Biomes

• Tropical Rain Forest

  • The trees are very tall and of a great variety of species.
  • One rarely finds two trees of the same species growing close to one another.
  • The vegetation is so dense that little light reaches the forest floor.
  • Most of the plants are evergreen, not deciduous.
  • The branches of the trees are festooned with vines and epiphytes 
• Temperate Deciduous Forest

  • hardwood trees (e.g., beech, maple, oak, hickory) which
  • are deciduous; that is, shed their leaves in the autumn.
  • The number of different species is far more limited than in the jungle.
  • Large stands dominated by a single species are common.
  • Deer, raccoons, and salamanders are characteristic inhabitants.
  • During the growing season, this biome can be quite productive in both natural and agricultural ecosystems.
• Taiga

  • It is made up of mainly conical-shaped evergreen trees with needle-like leaves. These trees are called conifers because their seeds are clumped into cones. It has long, cold winters when most mammals hibernate and birds migrate, or leave the area because the winters are too cold for them to stay. Animals like weasels, grouse and rabbits that do not migrate or hibernate grow dense feathers or fur and turn white to match the snow.
• Tundra

  • flat and cold with low plants like grass and moss that only grow during the short summer. A thick layer of ice lies just below the shallow soil (permafrost) all year around, and trees cannot penetrate it to anchor their roots. Many birds visit the tundra in the summer to nest, but most escape the winter by migrating to warmer areas. Mice and other small mammals stay active during the winter in protected tunnels under the snow.
• Temperature is the major influence on the biomes.
• Temperate Rain Forest

  • combines high annual rainfall with a temperate climate. The Olympic Peninsular in North America is a good example. An annual rainfall of as much as 150 inches (381 cm) produces a lush forest of conifers.
• Grasslands

  • Sometimes called plains or prairie, grasslands are almost entirely short to tall grasses with no trees. This land type gets just enough rain to help grasses, flowers, and herbs grow, but stays dry enough that fires are frequent and trees cannot survive. Here we find large mammals that often travel together in huge herds.
• Desert

  • make up the hottest biome, but can also get cold temperatures in winter. Such temperature swings make this an extreme environment, where many animals have to burrow underground to find more stable temperatures in order to survive. Plants and animals here must be able to withstand long periods without water.
• Chaparral

  • scrubland plant communities composed of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, bushes, and small trees usually less than 2.5 metres (about 8 feet) tall—the characteristic vegetation of coastal and inland mountain areas of southwestern North America.
• Savanna

  • These tree-studded grasslands receive enough seasonal rainfall so that trees can grow in open groups or singly throughout. The animals living here have long legs for escaping predators and usually are seen in herds. A combination of fire and grazing animals are important for maintenance.