11.2 - Adaptations and Biomes Flashcards
What are the characteristics of the Tundra biome?
Location: South of the polar ice seas
General precipitation range: < 25 cm per year
General temperature range: < 40 in winter with short and cool summers
Characteristic biotic factors: animals include caribou, arctic fox and wolf. Grasses and sedges are common due to their resistant to cold temperatures.
What are the characteristics of the Taiga biome?
Location: South of the tundra
General precipitation range: Mostly snow and averages at around 35 - 100 cm per year
General temperature range: Below freezing to 30 or more
Characteristic biotic factors: Dense coniferous trees that prevent the snow from melting. Animals such as beavers, rabbits and muskrats.
What are the characteristics of the Temperate Deciduous Forest biome?
Location: Below and above 50 in Northern and Southern hemisphere
General precipitation range: 75 - 100 cm per year
General temperature range: Below freezing in the winter and up to 30 the rest of the year
Characteristic biotic factors: Tall canopy trees with lots of shade plants
What are the characteristics of the Desert biome?
Location: Between 15 - 35 latitude in Northern and Southern hemisphere
General precipitation range: driest biome with less than 25 cm per year
General temperature range: 30 - 40 in hot months and never goes below zero
Characteristic biotic factors: lizards, rattlesnakes, vultures and coyotes.
What are the characteristics of the Grassland/Prairie biome?
Location: North American prairie, African savanna, Asia…
General precipitation range: 25 - 75 cm per year with a long dry season
General temperature range: below zero in winter and up to 40 in the summer
Characteristic biotic factors: little trees with lots of grasses and sedges. Soil is very rich and fertile
What are the characteristics of the Tropical Rainforest biome?
Location: Along the equator
General precipitation range: + 300 cm per year
General temperature range: 20 - 30 with very little variation
Characteristic biotic factors: poor soil. Lots of trees, plants, monkeys, insects, etc. the most diverse biome
What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is a characteristic or feature that allows an organism to better survive and reproduce in its environment.
