Biome Project

1. Biome Project Desert, Chaparral, Tropical Rainforest, Savanna By Mark, Andrew, Rosanna, and Mike

2. The Desert

3. Deserts Deserts are found in every continent and cover almost one fifth of Earth's land surface area. there are four different types of deserts. There is the Hot and Dry Deserts, Semiarid Deserts, Coastal Deserts and Cold Deserts. Hot and Dry Deserts are found in North America, southern Asia, Cental America, South America, Africa and Australia. Semiarid Deserts are found in North America, Greenland, Russia, Europe and northern Asia. Coastal Deserts are found in North America, Greenland, Russia and Europe. Cold Deserts are found at the two poles. The biggest is Antarctica and the second is the Arctic. 

4. Temperature There are four major types of deserts. Hot and Dry Average: 20-25° C(Summer), Maximum: 43.5-49° C, Minimum: -18° C Semiarid Average: 21-27° C(Summer), Maximum: 38° C, Minimum: 10° C Coastal Average: 13-24° C(Summer), Maximum: 35° C, Minimum: -4° C Cold Average: 21-26° C(Summer)/ -2 - 4° C(Winter)

5. Precipitation Hot and Dry Deserts Atacama receives the least rainfall at less than 1.5 cm of annual rainfall, the Inland Sahara has around 1.5 cm of annual rainfall but some North American Deserts can have around 28 cm of annual rainfall. Semiarid Deserts Average precipitation at around 2-4 cm annually.  Coastal Deserts Average precipitation at around 8-13 cm annually. Cold Deserts Average precipitation around 15-26 cm annually.

6. Latitude Deserts are found at all latitudes so the range would be 0° N to 0° S. an individual desert has the average latitude range of 15-28°. Contrary to what many people believe deserts are not a direct result of heavy sunlight. But an extremely low amount of precipitation. Looking at a physical map of the world it is apparent that deserts are not necessarily located at the equator. 

7. My Impression Deserts always seem to have a connotation of desolation and death. A stereotypical image of a desert includes tumbleweeds and the skull of some animal with antlers. But the deserts of the world are teeming with life and the conditions of a desert seem almost other worldly.

8. Saguaro Cactus The Saguaro Cactus has smooth and waxy skin that  is covered with spines. The spines grow on the ribs of the cactus. The Saguaro Cactus thrives in the dry and hot climates of deserts. The Saguaro Cactus grows in the desert because it requires little water. Its spines help keep cool, gather rainfall and redirect winds. Plants

9. Palo Verde The Palo Verde is a shrub or small tree that has green bark with thorns on its trunk. The bark is green because it contains chlorophyll which allows the plant to still continue photosynthesis without its leaves. The Palo Verde has roots that run very deep in order to access water in the ground. The plant can also shed branches in events of severe drought.

10. Desert Tortoise The Desert Tortoise is found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of Southern California. the turtles has digging and burrowing abilities and will hide in these burrows to escape heat or cold. The Desert Tortoise lives in the desert because it is accustomed to the plants and climate. if the tortoise eats anything unfamiliar it takes around 4 months for their digestive tracts to get used to it. Animals

11. Desert Kangaroo Rat The Desert Kangaroo has hind legs that resemble an actual Kangaroo, and the little rodent moves like a Kangaroo too. the rat burrows and created tunnels where they live. the Desert Kangaroo Rat has adapted tot he low amounts of water by gaining most of its water from its food. they kick sand at things to see if they're alive and they have cheek pouches that can store food for up to four weeks. it lives in the desert because its fur has adapted the brownish color, its adaptations allow it to store water and it needs dry dirt and sand to dig into. 

12. Temperature Deserts are known for high temperatures but in the night the heat escapes back into the atmosphere. The huge temperature ranges of day to night force its species to adapt to both.  Water The desert is a very dry biome. It's annual precipitation is minimum and the desert temperatures evaporate  any remaining water on the surface. The lack of water forces its species to develop ways of storage and conservation. Abiotic Factors

13. Disturbances Let's say there is a volcanic eruption and it covers the a certain desert. All life would be temporarily destroyed, immediately following the eruption. However, once the soot and ash has cooled down secondary succession would begin. the plants would thrive well in the ash because it's not a huge variation from the type of ground the plants are already in. And the addition of nutrients from volcanic ash would also be beneficial to desert plants. the animals on the other hand would be all killed, but if their are eggs buried deep beneath the ground or some animals that are burrowed perhaps they could survive. and the various bird species would be fine too, they can fly away during the eruption. 

