Answer Keys:

Keep in mind this will be the students own notes and research so their answers may vary slightly

Answer Key: Ecosystem Notes

Possible Answers:
What is an ecosystem?
An Ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical
environment
Tropical Rain Forest
In an average year in a tropical rain forest, the climate is very humid because of all the

rainfall, which amounts to about 250 cm per year.

Africa contains areas of high cloud forest, mangrove swamps, and flooded forests. The

forest covers the basin of the Amazon, the world's second longest river.
Contains more species than other biomes; more than 2,000 different species of
butterflies are found in the rainforests of South America and the forests of Central Africa

are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants.

Savannas
The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68 to 86F (20 to

30C). Precipitation 90-150cm/year

Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. Open, widely

spaced trees, seasonal rainfall

Parts of Africa, South America & Australia
Animals native to African savannas include African elephants, zebras, horses, and
giraffes. Many animals in the savanna are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and

there is plenty of grass in the savanna

Deserts
Deserts are the driest biome. They have little vegetation and the least amount of

rain. Precipitation 20cm/year

Dry, sparse vegetation; scattered grasses
There are also many different kinds of animals that live in the desert. Most of these
animals are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day when the temperature is

the hottest, and they hunt at night when the desert cools down.
Deserts cover about one-fifth of all the land in the world. Parts of Africa, Asia, Australia,

North America
Temperate Grasslands
Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures can
be well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter temperatures can be as low as -40
degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation: 10-60cm/year

Temperate grasslands have soils that are nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of

deep, many-branched grass roots. Rich soil; tall dense grasses.

Central North America; Central Asia
Temperate grasslands have a low diversity of wildlife, but a high abundance of wildlife. In
North America the dominant grazing animals are bison and pronghorn. Rodents include

pocket gophers and prairie dogs.

Deciduous forests
The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50 F. Warm summers, cool

winters
Europe; NE United States; Eastern Canada
In deciduous forests there are five different zones. The first zone is the Tree Stratum
zone. The Tree Stratum zone contains such trees as oak, beech, maple, chestnut
hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. This zone has height

ranges between 60 feet and 100 feet.

A few common animals found in the deciduous forest are, deer, gray squirrels, mice
raccoons, salamanders, snakes, robins, frogs and many types of insects. Some animals

migrate south when winter comes.

Tundra The tundra has two distinct seasons: a long winter and a short summer. Being so far

north, the tundra has long nights in the winter and long days in the summer.
Open; windswept; dry; ground always frozen. Around 20% of the Earth's land surface is

covered with tundra.

Far northern Asia; Northern North America
There are some animals that have adapted to winter in the tundra. Some of them
change coats from brown in the summer to white in the winter so they can blend in with
the snow. These include the arctic hare, the ermine, and the arctic fox. Other animals

that are active in the winter include the snowy owl, musk oxen, and ptarmigans.
Ocean's Very large amount of Earth is covered by ocean (~75%).
The average temperature of any ocean biome is 39 degrees. However, that can change

based on the depth of the water, the wind, and if the sun is shining or not.
There are three layers to recognize in any ocean biome. The top layer is the euphoric
and this is where the water is very shallow. Light is able to reach from the top of the
water to the bottom of it for this particular layer. In the middle is the disphotic layer and it
allows some light to get to the bottom of it. The appearance from the bottom looking up

would be similar to how twilight appear

The types of life that live in the ocean biome are extremely diverse. It is believed that this

is the biome where live actually began. There are tons of types of fish found in the ocean
biome. They include Angelfish, Blowfish, whales, and an assortment of sharks. You will
find Octopus and crab living here.
Coniferous forest -40C to 20C, average summer temperature is 10C. Short growing season, cold

winters.
Northern Asia; Northern North America
There are two types of Coniferous forests:
o Open, lichen woodland, which has trees, spaced far apart with lichen
growing between them.

o Closed forests, which have trees very close together and a shaded, moss

covered forest floor.

The Coniferous forest is home to acres and acres of evergreen trees.

Homework Worksheets

Answer Key: Temperate grasslands

Possible answers:
The Terrain
Temperate grasslands have soils that are nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of

deep, many-branched grass roots.

The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants.
The world's most fertile soils underlie the eastern prairies of the U.S., the pampas of

South America, and the steppes of Ukraine and Russia.

Grasslands are considered the transitional biome. This means that they are usually

found between deserts and forests.

The Climate
Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures can
be well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter temperatures can be as low as -40

degrees Fahrenheit.
They typically have between 10 and 35 inches of precipitation a year, much of it

occurring in the late spring and early summer.

