Land Biomes

1. Land Biomes Biome- geographic areas that have similar climates and ecosystems

2. The 6 most common biomes are: Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Tropical Rain Forest, Grassland and Desert

3. Desert • Extreme temperatures- Very hot during the day and cool at night • Very little rainfall • Less than 25 cm precipitation yearly • The soil ranges from gravel to sand. • Soil is nutrient poor. • Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earths surface

4. Plant Adaptations In The Desert • Desert plants have longer, deeper roots • Plants often grow sharp spines to fend off predators • Plants also grow at a slower rate to conserve energy • Some plants reduce the heat by facing leaves directly up or down to minimize surface area hit by the sun so less water is evaporated • Some have waxy resin that prevents much water from evaporating • Many plants space out from each other because the water is scarce • Some plants are able to store large amounts of water.

6. Animal Adaptations In The Desert • Some animals are nocturnal • Some have developed huge ears to pass off heat quickly • Other animals have adapted to the desert by storing body fat in their tails or in a hump like the camel • Some have fur on the bottom of its paws to protect them from the scorching desert sand • Some desert animals have evolved long appendages to lessen body heat • Some animals have adapted body heat regulators

8. Tundra - The Cold Desert • Found at latitudes around the North Pole • Less than 25 cm precipitation yearly • Very cold year round (-40ºC in winter) • Cold, dry, treeless region • Permafrost - layer of permanently frozen soil

9. Plant Adaptations In The Tundra • Tundra plants are small -- usually less than a foot highbecause: • Shallow soil lacks nutrients • helps them absorb heat from the dark soil, which helps keep them from freezing • more protected from cold and winds • Roots also are short and grow sideways, as they can’t penetrate the permafrost • Hairs on the stems of many tundra plants help to trap heat near the plant and act as protection from the wind .

10. Have small waxy leaves to prevent the loss of precious water • Have cup-shaped flowers that move with the sun • Can grow and flower at lower temperatures • Flower early in the summer to allow them to mature and put out seeds in the shortened growing season

11. Animal Adaptations In The Tundra • Some animals, such as bears, avoid the cold winter by sleeping right through it (hibernate) • Thick, shaggy coats of fur provides excellent insulation • Fur provides camouflage by keeping prey hidden against the snow • Some animals, such as polar bears and caribou, have hollow hairs on their body ..

12. Burrowing and living underground allows animals to avoid harsh weather and cold winds • Animals often have shorter limbs and extremities (ears) because a more compact frame reduces heat loss

13. Tropical Rain Forest • Hot and humid all year • High precipitation • Temperatures constant around 80ºF • Soil is nutrient poor and acidic • Most plants have shallow roots • Broad leaves to capture sunlight

14. Plant Adaptations In The Tropical Rain Forest • Trees have evolved to grow to immense heights • Most of the branches are up at the top of the trees with only smooth bark and flowers appearing on the body of the tree • Bark is also extra thick, allowing many of the trees to survive damages inflicted by animals • Most trees in the rain forest create toxic chemicals in their flowers to kill off insects • Tree leaves are broad and flat

16. Animal Adaptations In The Tropical Rain Forest • Many birds in the rain forest have strong, large beaks that can crush the extra thick shells of nuts • Insects in the rain forest are typically stronger than other insects across the world • Many animals in the rain forest protect themselves through camouflage • Many poisonous animals have vibrant colored skin as a way to warn other animals • Some animals live their entire life in the trees

18. The Taiga • Warmer and wetter than the Tundra • Winters are long and cold • 35 to 40 cm of precipitation yearly (mostly snow) • There is no permafrost, so trees can grow • . Found in parts of Canada, Alaska, and Russia

19. Plant Adaptations In the Taiga • Vast majority of taiga trees are coniferous spruce, pines and firs • Evergreens do not have to expend energy on creating new leaves • Small surface area of evergreen needles loses little water by evaporation • Evergreen needles have a waxy coating that serves as a protectant against wind and drought ..

20. Dark green needles that allows the plants to absorb the maximum amount of the sun's heat • Evergreens are uniformly conical in shape, allowing them to shed heavy snows with minimal damage to the trees' branches

21. Animal Adaptations In The Taiga • Animals have long, thick fur to keep warm’ • Animals change color in the winter to blend in with the snowy environment • Many species of songbirds and water fowl breed in the taiga in the spring and summer and then migrate south before the winter • Some animals survive taiga winters by hibernating • Smaller mammals cache food and spend winters in dens or burrows

23. Temperate Deciduous Forest • Wide range of temperatures with 4 seasons • Below freezing in winter to 30ºC in summer • Soil is rich in nutrients from layers of decomposing leaves

24. Plant Adaptations In The Temperate Deciduous Forest • The trees grow large leaves to absorb the most possible light during the growing season • Bark of deciduous trees is thicker and heartier to protect the inner core during long, hard winters • Smaller plants, such as flowers and ferns, grow early in the spring with long, quick-growing leaves to absorb as much sunlight as possible before the forest trees leaf and block the full strength of the sun

26. Animal Adaptations In The Temperate Deciduous Forest • animals spend much of the growing season preparing for winter by gathering nuts and seeds or by eating as much as possible • Many animals hibernate • Many birds migrate away from the temperate biome to warmer climates

28. Grasslands • Wet seasons followed by a season of drought • 25 to 75 cm precipitation yearly • The soil is rich and fertile. • The grass has extensive root systems, called sod.

29. Plant Adaptations In The Grasslands • Some plants that grow in grassland biomes germinate in the fall instead of the spring because no rain in summer • Plants have adapted to annual fire events • Their root systems are able to resprout following the fire event • Some plants produce seeds that require a fire event to begin the germination process • many plants have extensive root systems that absorb water at and below the ground surface.

31. Animal Adaptations In The Grasslands • Many animals are grazers • Other animals, such as prairie dogs, live in underground burrows that allow them to spend time in a cool environment rather than in the hot and windy conditions above ground • Large animals are gifted with adaptations like camouflage and speed • Armed with strong front legs and/or with sharp claws • A few animals are nocturnal