taiga has the largest area of any of the terrestrial (land) biomes! Click the moose to go back!

15. Taiga Weather and Climate The taiga has some of the harshest weather on the planet. It boasts some of the coldest temperatures with hardly any precipitation. The taiga only receives between 12 and 33 inches of precipitation a year! In the summer, the average temperatures range between 20 degrees and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, put your gloves and hat on because the temperature ranges between -65 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Click the moose to go back!

16. Taiga Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the moose to go back!

17. Taiga Links http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/index.htm http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/taiga.html http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/taiga/taiga.html http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/main.php?section=biomes&topic=taiga Click the moose to go back!

18. Desert Animals Roadrunner Life is a challenge for all life in the desert. To live in the desert, you must learn how to rid yourself of excess heat and you must learn how to obtain and retain your water. Needless to say, it’s difficult to do all of these things. Yet, all of these animals do. Amazing! Ostrich Horned Lizard Meerkat Sidewinder Rattlesnake Carcal Banded Gecko Bark Scorpion Sonoran Desert Toad Click the cactus to go back! Kangaroo Rat Black Widow Spider

19. Where is a desert found? Many deserts are found in bands along 30 degrees latitude north and 30 degrees latitude south (between the red lines on the map). Look at North Africa. That’s the largest desert, the Sahara! Around 2 million people still live there in the harsh conditions! Click the cactus to go back!

20. Desert Weather and Climate The desert is the hottest biome on the planet. The temperatures range from well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day to well below 32 degrees at night. Remember, deserts can be cold as well as hot! To be a desert, you must receive less than 50 cm of precipitation in a year. Most receive much less than that. Click the cactus to go back!

21. Desert Links http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/where.htm http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/desert_eco.html&edu=elem http://www.terragalleria.com/pictures-subjects/deserts/ http://www.tropix.co.uk/themes/deserts.htm Click the cactus to go back!

22. Desert Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the cactus to go back!

23. Tundra Animals The tundra is also the home of many specially adapted plants and animals found no where else in the world. Ravens, Hawks, Ptarmigans, Polar Bear, Caribou, Arctic Hare, Arctic Fox, Musk Ox, Mink, Weasel, Lemming, Wolf, Wolverine, Brown Bear, Vole, Walrus and Reindeer. Click the polar bear to go back

24. Where is a Tundra? The tundra is located at Located at latitudes 55° to 70° north. It covers the northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia, and Scandinavia. Click the polar bear to go back

25. Tundra Weather and Climate The tundra is an unusually cold and dry climate. Precipitation totals 6-10 inches of rain a year, which includes melted snow.Tundra is described as an area where levels of subsoil beneath the surface of the earth are permanently frozen. Winter temperatures don't reach above 20° F and average -20° to -30°F. Endless hour’s darkness settles in and the winds blow even harder. The average temperature of the warmest month is below 50° F. Click the polar bear to go back

26. Tundra Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the polar bear to go back

27. Tundra Links http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/biomes/tundra.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra.htm http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tundra.htm Click the polar bear to go back

28. Temperate Forest animals The temperate forest is home to a wide variety of animals including deer, bears, squirrels, garter snakes, and many types of birds. Click the squirrel to go back

29. Where is a Temperate Forest? Temperate forests are located the Eastern United States, most of Europe, Russia, Japan, and China. Click the squirrel to go back

30. Temperate ForestWeather and Climate Temperate forests, unlike most other biomes, have all four seasons. They lack some of the extreme temperatures of the other biomes. The distinguishing feature is the loss of leaves on some trees in the Fall. The average temperature in the forest is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation usually range between 30 and 60 cm per year. Click the squirrel to go back

31. Temperate Forest Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the squirrel to go back

32. Temperate Forest Links http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=3 http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tbdf/tbdf.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/tempforest.htm http://www.barrameda.com.ar/ecology/temperate-forest.htm Click the squirrel to go back

33. Tropical Rain Forest Animals The most abundant creatures in the rainforest are insects. Poison Arrow Frogs, African Forest Elephants, Bengal Tigers, Chimpanzees, Dawn Bats, Golden Lion Tamarins, Harpy Eagles, King Cobras, Orangutans, and Silvery Gibbons all live together in the Tropical Rain Forest. Click the tree frog to go back

34. Where is a Tropical Rain Forest? Rainforests are found in more than forty countries around the equator. They are located in the tropicswith primary locations in South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. Click the tree frog to go back

35. Tropical Rain ForestWeather and Climate The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C); average humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year. It rains more than ninety days a year and the strong sun usually shines between the storms. Click the tree frog to go back

36. Tropical Rain Forest Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the tree frog to go back

37. Tropical Rain Forest Links http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm http://kids.mongabay.com/ http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/trforest.htm http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/where.html Click the tree frog to go back

38. Grassland Animals The grasslands of North America use to be home to millions of bison, but were greatly reduced by humans. The grasslands of Africa include elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, and gazelles. Click the buffalo to go back

39. Where is a Grassland? Grasslands exist on every continent except Antarctica. They are found throughout central North America and South America. What biome is found to the north of the grasslands in Africa? They are generally flat and sometimes called savannas or prairies. Click the buffalo to go back

40. Grassland Weather and Climate Grasslands’ main vegetation is grass. They are usually found between forests and deserts because they do not get enough rain to become a forest, yet they receive enough rain to avoid becoming a desert. Grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. They also have seasonal droughts that controls the vegetation. Rainfall is between 20 and 35 inches per year. The African savanna has a yearly rainy and dry season. Rainfall averages between 20 and 50 inches per year. Click the buffalo to go back

41. Grassland Movie Click the reel to play the movie! Click the buffalo to go back

42. Grassland Links http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-profile.html http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm http://www.radford.edu/swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/savanna/savanna.html Click the buffalo to go back

43. EVALUATION

44. CONCLUSION

45. RESOURCES • Campbell, N.A. 1996. Biology, 4th Edition. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., Menlo Park, California. • All pictures were found in Google images or were a part of Microsoft Office images