Snow often serves as a reservoir of moisture for the beginning of the growing season.
Seasonal drought and occasional fires help maintain these grasslands.
Flora and Fauna
Temperate grasslands have a low diversity of wildlife, but a high abundance of wildlife.
In North America the dominant grazing animals are bison and pronghorn. Rodents

include pocket gophers and prairie dogs.

Carnivores include wolves, coyotes, swift foxes, badgers, and black-footed ferrets. Birds

include grouses, meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks, and owls.

Grasses are the dominant vegetation.

Trees and large shrubs are largely absent.

Seasonal drought, occasional fires, and grazing by large mammals all prevent woody

shrubs and trees from becoming established.

A few trees such as cottonwoods, oaks, and willows grow in river valleys, and a few

hundred species of flowers grow among the grasses.

The various species of grasses include purple needle grass, blue grama, buffalo grass,
and galleta. Flowers include asters, blazing stars, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers,
clovers, psoraleas, and wild indigos.

Answer Key: Savannas

Possible answers:
The Terrain
Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees.
They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India.

That is a lot of the earths surface!

Savannas can result from climate changes, soil conditions, animal behavior, or

agricultural practices.
Humans create savannas by burning grasslands and cutting down trees so they can
plant crops. Large animals, like elephants, can turn a forest into a savanna by knocking

trees down, stripping the bark from the trees, and tramping on tree seedlings.
The Climate
The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68 to 86F (20 to 30C).
Savannas exist in areas where there is a 6 - 8 month wet summer season, and a 4 - 6

month dry winter season.

The annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm) per year.
During the dry season, lightning often strikes the ground, igniting the dry grasses that

cover the savanna.

Flora and Fauna
The savanna is dominated by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass,

lemon grass, and some shrubs.

Most savanna grass is coarse and grows in patches with interspersed areas of bare

ground.
You wont see many trees in the savanna because of little rainfall. Occasionally, youll

find individual trees or small groves of trees.

Animals native to African savannas include African elephants, zebras, horses, and
giraffes. Many animals in the savanna are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and
there is plenty of grass in the savanna

Answer Key: Deserts

Possible answer:
The Terrain
The worlds deserts are generally found in four areas: in the subtropics; in continental

interior areas at middle latitudes; on the leeward side of mountain ranges; and along

coastal areas.
Most of the earths greatest deserts are found in the subtropics. The subtropical deserts

center on the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Deserts cover about one-fifth of all the land in the world.
Deserts are formed when the mountains along the edge of the desert prevent the rain
getting there. The rain stays on the other side of the mountain and in many cases

creates a rainforest.
The Climate
A desert is a dry biome. It gets less than 25 cm (about 9.8 inches) of rainfall a year.
Deserts areas cover about 33% of the land on Earth and land surfaces include stones,
sand dunes, or snow.
Deserts are the driest biome. They have little vegetation and the least amount of rain.
Flora and Fauna
Deserts have a huge variety of plants and animals. The only biome that has more is the

rainforest biome.
The many different kinds of cacti are the most common desert plants. Desert plants

need to be able to collect and store water.

There are also many different kinds of animals that live in the desert. Most of these
animals are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day when the temperature is
the hottest, and they hunt at night when the desert cools down.

Answer Key: Tropical Rainforest

Possible answers:
The Terrain
Africa contains areas of high cloud forest, mangrove swamps, and flooded forests.
The forest covers the basin of the Amazon, the world's second longest river.
This region was once entirely covered with rainforest, but large areas have been cleared

for cattle ranching and for sugar cane plantations.

Undergrowth in Australia's tropical forests is dense and lush. The forests lie in the path

of wet winds blowing in from the Pacific.

The Climate
In an average year in a tropical rain forest, the climate is very humid because of all the
rainfall, which amounts to about 250 cm per year.
The rain forest has lots of rain because it is very hot and wet.
This climate is found near the equator.
There is more direct sunlight hitting the land and sea there than anywhere else
Flora and fauna
Some rainforest monkeys are omnivores, eating both animals and plants.
More than 2,000 different species of butterflies are found in the rainforests of South

America.
The forests of Central Africa are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants.

Flying animals of Asian rainforests include frogs, squirrels, and snakes.

80% of the flowers in the Australian rainforests are not found anywhere else in the world.
Bats are essential for the pollination of many tropical foodstuffs such as bananas and

mangoes.
1 out of 4 ingredients in our medicine is from rainforest plants.

