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Earths Biomes Slide 2 Biomes large geographic areas that have similar climates & ecosystemslarge geographic areas that have similar climates & ecosystems Slide 3 Slide 4 Tundra cold, dry, treeless regions, sometimes called cold desertscold, dry, treeless regions, sometimes called cold deserts Slide 5 Slide 6 -severe winters -short growing season, cool summer -arctic or alpine Tundra Slide 7 -no trees hedges,low shrubs mosses -permafrost Slide 8 Taigas (Boreal Forests) cold, forest regions dominated by cone-bearing evergreen treescold, forest regions dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees Slide 9 Slide 10 Taiga/Boreal Forest -severe winters -average temperature can be < 0 deg C -precipitation is low -short growing season Slide 11 Taiga/Boreal Forest -10-20 m trees evergreen needle and deciduous -second largest biome, on an area basis -fire dominated, but on longer timescale than grassland -more nutrients and carbon stored in soils than plants Slide 12 Deserts regions that support little plant life, & receive less than 25 cm of rain each yearregions that support little plant life, & receive less than 25 cm of rain each year Slide 13 Slide 14 Desert -hot or cold deserts exist -low precipitation -distinct winter season, frost a defining feature -summer season usually moist with ppt > evapotranspiration Temperate Forest Slide 19 Temperate Deciduous Forest -relatively large tree biomass -also called the deciduous forest, but contains evergreen needle trees as well Slide 20 Temperate Rain Forests regions with average temperatures from 9-12oC, 200-400 cm of rain eachregions with average temperatures from 9-12oC, 200-400 cm of rain each year, & mostly trees with needlelike leavesyear, & mostly trees with needlelike leaves Slide 21 Slide 22 Tropical Rain Forest region with warm temperatures, wet weather, & lush plant growthregion with warm temperatures, wet weather, & lush plant growth Slide 23 Slide 24 -found near the equator -temperature varies little from approximately 23C -the length of daylight varies from 12 hours by less than one hour -rainforest>2000mm precipitation Tropical Rain Forest Slide 25 -canopy trees up to 55 m tall -largest biome, on an area basis -soils are generally unfertile -nutrients and carbon stored in plant biomass, not soils Slide 26 Grasslands temperate & tropical regions receiving 25- 75 cm of precipitation each year, and dominated by grassestemperate & tropical regions receiving 25- 75 cm of precipitation each year, and dominated by grasses Slide 27 Slide 28 Temperate Grassland -cold winter -relatively hot summer Slide 29 Grassland/Savanna -scattered trees and shrubs -trees are short statured -fire & grazing by animals also contribute to predominance of grasses, but that depends on climate Slide 30 Aquatic Ecosystems Slide 31 Freshwater Rivers & StreamsRivers & Streams Streams usually begin at higher altitudes, flowing downhill. They have fast currents, which animals have adapted to, such as insects with suckers and trout. Few plants can survive in streams. As streams join together, they form rivers, which have slower currents, warmer, cloudy waters, and pebbles on the bottom which allow plants to take root, providing food for many more organisms such as frogs and larger consumers. Slide 32 Rivers & Streams Slide 33 Brainpop quiz time! Preview the questions to the RIVERS quiz.Brainpop quiz time! Preview the questions to the RIVERS quiz. Slide 34 Freshwater Lakes & PondsLakes & Ponds Formed when a low place in the land fills with water Lakes are larger and deeper than ponds with more open water. They have colder temperatures and lower light levels, limiting the types of organisms that can live in them, such as sunfish, insects, catfish, bacteria, and other decomposers. Ponds are small, shallow bodies of still water where sunlight can reach the bottom. They are filled with animal and plant life, such as dragonflies, turtles, snails, and frogs. In large ponds and most lakes, algae floating at the surface are the major producers. Slide 35 Lakes & Ponds Slide 36 Estuaries The area where a river meets an ocean and contains a mixture of freshwater and salt water, located near coastlines Also known as bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, and sounds Salinity changes with amount of freshwater brought in by rivers, & with amount of saltwater pushed inland by ocean tides Organisms include algae, marsh grasses, crabs, worms, clams, and fish, who use estuaries as breeding zones. Slide 37 Estuaries Slide 38 Intertidal zone is the portion of the shoreline covered with saltwater at high tide and exposed to air during low tide Organisms, such as barnacles, sea stars, clams, and crabs must be able to survive pounding waves, as well as sudden changes in water levels and temperatures. Slide 39 Slide 40 Intertidal zone Slide 41 Neritic zone is where the edge of a continent extends into the ocean for a short distance, like a shelf. Sunlight is able to pass through, allowing photosynthesis to occur, so many living things, such as large schools of sardines, can feed on algae. If the water is warm enough, coral reefs may form. Slide 42 Neritic Zone Slide 43 Slide 44 Slide 45 Open Ocean Slide 46 Light penetrates only a few hundred meters deep Algae carry out photosynthesis on the surface zone, providing food for many marine animals, such as fish, whales, and sharks. The deep zone is almost totally dark; most animals in this zone, such as giant squid, angler fish, and jellyfish, feed on the remains of organisms that sink down from the surface zone. Slide 47