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Susan Martin

By. Susan Martin. What is a Biome?. Scientists have developed the term Biome to describe areas on the earth with similar climate, plants, and animals. The plants and animals that live in a specific biome are physically well adapted for that area.

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Susan Martin

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  1. By Susan Martin

  2. What is a Biome? • Scientists have developed the term Biome to describe areas on the earth with similar climate, plants, and animals. • The plants and animals that live in a specific biome are physically well adapted for that area. • Plants and animals that live in a specific biome share similar characteristics with other plants and animals in that biome throughout the world. • The types of biomes that will be explored during this exercise include: Tundra, Deserts, Grasslands, Taiga, Temperate Forests, and Rainforests

  3. World Biomes EXIT Click on the Biome you wish to explore Tundra Desert Temperate Forest Taiga Rainforest Grassland Biome Activity Go to Specific Activity Question

  4. Location: North & South America, Africa, Middle East, Australia, and Asia • Description: Extremely hot and dry (less than 10 inches of rain a year). Some deserts can be cold at night (40s or 50s) • Plants: Cacti, small bushes, and short grasses. Desert plants are adapted to collect and store water, and/or reduce water loss. • Animals: Animals in this biome must adapt to intense heat and lack of water. Some animals never drink water, instead they get water from the seeds and plants that they consume. Many animals are nocturnal so that they do not have to combat the sun’s heat. Click here to see more examples of Desert plants and animals Gila Monster Sidewinder EXIT

  5. More Desert Plants and Animals Lappet Faced Vulture Cactus Wren Thorny Devil Hairy Old Man Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Saguaro Cactus EXIT

  6. Location: Every continent except Antarctica • Description: Grasslands are big open spaces. There are not many bushes in the grassland. Trees are found only by rivers and streams. • Plants: Grasses (prairie clover, salvia, oats, wheat, barley, coneflowers) • Animals: Many large herds of grazing animals such as zebras or bison. Animals live in herds for protection, because there are few trees and bushes to camouflage themselves. Click here to see more Grassland plants and animals American Bison Zebra EXIT

  7. More Grassland Plants and Animals Brown Hyena Black tailed prairie dog Giraffe Coneflower Salvia Wheat Grass EXIT

  8. Location: Near the equator between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. South America, Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa • Description: Two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Several varieties of exotic plants and animals. Lush greens and vibrant colors. • Plants: Vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns. Most plants must compete for sunlight and nutrients due to their dense population. The majority of common houseplants come from the rainforest. • Animals: Life inside the wet tropical rainforest is bustling with slithering snakes and chirping birds. An animal must be both smart and strong to survive in this environment.    Click here to see more examples of Rainforest Plants and Animals Jungle Python Green Winged Macaw EXIT

  9. More Rainforest Plants and Animals Capybara Flying Dragon Chimpanzee Bamboo Orchid EXIT Banana Tree

  10. Location: Regions south of the ice caps in the Artic. In North America, Europe, and Siberia. • Description: Coldest biome and also covers 1/5 of the Earth’s surface. • Plants: lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs. Almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost • Animals: Every animal must adapt in order to survive. Some have grown thick fur which turns white in the winter. Others find a place to hibernate during the winter months. Click here to see more Tundra Plants and Animals Polar Bear Artic Fox Tundra EXIT

  11. More Tundra Plants and Animals Snowy Owl Siberian Lynx Caribou Cotton Plants Yellow Tundra Flower EXIT Lichen

  12. Freshwater Ecosystems “Wetlands” • Salinity <0.5 ppt. • Lake are the deepest of fresh water systems • Lakes are fed by underground aquifer or stream • Ponds are fed by rainfall and may be seasonal http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/

  13. Ponds • Sun can reach bottom • Fed by rainfall • May be seasonal • Algae and plants throughout Microscopic Animals and Algae

  14. Lakes and ponds—Abiotic Factors Littoral zone: nutrient rich area found close to shore www.dnr.wi.gov Benthic zone: bottom of the lake where no sunlight can reach. www.uwsp.edu

  15. Lakes and ponds: Plants and Animals Adaptations • Plants are floating algae and plants along shoreline • Animals live in or near water

  16. Threats to lakes and ponds All water systems are being polluted and degraded by human impact www.aquaticbiomes.gov

  17. Marshhttp://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/ Uses: Animal/plant homes Carbon “sink” Water recharge areas, removing pollutants Types: Brackish and freshwater

  18. Marsh—Plant adaptations • Very shallow with land occasionally exposed • Saturated soil • Low oxygen in water and soil • Emergent plants Heron http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

  19. Swamp/Bogs Location: Found on flat, poorly drained land, often near streams

  20. Swamps/Bogs Abiotic factorsLand soaked because of poor drainageDecay is slow - Soil is acidicSwampsLarge trees/shrubsAdapted to muddy soils Bogs - sphagnum moss is dominant http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/

  21. Threats to Wetlands www.kathimitchell.com Previous backfilling and clearing for farmland or development has been a concern. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html

  22. Rivers At headwaters, usually cold and highly oxygenated. As it flows, it will broaden out, warm up and this completely changes the biota you’ll find!

  23. River: Plant and Animal Adaptations Will vary based on where in the river they are…at the headwaters, organisms need to hang on! www.3d-screensaver-downloads.com www.cs.dartmouth.edu

  24. Threats to Rivers Dams alter the flow of the water Industry uses water to dispose of waste products Runoff from homes and other places causes changes in acidity, pollution, etc. www.nwk.usace.army.mil

  25. Estuarieshttp://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/sandy/ • Fresh and salt water meet

  26. Plant and Animal Adaptations of Estuaries Very productive biome because it receives lots of light and nutrients Often used as nursery for young Manatee and goose www.lookoutnow.com & www.visualparadox.com

  27. Threats to Estuaries Many ports are found on estuaries—pollution Human population pers-erf.org www.davenewbould.co.uk

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