Answer Key: Deciduous forests

Possible answers:
The Terrain:
In deciduous forests there are five different zones. The first zone is the Tree Stratum
zone. The Tree Stratum zone contains such trees as oak, beech, maple, chestnut
hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. This zone has height

ranges between 60 feet and 100 feet.

The small tree and sapling zone is the second zone. This zone has young and short
trees. The third zone is called the shrub zone. Some of the shrubs in this zone are
rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, and huckleberries. The Herb zone is the fourth

zone. It contains short plants such as herbal plants.

The final zone is the Ground zone. It contains lichen, club mosses, and true mosses.
Climate
The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50 F.
The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year.
The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In

the autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves
Flora and Fauna
The soil is very fertile. In fact, some of the great agricultural regions are found in this
biome. That is one of the reasons there aren't a lot of original deciduous forests left in
the world. Almost all of the forests in North America are second growth forests but it still
has the biggest variety of original plant species. In Europe there are only a few species
of original trees left. Most of the forests have been cleared for agriculture. China has
been clearing the natural trees for at least 4,000 years and most of the forests are man-

made.
There are many types of animals in the deciduous forest ranging from mammals like

deer to bugs like mosquitoes.

Many of the animals are either nut and acorn feeders, or omnivores. Many of the

animals have adapted to forest life. Some of them hibernate during the winter months.
A few common animals found in the deciduous forest are, deer, gray squirrels, mice
raccoons, salamanders, snakes, robins, frogs and many types of insects. Some animals
migrate south when winter comes.

Answer Key: Tundra

Possible Answers:
The Terrain
Permafrost is a layer of ground below the topsoil that remains frozen throughout the
year. This layer is generally only a few feet below the surface. Permafrost prevents trees
from growing in the tundra because trees need to have deep roots and they can't grow in

the frozen ground.

Alpine tundra - Alpine tundra is the area of land high in the mountains above the tree

line.
Arctic tundra - The Arctic tundra is located far north in the northern hemisphere along the
Arctic Circle. There are large areas of tundra in northern North America, northern

Europe, and northern Asia.

Around 20% of the Earth's land surface is covered with tundra.
The Climate
It's cold - The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. The average temperature in the tundra

is around -18 degrees F. It gets much colder in the winter and warmer during its short

summer.
It's dry - The tundra gets about as much precipitation as the average desert, around 10

inches per year. Most of this is snow.

The tundra has two distinct seasons: a long winter and a short summer. Being so far

north, the tundra has long nights in the winter and long days in the summer.
The winter lasts around 8 months and is extremely cold. In the middle of winter the sun
may not rise for weeks. The tundra is frozen and often covered with snow during the

winter and will reach temperatures of -60 degrees F.

The summer is shorter and is marked by the other extreme of the sun not setting. In the
middle of summer the sun will be up for 24 hours. During the summer the temperatures

may reach 50 degrees F causing the snow to melt in areas and wetlands to form.
Flora and Fauna:
The tundra biome is a cold and treeless plain where harsh conditions make it hard for

plants and animals alike to survive.

Plants that grow in the tundra include grasses, shrubs, herbs, and lichens. They grow in
groups and stay low to the ground to stay protected from the icy winds. They tend to

have shallow roots and flower quickly during the short summer months.
Most of the plants in the tundra are perennials that come back each year from the same
root. This allows them to grow during the summer and save up nutrients as they lay
dormant for the winter. They also tend to have hairy stems and dark leaves. This helps

them in absorbing energy from the sun.

The tundra has a lot more animal activity during the summer than the winter. This is
because most birds migrate south for the summer, insects lay eggs that wait for the
summer to hatch, and some mammals hibernate for the winter. There are even some

animals, like the caribou, which migrate south for the winter.
There are some animals that have adapted to winter in the tundra. Some of them
change coats from brown in the summer to white in the winter so they can blend in with
the snow. These include the arctic hare, the ermine, and the arctic fox. Other animals

that are active in the winter include the snowy owl, musk oxen, and ptarmigans.
During the summer, the tundra will be teeming with insects. Wetland areas will be filled
with mosquitoes. There will also be a lot of bird activity as they come to eat the insects
and fish. Animals will be more active, coming out of hibernation or migrating from the
south.

Answer Key: Coniferous forest

Possible Answers:
The Terrain
Large Coniferous forests often have thousands of small lakes and swampy areas, which

have poor drainage due to the depressions, left behind by glaciers.

There are two types of Coniferous forests:
1. Open, lichen woodland, which has trees, spaced far apart with lichen growing
between them.
2. Closed forests, which have trees very close together and a shaded,

moss-

covered forest floor.

