Types of Ecosystems: Tundra, Deciduous Forest, Rainforest, Taiga, Grasslands, Desert, Marine, Freshwater

1. Tundra • A Place on Earth where it is so cold that trees do not grow (winter: often -50*F ) • Arctic Tundra: Far North • Alpine Tundra: Tops of Mountains • Covers 1/5 of the Earths Surface • Permafrost: Deeper layers of frozen soil.

2. Tundra Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • The Caribou, arctic hare, mink, weasel, lemming, wolf, wolverine, brown bear, vole and reindeer, polar bear, walrus and arctic fox. Many grasses, mosses flowers, and low shrubs. http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ecosystems.htm

3. Temperate Deciduous Forest • The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50° F. The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year.

4. Temperate Deciduous Forest Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • The American Bald Eagle, American Black Bear, Coyote, Duckbill Platypus, Eastern Chipmunk, European Red Squirrel, Fat Dormouse, Least Weasel and the, White-tailed Deer. Pecan, White Birch, White Oak, and many types of Grasses.

5. Tropical Rain Forest • All tropical rainforests are found along the equator where the temperatures and the humidity is always high. • Days are equal to the nights • Receives 4-8 meters of rain each year. • Amazon rainforests produce about 40% of the world's oxygen • One in four pharmaceuticals comes from a plant in the tropical rainforests • 1400 rainforest plants are believed to offer cures for cancer • 40% of tropical rainforests have already been lost in Latin America and Southeast Asia

6. Tropical Rain Forest Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • Within a four mile square area of a tropical rainforest, you would find: Over 750 species of trees 1500 different kinds of flowering plants 125 species of mammals 400 species of birds 100 reptiles 60 amphibians countless insects 150 species of butterflies

7. Coniferous Forest (Taiga) • Has a cold climate that supports coniferous trees (which means that they carry cones) and found at very high latitudes extending across Eurasia and North America. Rainfall in this climate is moderately high but is spread throughout the course of the year, with snow covering the ground in winter. • The days in the Taiga are very short in the winter (as short as six hours) with -65* to 30* F weather. • In the summer the days lengthen and plants grow rapidly with 20* to 70°F weather.

8. Coniferous Forest (Taiga) Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • The world's oldest trees are the bristlecone pines found in California. One of them is 4,600 year old. Coniferous trees grow thick bark to protect them from wildfires and there needles actually help keep coniferous trees warm during the winter. American Black Bear Bald Eagle Bobcat Canadian Lynx Gray Wolf Grizzly Bear Long-Eared Owl Red Fox River Otter Snowshoe Rabbit Wolverine Fir Trees Cedar Trees Pine Trees Birch Trees

9. GrassLaNDS • This biome is a highly seasonal environment of temperate regions. Grasslands stretch thousands of miles primarily in the continents of North America and Asia. A limited area of grasslands lies across southern South America. • Grasslands are extremely hot during the summer months and very cold during the winter months. (-40* to 70* F) The grasslands receive anywhere from 10-30 inches of rain per year.

10. GrassLaND Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • Lions, cheetahs, and coyotes are able to protect themselves by running very fast. Other large animals travel in groups. Elephants, zebras and rhinoceros roam the grasslands in huge herds. These herds are able to protect the smaller, weaker animals from lions and other predators. • Prairies, as grasslands are sometimes called, have many beautiful wildflowers.

11. Desert • The deserts lie between 20 degrees to 30 degrees north and south latitude. North Africa, southwestern North America, the Middle East, and Australia support the largest deserts, but there are smaller deserts in other regions. • Rainfall in the desert often totals a few inches yearly or, in some regions, there is absolutely none. • All months have average temperatures over 64° F

12. Desert Biotic Parts: Animals and Plants • The animals which live in this arid biome are usually light-colored and use camouflage to blend into their surroundings, and possibly for protection against predators. Different species of life in the desert include: jackrabbits kangaroo rats , owls snakes lizards tortoises Mesquite Trees Cactuses Joshua Trees

13. Marine Ecosystem • Marine Biomes cover about three-fourths of the Earth's surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Marine algae supply much of the world's oxygen supply and take in a huge amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide. • The pelagic zone includes those waters further from the land • The benthic zone is the area below the pelagic zone • The deep ocean is the abyssal zone

14. Freshwater Ecosystem • Freshwater is defined as having a low salt concentration — usually less than 1%. Plants and animals in freshwater regions are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration (i.e., ocean). There are 3 main types of freshwater regions Wetlands Ponds & Lakes Rivers & Streams