28/09/2011

Biomes of the World

What is a biome?
A BIOME is the largest
geographic biotic unit, a
major community of
plants and animals with
similar life forms and
environmental
conditions.

How are biomes formed?

Biomes are distributed across the Earth based primarily on climate.
Therefore, in areas that are far apart, you will sometimes find similar
plants and animals because the climate is similar.
One factor affecting climate is latitude. Typically, the farther you move
north or south of the equator, the colder the temperature gets. Another
factor affecting climate is elevation. The higher you go in elevation, the
colder the temperature gets.

Classification of
Biomes
Terrestrial
Marine
Freshwater

Biomes usually found at cold latitudes far from the equator are sometimes
also found on high mountains at low latitudes. Typically, a climb of 100 meter
in elevation is equivalent to traveling 600 km northward.

How many terrestrial

biomes are there?

Terrestrial biomes
Although there is some disagreement among scientists on
how to divide up the Earths biomes, most can agree on
the following eight:

Tropical Rainforest
Tropical Savanna
Desert
Chaparral
Grassland
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Temperate Boreal Forest
Tundra

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Other 2 Biomes
Marine
Open ocean
Antarctic ocean (edge of the ice)
Estuary
Coral Reef
Barrier Island
Shallow ocean/bay
Mangrove forests
Freshwater
River
Lake
Pond
Wetlands (Swamps, marshes, etc.)

Tropical Rain Forest

Tropical Rainforest
Typically found near the
equator
Receives more than 200 cm of
rain annually
Temperatures typically fall
between 20oC and 25oC for the
entire year
As many as 50% of all the
worlds animal species may be
found here

Tropical Rainforest Climate:

Kppen Af

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Tropical Savanna
Grasslands with a few
scattered trees
Experience a wet and dry
season
Hot temperatures
Annual rainfall is between 50
and 127 cm
More species of grazing
mammals than any other
biome

Tropical Savanna Climate:

Kppen Aw

Desert
Typically found between
25o and 40o latitude
Receives less than 25 cm
of rain each year
Temperatures typically
range between 20oC and
25oC but some extreme
deserts can reach
temperatures higher than
38oC and lower than 15oC

Desert

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Desert Climate: Kppen BWh

Chaparral
Found between 32o and 40o
latitude on the west coast
of continents
Receives between 35 and
70 cm of rain, usually in the
winter
Extremely resistant to
drought and weather
events

Chapparal Climate: Kppen Csa, Csb

36

Grassland/Steppe

36
32
28

31

24
20

26

16
12

21

8
4

16

0
-4
-8

11

-12
-16
6

-20
-24

-28
J

-4

-32
-36

Precipitation

Because of the dry climate,

trees are found only near
water sources such as
streams
Usually receives between
50 and 90 cm of rainfall
each year
Summer temperatures can
reach up to 38oC and -10oC
in winter.

Temperature

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Grassland Climate: Kppen

BS, BSh, BSk

Temperate (Deciduous)
Moderate climate
Most trees will lose their leaves
in the winter
Temperatures range between
30oC and -30oC
Averages from 75 to 150 cm of
precipitation
Well developed understory

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Temperate (Deciduous) Climate

Kppen C, Cf

Temperate Boreal (coniferus) (Taiga)

Also known as Taiga
Typically found between 45o and 60o
North latitude
Cold climate with summer rains
Very few reptiles
Limited understory
Snow is primary form of
precipitation (40 100 cm annually)

Temperate Boreal Climate Kppen, Dfc

Tundra

Tundra (Arctic & Antartic)

Means treeless or marshy plain
Characterized by permafrost
permanently frozen soil starting
as high as a few centimeters
below the surface which
severely limits plant growth
Winter temperatures average
34oC while summer
temperatures usually average
below 10oC
Low precipitation (1525 cm per
year) but ground is usually wet
because of low evaporation

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Tundra Climate Kppen,

ET

Summary of Biomes & Climate

Aquatic Biomes
Freshwater- low concentration of
salts in the water <0.1% (1o/oo)
Saltwater- high concentration of salts
(up to ~3.5% (35o/oo)

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Open Ocean (pelagic)

Continental Shelf (Inshore Waters)
Upwelling regions
Deep sea hydrothermal vents
Estuaries

Fresh Water
Lakes and Ponds (Lentic; standing water)
Rivers and Streams (Lotic; flowing water)
Wetlands (Seasonally inundated)

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Marine
Freshwater

Oceans deep bodies

of water that separate
the continents, many
zones
Coral reefs composed
of the skeletons of coral
animals, these areas
are an oasis for marine
life. Symbiotic algae
provide photosynthetic
food
Estuaries most
productive zones;
where freshwater and
marine ecosystems
meet

Continental Shelf the

portion of the continental
plate that lies submerged
under the ocean.