14. Chaparral

15. Climate and Location Average Temperature:Temperatures are subtropical with the cold ocean influence. The climate is characterized by a cool wet winter, and hot dry summers. California is one of the five places where plants like this grow. Temperature usually between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. Rainfall totals under 10 inches per year so drought is often an issue. This property of chaparral actually qualifies it as a desert. Hold more than 20% of the earths plant diversity. In latitude range about 53 to 65 degrees North in the coastal range but the mountain range is at 32 to 60 degrees north.

16. Impressions • The chaparral Biome, although the plants which grow there are not very exotic, it has a very temperate climate with little rainfall. Because it is sub tropical with a cold ocean influence, temperatures never reach unbarable extremes. Its little rainfall and nice weather make it a good vacation spot, but it would not be a great place to live. Life there is very mundane, especially in the plants. There are also natural desturbance dangers, which constantly threaten its inhabitants. Wildfires are common because there is less then 10 inches of rainfall per yeaar, thus the plants that live there are acclimated to this amount of precipitation, which makes them dry, and scrubby. It catches on fire very easily.

17. Plant Species • Artemisia California: Artemisia California or California Sage Brush is an aromatic plant about 2-4 feet in height. Its leaves have a scent that can be used as an insect repellant. The brush prospers on steep coastal slopes, and rocky ridgetops, where it can be exposed to extreme drought.. The drought characteristic of Chaparral from direct sunlight, and little rainfall causes it to loose its leaves. The brush typically prevents other vegetation from growing in proximity. A plant with dark green, aromatic, triangular leaves. • Black Sage: The Black Sage plant has a black, aromatic, triangular leaf. It is very susceptible to dry climate, which is why it is the only stuff that can grow in Chaparral.

18. Oceanlight.com Larnerseeds.com

19. Animal Species • Butterflies: Between 150 and 200 hundred butterfly species live in rely on chaparral’s scrubby, Mediteranean like palnts to complete their life cycle. To have a complete life cycle, these endangered species need a cornucopia of things to eat, and recources to raise their young. The Mission Blue Butterfly specifically relies on scrubby plants like buckwheat, golden aster and wild hyacinth. Lupine is crucial to their reproduction for it is where female lay their eggs. The offspring can then eat the lupine leaves as well. Since the Mission Blue butterflies have been confined to just a few costal sage sites and are becoming endangered, for they can live anywhere else. • Merriams Kangaroo Rat: The kangaroo rat has specific adaptations to life in a dry climate such as Chaparral. Its life is made possible by its specialized kidneys, which allows it to process the seeds that are found in the Chaparral Biome. They eat Mesquite beans, green vegitation, and some insects. They live in underground burrows. They have puches for carrying seeds.

20. Calacademy.com Oceanoasis.org

21. Abiotic Factors • Drought: Drought in Chaparral is actually so severe that it can be classified as a desert. It is impressive that Chaparral has so many plants and animal species that are so accustomed to living in areas with so little water. Everything has adaptaitions to resist the drought. Plants have small leaves to reduce moisture loss, and animals, can get there water from unusual sources.Life in Chaparral with respect to drought is unlike life in any other Biome. • Fire: Fire is so common in Chaparall that it is actually important in plants’ natural life cycle. They actually need fire to germinate. Re-growth after a fire is typically very quick.

22. Natural Disater • Fires are very common in the chaparral Biome, and in fact any species that is not resilient to fire probably will not be able to live there. Even though fire destroys virtually everything above the ground, the plants are designed so that the seeds, roots, and tubers are unharmed. In fact in many of these plants extreme heats from fire assist in the process of germination, for the seeds drop after a fire comes. The regrowth or succession after a fire can be summed up in two main processes, the reseeders, and the resprouters羊eseeders produce new plants from the seeds that get dispersed through the soil, while resprouters grow from roots that weren稚 affected by the fire. Regrowth in Chaparral begins quickly even without any rain, starting with crown sprouters. After the first rain, seeds begin to germinate and succeed the crown sprouters.

