BIOMES
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What is a Biome
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Biomes: large regions characterized by a specific climate and types of plant and animal communities.
- Biomes are described by their vegetation
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Plant adaptations:
- 1. Size
- 2. Shape
- 3. Color
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Climate: average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.
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1. Two most important factors that determine climate:
- a. Temperature
- b. Precipitation
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1. Two most important factors that determine climate:
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Temperature:
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1. Most organisms adapt to live within a particular range of temps and
- a. Cannot survive too far above or below their range.
- b. Biomes that receive frequent rainfall will have denser vegetation, support large trees, support a wide variety of larger animals
- c. Biomes where rainfall is not frequent will have cactuses and desert shrubs.
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1. Most organisms adapt to live within a particular range of temps and
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Biomes: large regions characterized by a specific climate and types of plant and animal communities.
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Forest Biomes
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Tropical rain forests: forests or jungles near the equator.
- characterized by rain and little variation in temp
- They help regulate world climate
- nutrients are within the plants
- Decomposers break down dead organisms and return the nutrients to the soil
- plants absorb the nutrients.
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Some trees support fungi.
- 1. fungi transfer the nutrients from the dead matter to the tree.
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Rain forest Biomes
- different types of plants grow in different layers.
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four main layers of the rain forest:
- 1. Emergent Layer
- 2. Upper Canopy
- 3. Lower Layer
- 4. Understory
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emergent layer: top foliage layer
- 1. reaching heights of 60 to 70 m (197-230ft)
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2. Animals:
- a. Eagles
- b. bats
- c. monkeys
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Canopy: layers of treetops that shade the forest floor
- 1. primary layer
- 2. absorb up to 95 percent of the sunlight.
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Understory: foliage layer beneath and shaded by the main canopy of a forest.
- 1. Little light allowing only trees and shrubs adapted to shade to grow there.
- 2. Most plants do not grow more that 3.5 m tall. (11ft)
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3. Species:
- a. diverse vegetation has led to the evolution of diverse animals
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b. Animals
- * animals use specific resources in particular ways to avoid competition
- * adapted to capture prey and avoid predators.
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c. Insects
- * use camouflage to avoid predators
- * Example: may be shaped like leaves or twigs.
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Tropical rain forests: forests or jungles near the equator.
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Threats:
- Every minute, 100 acres of rainforest are cleared for logging operations, agriculture, and oil exploration.
- Exotic-pet trading
- native people are threatened by habitat destruction.
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Taiga
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Taiga: region of evergreen, coniferous forest below the arctic and subarctic tundra regions.
- long winters and little vegetation.
- growing season is about 50 days
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Animals:
- 1. Migratory birds
- 2. Insects
- 3. Shrews
- 4. Snowshoe Hares
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Taiga: region of evergreen, coniferous forest below the arctic and subarctic tundra regions.
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Savanna
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Savannas: plains full of grasses and scattered trees and shrubs
- found in tropical and subtropical habitats
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have a wet and a dry season.
- 1. Many animals are only active during the wet season.
- Grass fires help to restore nutrients to the soil during the dry season.
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Savannas: plains full of grasses and scattered trees and shrubs
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Temperate Grassland
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Temperate grasslands: communities dominated by grasses, have few trees, and have hot summers and cold winters,
- most fertile soil of any biome
- Few natural temperate grasslands remain due grazing areas and farmland
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Animals:
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1. grazing animals
- a. bison
- b. antelope
- 2. prairie dogs
- 3. owls
- 4. badgers
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1. grazing animals
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Temperate grasslands: communities dominated by grasses, have few trees, and have hot summers and cold winters,
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Chaparral
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Chaparral: temperate woodland biome with vegetation
- includes broad leafed shrubs
- located in areas with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
- located in the middle latitudes
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Threats to Chaparral:
- human development.
- develop lands because they get sun, near oceans, and have a mild climate year round.
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Chaparral: temperate woodland biome with vegetation
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Desert
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Deserts: regions that have little or no vegetation, little rain, and extreme temperatures.
- there are hot and cold deserts
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located near large mountain ranges
- 1. mountains prevent precipitation.
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Deserts: regions that have little or no vegetation, little rain, and extreme temperatures.
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Tundra
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Tundra: treeless plain
- characterized by very low winter temperatures, short, cool summers, and vegetation that consists of grasses, lichens, and perennial herbs.
- Permafrost: frozen layer of soil or subsoil
- Tundra
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Threats:
- food chains are simple so they are easily disrupted.
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Oil has been found and is being extracted from these areas
- 1. Pollution from oil spills or leaks
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Tundra: treeless plain