Biomes Flashcards
(23 cards)
biomes
large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants and animals.
Four main categories of the Forest biome
Tropical, temperate, boreal, subtropical
major biomes
taiga, temperate rainforests, temperate seasonal forests, tropical rainforests, shrubland, temperate grassland, savanna, Steppe, desert, and tundra
Tropical
frost-free with temperatures high enough to support life year-round plant growth
Temperate
mild temperatures; in-between tropics and polar
Boreal
of the north or northern regions; very cold; south of the Arctic
Subtropical
adjacent to or bordering on the tropics
Biome
characteristic communities of plants and animals that result from, and are adapted to, its climate
how is solar energy acquired and transferred by living organisms?
Plants use photosynthesis to get energy from the sun (stored in glucose). Then animals eat plants or other animals to get glucose (and other stuff) to do cellular respiration.
Climate graphs
displays yearly temperature and precipitation statistics for a particular location
Biome
large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate
Tropical Rain Forest
characterized by the greatest diversity of species
Temperate Forests
occur in eastern North America
Boreal Forests or Taiga
largest terrestrial biome. Dominated by needleleaf coniferous trees. Found in cold climates of Eurasia and North America—mostly in Siberia
Temperate Shrub Lands or Chaparral
occurs along the coast of Southern California and the Mediterranean region. Characterized by miniature woodlands dominated by dense stands of shrubs.
Savannas
grasslands with scattered trees. Cover nearly half of Africa and parts of Australia
Temperate Grasslands
dominated by grasses with few or no trees or shrubs. Greater seasonal temperature variation than savannas. Hot summers and cold winters. Found in South Africa
Deserts
cover about one fifth of Earth’s surface. Rainfall less than 50 cm (20 inches) per year. Mostly at low latitudes. Specialized vegetation and animals. Soils rich in nutrients but low in organic matter. Common disturbances include fires
Tundra
treeless plains and coldest biome. Found in the Arctic and Antarctica. Dominated by lichens
Wetlands
areas of standing water wet all or most of the year. Support aquatic plants including marshes
Fresh Water
low salt concentration (less than 1%). Inhabited by salt-sensitive plants and animals. Includes ponds
Oceans
largest ecosystem. Divided into zones: intertidal
