Global ecosystems

• What are the 6 ecosystems?

  • coral reefs
  • polar
  • hot desert
  • temperate and tropical grasslands
  • temperate decidious forest
  • tropical rainforest
• Coral reefs are found between 30 degree north and south of equator.
• Temperate forests are found in the northern hemisphere between the tropic of cancer and the polar regions.
• Tropical grasslands are found between the tropics in the southern hemisphere and temperate grassland are found closer to the equator.
• Tropical rainforests are found between the equator and tropic of capricorn.
• Hot deserts are found 15 degree and 35 degree north and south of equator.
• Polar regions are found in the north and south poles.
• Hot deserts have less than 250mm rainfall per year.
• Temperatures in hot deserts are extreme and reach 45 degrees in the day and 0 at night.
• Plant growth is sparse in hot deserts, only cacti, grasses and thornbushes grow.
• Plant roots are often long in hot deserts to reach deep water supplies or spreadout to catch as much water as possible.
• Hot deserts are home to

  • lizards
  • snakes
  • insects
  • scorpions
• Most fauna in hot deserts are nocturnal to get shade during the day and some are adapted to lose very little water such as camels.
• Polar regions are usually below 40 degrees in winter and can reach 90 degrees.
• Rainfall is low in polar regions and get no more than 500mm a year.
• Polar regions have cold summers and even colder winters.
• Fauna found in polar regions include

  • polar bears
  • penguins
  • whales
  • seals
• Lichens and mosses grow in polar regions along with some grasses.
• Plants grow slowly and not very tall in polar regions.
• Coral reefs grow in shallow, clear, salty water.
• Tiny algae live inside the corals and depend on eachother for nutrients, not many plants grow in coral reefs.
• Around 25% of all marine species live in coral
• Fauna that live in coral

  • fish
  • sea snakes
  • turtles
  • shrimps
• Many fish have slim bodies so they can easily swim through coral.
• Tropical grasslands have quite low rainfall of around 800mm a year.
• Tropical grasslands have wet and dry seasons with the wet season having a temp of 35 degrees and the dry seasons having a temp of 15 degrees.
• Temperate grasslands have hot summers of up to 40 degrees and cold winter down to -40 degrees.
• Temperate grasslands receive 250-500mm of rainfall a year.
• Tropical grasslands consist of grasses, scrubs and small plants.
• Many plants living in areas with less rainfall are adapted to have long roots and small, waxy leaves to reduce water loss.
• Temperate grasslands consist of grasses and small plants and very few trees.
• Tropical grasslands are home to

  • insects such as grasshoppers, beetles and termites
  • lions
  • elephants
  • zebras
  • giraffes
  • antelopes
• Temperate grasslands are home to mammals including

  • bison
  • wild horses
  • mole rats
• Temperate forests have the four distinct seasons, summer, winter, spring, autumn.
• Temperate forests have high rainfall of up to 1500mm per year.
• Temperate rainforests are temperate forests that receive the highest amount of rainfall.
• Temperate forests have lots of trees.
• Deciduous (leaves fall seasonally) forests are temperate forests and have trees that drop their leaves in autumn. They have shrubs, ferns and forest floor plants such as bluebells.
• Coniferous forests have evergreen trees and grasses and low growing plants.
• Temperate forests are home to

  • birds such as woodpeckers
  • mammals such as squirrels
  • insects such as moths