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Biomes: An Overview

Biomes: An Overview. Question: What is a biome? Answer: Large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community Climax community= stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species. Question: How many types of biomes are there?

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Biomes: An Overview

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  1. Biomes: An Overview • Question: What is a biome? • Answer: Large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community • Climax community= stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species. • Question: How many types of biomes are there? • Answer: 2: Aquatic and Terrestrial

  2. Ocean • Covers ¾ of the earth’s surface • Highest level of biomass (living material) • Two zones a: photic=shallow levels with light b: aphotic=deep waters with no light

  3. Freshwater • Rivers, lakes and ponds • Living things are near to the warmer surface • Less biomass than the ocean

  4. Tundra • South of the north pole • Long summer days • Short winter sunlight • Treeless terrain, with little other plant-life • Permafrost=permanently frozen under the topsoil • Few living animals (oxen, snowshoe hares, reindeer)

  5. Taiga • South of the tundra • Northern Coniferous forest • Poor soil for growth due to coniferous needles (lacks permafrost) • Long winters, short summers (warmer than tundra) • More living organisms than the tundra

  6. Desert • Driest region (less than 25cm of precipitation) • Almost nonexistent plant life • Living things have adaptations to survive (cacti=thorns • Example animals=owls, kangaroo rat, coyotes. • Example plants=shrubs, mesquite trees, cacti

  7. Grassland • Moderate precipitation (25-75cm) • Covered with grasses and small plants • Largest terrestrial biome (bison, wolves, humans) • Called prairies (Canada/U.S.A), savannas in Africa, steppes in Russia • More area than any other biome in the world • 4 seasons!

  8. Temperate Forests • Approximately 70-150 cm of precipitation • Broad-leaf trees (lose foliage) • Top layer of soil rich • Deep layer made of clay • 4 seasons • Birds, mice, deer, bears make up common animals

  9. Tropical Rain Forest • More species than any other biome on earth…why? • This area was never covered with ice during the Ice Age, so large scale extinction did not occur • Typically warm in temperature due to proximity to the equator • Wet=more than 200cm of rainfall • Poor vegetation growth in low levels of forest due to large amount of decomposers

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