Coniferous forests often cover mountainsides. Trees are tall and narrow, so snow will
slide off the branches without breaking them. The trees grow close together for
protection from the wind. They also have thick bark, which resists damage from low-heat

summer fires.
The Climate
Coniferous forests are cold and covered with snow for most of the year - usually from

October to May.
Most precipitation in the Coniferous forest arrives as rain in summer. The average yearly

precipitation is 12 to 33 inches.
-40C to 20C, average summer temperature is 10C
Flora and Fauna
The Coniferous forest is home to acres and acres of evergreen trees.
Balsam Fir Trees - a medium-sized tree generally reaching 40 to 60 feet in height and 1

to 1 1/2 feet in diameter. The tree name comes from the many resinous blisters found in
the bark. These blisters contain a sticky, fragrant, liquid resin. The species is sometimes

referred to as "blister pine". The Balsam Fir tree may reach 150 to 200 years of age!
Ferns - Ferns have been with us for more than 300 million years! The "seeds" of the
ferns and fern allies are called Spores. Ferns drop millions, oftentimes billions of spores

during their lifetime but very few ever land in a spot suitable for growth!
Though the Coniferous forests have fewer animal species than other forests, they are

home to several different animals. Amphibians and reptiles are scarce, but birds, insects,
and mammals are common. Not many animals can live in this habitat year-round.
Animals deal with the hardship of cold, long winters in several ways. Some of the
animals hibernate during the winter; while others migrate to warmer climates. Of those

that stay during winter, some die from starvation, frostbite, and hypothermia.
Bald Eagles -Bald Eagle's build large stick nests (sometimes weighing over 1 ton) that
are usually about 6 feet in diameter and over 6 feet tall! The Bald Eagle was listed as an
"Endangered Species" throughout most of the United States. In 1995, the Bald Eagle's
status was changed to "threatened" for the entire United States. It is slowly making a

comeback!
Kermode Bear - Kermode is the special name given to black bears that have white claws
and cream colored coats. Kermode bears are found only in a narrow stretch of land
along the coast of British Columbia and on the Princess Royal Islands. Another name for
Kermode Bear is "Spirit" Bear.

Answer Key: Oceans

Possible Answers:
The Terrain
There are three layers to recognize in any ocean biome. The top layer is the euphoric
and this is where the water is very shallow. Light is able to reach from the top of the
water to the bottom of it for this particular layer. In the middle is the disphotic layer and it
allows some light to get to the bottom of it. The appearance from the bottom looking up

would be similar to how twilight appears.

The deepest layer of the ocean biome is the atopic layer. It is very deep and light is not
able to reach the bottom of it. The water is dark and murky in that area. The temperature
of the water will also vary based on the layer that you are talking about within the ocean
biome. What is also very interesting is that more than half of all the rainfall that occurs in

the world is right there over these various ocean biomes.

At 36, 200 feet deep, the Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean biome.
The ocean biome contains coral reef which is actually its own separate biome.
Majority of volcanic activity occurs under water in the ocean.
The Climate
The average temperature of any ocean biome is 39 degrees. However, that can change

based on the depth of the water, the wind, and if the sun is shining or not.
In many areas of the Arctic Ocean, it is covered with thick layers of ice for most of the

year.
The water in an ocean biome is always moving. The warm water is moving from the

tropics and the cool water is moving from the poles.

Flora and Fauna:

The ocean biome is home to the largest known mammal of the world - the blue whale.
Some animals that live in the semi-dark part of the ocean known as the twilight zone can

make their own light through a process called bioluminescence.

The types of life that live in the ocean biome are extremely diverse. It is believed that this
is the biome where live actually began. There are tons of types of fish found in the ocean
biome. They include Angelfish, Blowfish, whales, and an assortment of sharks. You will
find Octopus and crab living here.

Sources:

Biomes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://www.ducksters.com/science/ecosystems/tundra_biome.php
Deciduous Forest Biome. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
Desert Facts and Information for Kids | KidsKonnect. (2007, December 1).

Retrieved April 24, 2015, from https://kidskonnect.com/science/deserts/

Saving the Rainforest. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/preserve.ht

ml
KDE Santa Barbara. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/savanna.html
Temperate Grasslands. (2012, April 24). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://www.defenders.org/grasslands/temperate-grasslands
Ocean Biome Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://www.softschools.com/facts/biomes/ocean_biome_facts/164/
Ocean Biome. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from
http://www.bioexpedition.com/ocean-biome/