Biomes

1. Biomes • Biome: a large geographical area that has a particular type of community • Land ecosystems

2. DO NOW FRIDAY 9/20 • 1. Turn in Energy Pyramid Lab • 2. Clear desk except for a pen/pencil NO HOMEWORK: HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

3. Defining Biomes

4. Tropical Rain Forests • Found around the equator • Uniform climate throughout the year • High rainfall ~200-400 cm/yr • High humidity • Constant temp (25C) • Large variety of plants and animals

5. Savannas • Grasslands • Africa, S Amer, Australia • Small trees and shrubs • Rainy/Dry seasons • Warm temperatures

6. Deserts • Too dry for grasses • Mexico to Washington • S America, Africa, Asia, Australia • Less than 25 cm rain/yr • Very hot during the day, cold at night • Desert plants and animals are specially adapted to conserve water and keep cool • Cactus, lizards

7. Temperate Grasslands • Also called prairies • Central N Amer, Central Asia • Tall, thick grasses • No or few trees • Warm summers, cool winters • Coyotes, snakes, prairie dogs

8. Deciduous Forests • South of taiga • Europe, NE US, Canada • Hot, humid summers • Cold winters • Rainfall =75-150cm • Trees loose leaves in winter • Deer, racoons, squirrels, birds, insects

9. Taiga • South of the tundra • North Asia, Canada • Trees grow and form evergreen forests • Cold winters, a lot of snow, high precipitation • Growing season ~120 Days • Warmer summers • No permafrost • Moose, wolves, rodents, birds

10. Tundra • Region that lies south of ice caps of the arctic in the North • Low average temperature • Short growing season (~60 Days) • Not a lot of plants, no trees • Long, cold winters • Permafrost: layer of Earth that is always frozen • Reindeer, caribou, insects, birds

11. Water Ecosystems • Freshwater • Lakes, streams, rivers, ponds • Connected to land ecosystems • Marine • Many different ecosystems • Costal regions, surface, coral reefs, open ocean, deep waters