23. Tropical Rainforest

24. Where Can It be Found? The tropical rain forest can be found within 28 degrees north or south of the equator in three major geographical areas around the world • Central America in the the Amazon river basin. • Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern Madagascar. • Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

25. Characteristic Climate • The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93°F or drops below 68°F • Typical precipitation can range from125 cm to 660 cm yearly • It rains nearly a quarter of the time, but since the majority gets blocked by the large areas of canopy, only a portion can reach the soil.

26. Characteristic Climate • Has a rainy, cool summer but a warm spring. • The air is oppresively humid and sticky because the environment is hot and wet (Imagine living in a steam room) • The average humidity is from 70 to 90 %

27. Humidity • The moisture of the rainforest from rainfall, constant cloud cover, and transpiration (water loss through leaves), creates intense local humidity. • High humidity of air traps warmth and helps temperature remain stable all year long which allows most rainforest trees to be evergreen—keeping their leaves all year and never dropping all their leaves in any one season

28. Soil • Soil in the tropical rainforests is very nutrient poor. The topsoil is only one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) deep • Plants store the nutrients in themselves rather than getting them from the soil • Heavy rain washes minerals out of the soils, leaving them acidic and nutrient poor.

29. Plant Species Bougainvillea • Bougainvillea prefers a tropical climate because it likes to cling and grab onto other plants to reach the sunlight. • It can tolerate semi-shaded areas and it can also tolerate full sun, but it tends to climb upward towards the sun • It doesn’t like swampy soil which is not common in tropical forest because water drains fast in tropical forest

30. Plant SpeciesDurian Tree • It grows in lowland rainforests, and is native to Borneo, Indonesia and Malaysia • Scientists think it is one of the first plants to rely on animals to disperse its seed. • It is dependent on a small nocturnal bat, called the Dawn Bat, for its pollination. Without the bat the durian cannot fruit

31. Animal Species Dawn Bat • The Dawn Bat is a small Southeast Asian rainforest bat which lives in the mangrove and lowland forests • Dawn Bats roost in limestone caves and are only active at night • Main pollinators of many rain forest trees • Their favorite flowers are from the Durian trees whose flowers are large and waxy and only bloom at night

32. Animal SpeciesHarpy eagle • It lives in the tropical lowland rainforests of Central and South America, southern Brazil and the northernmost parts of Argentina • It hunts about 19 species of medium sized and large mammals that live in trees • It hunts by sitting quietly and listening for prey for long periods of time in the canopy of the forest, then pouncing on their prey in short bursts of speed • Harpy eagles need large tracts of forest to hunt in.

33. Recovery From Forest Fire • If a big forest fire destroys all the vegetation in the forest, the soil will remain intact although not rich. • Secondary succession occurs • The earliest plants to recolonize are mainly herbaceous plants whose seeds are carried to bare soil by wind and animals. • The earliest herbaceous plants make the soil fertile and suitable for later larger plants • Larger plants settle in and compete with earlier species • Eventually Large plants dominate the area and the nutrient level of soil lowers again

34. Savanna

35. Climate and Location • Temperature range: 20ｰ - 30ｰ C • Annual precipitation: 100-150 cm rain • Latitude: African Savanna between latitude 15ｰ North and 30ｰ South

36. Impresions • The savanna is large, open grassland scattered with trees. The savanna is warm year round, the temperature varying slightly between its long dry winter and its shorter wet summer. The savanna is home to a number of large herbivores and the large predators that eat them, as well as some smaller species.

37. Plants • Senegal Gum Acacia found in the African grassland savanna. The Senegal gum acacia grows only in the savanna because it grows best in sandy soil and requires 12-15 inches of rain a year, it would not be able to survive in a place that was wetter or dryer than the savanna. • 2. Elephant Grass is found along lake and river beds in the savanna. It requires the richer soil of the lake and river beds and is killed by a light frost, making the warm savanna a perfect place for this plant to grow. bidorbuy.co.za Hear.org

38. Animals: Lion Lions are one of the main predators of the savanna. Lions ecological niche includes medium to large game as food, small amounts of water, and open space in which they are able to hunt as a group. Lions live in the savanna because the savanna is a large open space in which many large game animals live. Other biomes do not have either the open space necessary for group hunting or lack large prey animals.

