World Biomes

Biomes• Regions of the world with similar physical

environments• Named for most conspicuous types of

vegetation• Climate factors

Rainfall (precipitation)TemperatureAltitudeLatitude

• Boundaries are indistinct

Six Major Biomes• Tropical Rain Forests• Grassland– Tropical/Subtropical Grassland– Temperate Grassland

• Desert• Temperate– Temperate Deciduous Forest– Temperate Rain Forest

• Taiga• Tundra

Tropical Rain Forests

• Equatorial lowlands• Constant temperature and abundant

rainfall all year long• Many arboreal animals• Few terrestrial animals

Tropical and Subtropical Grassland

• Warm temperatures throughout the year

• Well defined dry season and rainy season

• Large herbivores• High grasses• Scattered trees and shrubs

Temperate Grassland• Hot, humid summer and cold winter• Precipitation as winter snow and

heavy spring and summer rain• Short and tall grasses; trees found

only near streams• Wide variety of animal life– Large herbivores– Smaller animals build burrows

Deserts

• Identified by lack of precipitation• Deserts can be cold or hot– Antarctica is a cold desert

• Nocturnal animal life in hot deserts• Plants are well adapted to short

water supply

Temperate Deciduous Forests

• Deciduous forests of mid‑latitude regions

• Cold winters and hot summers• Abundant rain and snowfall• Wide variety of animal life

Temperate Rain Forests

• Cold winters and hot summers• Abundant rain and snowfall• Conifers (redwood, firs, pines,

spruce) retain their needles.– Needles conserve water in dry summer

and shed snow in cold winter

• Wide variety of animal life

Taiga (Boreal Forest)

• Coniferous (Evergreen) Forests• Found at high elevations and/or far

northern latitudes• Snow accounts for most of the

precipitation• Animals are adapted to long, cold

winters

Tundra• Areas with continuously frozen

ground (permafrost)• Near polar regions • Small plants limited by frozen soil

and prolonged dark season• Animals adapted to extreme cold;

birds often migrate