BIOMES

• tropical rainforest

  location: centred along the equator

  temperature: hot all year (25 - 30 °C)

  rainfall: very high (over 200 mm per year)

  flora: tall trees forming a canopy, wide variety of species

  fauna: greatest range of animal species, most live in the canopy layer
• tropical grasslands

  location: between latitudes 5° - 30° north and south of the equator

  temperature: warm all year (20 - 30 °C)

  rainfall: wet and dry season (500 - 1500 per year)

  flora: grasslands with widely spaced trees

  fauna: large hooved herbivores and carnivores dominate
• hot dessert

  location: found along the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

  temperature: hot by day (over 30 °C) but cold by night

  rainfall: very low (below 300 per year)

  flora: lack of plants and few species adapted to drought

  fauna: many species are small and nocturnal accept camel
• temperate forest

  location: between latitudes 40° - 60° north of equator

  temperature: warm summers and mild winters (5 - 20 °C)

  rainfall: variable rainfall (500 - 1500 per year)

  flora: mainly decidous trees a variety of species

  fauna: animals adapt to warmer and colder climates, some migrate
• tundra

  location: far latitudes 65° north and south of the equator

  temperature: cold winter and cool summer (below 10 °C)

  rainfall: low rainfall (below 500 mm per year)

  flora: small plants grow low to the ground and only in summer

  fauna: low number of species and most found by the coast
• coral reefs

  location: found within 30° north and south of the equator in tropical waters

  temperature: warm water all year round with temperatures of 18 °C

  rainfall: wet + dry seasons, rainfall varies greatly due to location

  flora: small range of plant life which includes algae and sea grasses that shelters reef animals

  fauna: dominated by polyps and a diverse range of fish species
• A biome is a large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which are adapted to that particular environment.

  • The climate and geography of a region determines what type of biome can exist in that region.