39. Animals: Bush Elephant The Savanna or Bush Elephant is another species found in the savanna. The savanna elephant is a herbivore that eats grasses, fruits, tree leaves, bark, shrubs and vines. (Savanna Animals, Blue Planet) They require lots of food and they require bodies of water to drink and to help keep them cool. They live in the savanna because the large expanses of grassy land provide the huge quantities of food they need as well as small bodies of water, however spread out they may be. The large amounts of open land allow elephants are able to travel to new pastures and new water as they consume the resources in a certain area. .

40. Abiotic Characteristics • The warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall are two aboitic factors that characterize the savanna. The year round warm temperature sets the savanna apart from biomes to the north and south which experience a more dramatic change in temperature during the year. The seasonal rain sets the savanna apart from other biomes that are warm year round, such as the rainforest. The temperature and rain fall set the savanna apart from other biomes, as well as shaping the ecosystems that will flourish in such a climate. These two factors, more than the other abiotic factors of the savanna, dictate which plants will and will not survive, the plants in turn ensure the survival of some animal species and the inability for others to survive on the savanna.

41. disaster Fire is a common occurrence in the savanna, caused by dry grasses and lightening; many of the plants of the savanna have adapted to the conditions and are fire resistant. After such a fire the succession of plant re-growth, excluding the plants not harmed in the fire, would begin with the small grasses. The grasses would be followed by larger grass plants and shrubs, and then finally by trees.

42. Sources • http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/rainforest_ecology.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest#Natural_History • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_climate_page.htm • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm • "Savanna Biomes." Blue Planet Biomes. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm>. • "Savanna Biome." PlantZAfrica.com Homepage. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.plantzafrica.com/vegetation/savanna.htm>. • McShaffrey, Dave. "Environmental Biology Sequence - Grasslands." Marietta College. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/grasslnd.html>.

43. Sources http://www.google.com/imgres?q=palo+verde&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&hs=wGZ&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=iIy64QfcPS4JnM:&imgrefurl=http://ceancolcord.com/webquest/index.html&docid=7lOnrCs3u0XYjM&w=380&h=285&ei=9teBTpqNB4Pr0gGm64ls&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=105&vpy=228&dur=401&hovh=139&hovw=173&tx=92&ty=109&page=6&tbnh=139&tbnw=173&start=39&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:39&biw=940&bih=528 http://www.google.com/imgres?q=saguaro+cactus&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=CR0RA5E7EbaZkM:&imgrefurl=http://amazing-seeds.com/saguaro-cactus-carnegeia-gigantea-seeds-p-54.html&docid=6cbmpNsj8SAkYM&w=338&h=450&ei=iNiBTrGCKafn0QGT9oS1AQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=347&page=1&tbnh=153&tbnw=136&start=0&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&tx=114&ty=53&biw=940&bih=528 http://www.google.com/imgres?q=desert+tortoise&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=GC1SUPxJ0TlmDM:&imgrefurl=http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/impacts/biology/tortoise1/&docid=Rnv2xW20PoDiiM&w=452&h=281&ei=stiBTqa_CeXm0QGXyJCqAQ&zoom=1&biw=940&bih=528 http://www.google.com/imgres?q=desert+kangaroo+rat&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=PXm7x5tDaUt1tM:&imgrefurl=http://tucsoncitizen.com/wryheat/2009/11/12/creatures-of-the-night-kangaroo-rat/&docid=wDGZHm1uVO1hrM&w=450&h=300&ei=1tiBTp2wJKnY0QHDpcSWAQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=574&page=1&tbnh=105&tbnw=153&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&tx=81&ty=67&biw=940&bih=528

44. More Sources http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm

45. Image Sources • http://www.allabouthappylife.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/tropical_flowers/ • http://klchin.blogspot.com/2009/02/orchard-and-farm-visit-at-balik-pulau.html • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/dawn_bat.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpy_Eagle • HOTSPOT: California On The Edge." California Academy of Sciences - San Francisco Museum and Planetarium - Bay Area Natural History Museum. Web. 24 Sept. 2011."Chaparral Biome." Blue Planet Biomes. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. HOTSPOT: California On The Edge." California Academy of Sciences - San Francisco Museum and Planetarium - Bay Area Natural History Museum. Web. 24 Sept. 2011."Chaparral Biome." Blue Planet Biomes. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. • oceanlight.com • larnerseeds.com • calacamdemy.com • oceanoasis.org • bidorbuy.co.za • hear.org

46. Image Sources continued • zambiatourism.com • currencewiki.wikispaces.com