Biomes

Section #1:What is a Biome?

Biomes of the World

What is a Biome?

•a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant & animal communities

•made up of many individual ecosystems

Biomes & Vegetation

• biomes get their name from the plants that grow in the area

•WHY?• plants can’t move on their own

(they’re stuck there!)• plants determine what other

organisms can live there (i.e. they’re the food source)

Biomes & Vegetation

• plants in a particular biome have characteristics, specialized structures, or adaptations that allow the plants to survive in that biome

• includes – size– shape– color– ability to conserve & retain water

Vegetation Examples

• rhododendron shrubs – need cooler temps

• mahogany trees – need warm, moist weather

• some shorter plants can’t get enough water to grow taller

• most desert plants don’t have leaves to conserve water

Biomes & Climate

• the climate in a region determines what plants can grow in that area

• this refers to the weather conditions– temperature– precipitation– humidity– prevailing winds

• in an area over a long period of time (average of 20-50 years or more)

Temperature & Precipitation

• most organisms are adapted to live within a particular range of temps

• bigger organisms need more water -this is limited by the amount of precipitation

• overall – higher temps and higher precipitation yields taller & denser vegetation

Latitude & Altitude

• latitude = the distance north or south of the equator (measured in degrees 0 to 90)

• altitude = the height of an object above sea level

• both affect climate

Latitude & Altitude

•As both latitude & altitude increase, the climate gets colder

•Ex. (latitude? altitude ? both?)– climbing up the mountain– moving to Alaska– driving the Canadian Rockies

Discussion:

•The equator passes through the country of Ecuador. The climate in Ecuador can range from hot & humid to cool & dry. Explain what might cause this range in climates.