Lakes and ponds

bodies of inland
water
Rivers and
streams flowing
bodies of water
Wetlands areas
of standing water
that support
emergent
vegetation

Oceans

Usually has a gentle

slope
Width can vary from a
few to ten kilometers

Oceans
Oceanic zone any
portion of the ocean
beyond the continental
shelf.
Neritic zone section of
ocean that lies over the
continental shelf.

Continental Slope that

area that drops from the
continental shelf to the
full depth of the ocean
floor.

Littoral zone shoreline

between the high and low
tide marks.

Oceans

Oceans

Photic Zone area of

water that sunlight
penetrates
Aphotic zone area of
water that sunlight does
not penetrate

Thermocline vertical area where temperature abruptly

changes; restricts the mixing of upper and lower water
masses.

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Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents

Open Ocean
Salinity averages 35 ppt (full strength sea water).
Due to high concentrations of sodium and chloride

Ocean is more than NaCl and water, but most ocean

waters are very poor in nutrients
Phosphate, nitrate, ammonium, iron

Oceans cover ~71% of Earth, but only account for

50% of the Earths primary production.
Biological deserts not limited by water, but by nutrients
Unlike terrestrial biomes, production is not higher at
equator and lower at the tropics respond to nutrient
concentrations like upwellings.

Oceans: Coastal regions

Coastal regions are much more productive than
non-coastal areas.
Rich nutrient input from coastal rivers
Most of the worlds great fisheries come from the
continental shelf
Too many nutrients can lead to algal blooms, which may
deoxygenate the water (eutrophication) Dead zones

Marsh

Estuaries
Where the river meets the sea
Sometimes classified freshwater,
sometimes classified marine

Most productive biome on Earth

Support a diverse fauna
Serve as nursery habitat for many
organisms.

Mangrove Forests

Fresh water marsh salinity < 1.0 ppt.

Plants are not salt tolerant and include maidencane,
bulltongue, alligatorweed, cattails, and spikerush

Intermediate marsh salinity averages 3.3 ppt.

Plants are slightly salt tolerant and include
spikerush, three-corner grass, arrowhead,
cordgrass, wiregrass, roseau cane, and deer pea

Brackish marsh salinity averages about 8 ppt.

typically dominated by cordgrass or wiregrass

Salt marsh salinity averages about 16 ppt.

oyster grass is common, but few other plant
species can survive

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Freshwater Biomes

Lake / Pond Spatial Zones

Wetlands

Lake/Pond Temperature Zones

Littoral Edge area

Warmer
Limnetic Open area
Profundal deep water
(heterotrophs)
Benthic - bottom

Cooler

Rivers and Streams

Generally represent the excess of precipitation
on land areas over evaporation from them.
Precipitation that falls is either evaporated,
transpirated, enters the ground water supply, or
flows down rivers

Flow is down-hill and varies seasonally

Related to rainfall and ice/snow melt

Beginning of a river = the source and the end of a

river = the mouth
Discharge - volume of water passing a given
point during a period of time
Channel Width X Depth X Velocity

Rivers and Streams

Flow velocity is important in determining
abiotic and biotic components.
Flow related to slope and precipitation
Sediment type, current strength
Only certain organisms can withstand strong
flow
The faster the flow, the more material can be
transported in the water

Materials are transported by running water

in three principal states
Dissolved matter
Suspended solids
Bed load

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EVALUATE

Stream Order

Used to classify a
stream in relation to
tributaries, drainage
area, total length,
and age of water.
11=2
12=2
22=3
13=3
23=3

1
1 1
1

33=4
Mississippi River is
classified as a 10th
or 12th order stream.

Use the science journal and list 5 biomes

describing at least 3 characteristics for
each of the 5 biomes. Describe how
different environments support different
varieties of organisms.
and will be discussed in class next week!!

Headwater stream
classification
Stream Order Strahler Method
matters

Credits
Text:
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9k.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/index.ht
ml

Pictures:
http://www.worldbiomes.com/
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/index.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/

PowerPoint:
Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2005

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