biomes -

1. biomes - terrestrial regions with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed ecological communities adapted to the climate of the region

2. Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Semidesert, arid grassland Arctic tundra (polar grasslands) Desert Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen coniferous forest (e.g., montane coniferous forest) Tropical rain forest, tropical evergreen forest Mountains (complex zonation) Temperate deciduous forest Tropical deciduous forest Ice Temperate grassland Tropical scrub forest Dry woodlands and shrublands (chaparral) Tropical savanna, thorn forest

4. Cold Polar Tundra Subpolar Temperate Coniferous forest Desert Decreasing temperature Deciduous Forest Grassland Tropical Chaparral Desert Hot Savanna Wet Rain forest Dry Tropical seasonal forest Scrubland Decreasing precipitation

5. Effects of altitude and latitude Altitude Mountain Ice and snow Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Coniferous Forest Latitude Deciduous Forest Tropical Forest Tropical Forest Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Polar ice and snow Parallel changes occur in vegetation type when we travel from the equator to the poles or from lowlands to mountaintops.

6. Plant Size, Shape, and Survival Strategies • Tall plants cannot survive in extreme cold • Shrubs and grasses better adapted • Desert plants • Adaptations to prevent overheating • Adaptations to conserve water • “Succulent” plants • No leaves • Fleshy tissue • Stomates only open at night

7. Plant Size, Shape, and Survival Strategies • Tropical rainforest trees • Broadleafevergreen plants • Collect ample sunlight • Radiate heat • Cold (and dry) winter climates • Broadleafdeciduous plants • Shed leaves • Become dormant

8. Plant Size, Shape, and Survival Strategies • Very cold winters, short cool summers • Coniferous evergreen plants • Narrow pointed leaves (needles) • Waxy coating • Clustering of needles • Hold leaves year-round • Don’t need to grow new leaves in Spring

9. Desert Biomes

10. Desert Biomes • Evaporation exceeds precipitation • Less than 10 inches of rain per year • Sparse, widely spaced , low vegetation

11. DESERT BIOMES • Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate and polar or cold deserts. Figure 5-12

12. Tropical desert (Saudi Arabia) Temperate desert (Reno, Nevada) Cold desert (northwest China)

13. Plant Adaptations Wax-coated leaves Deep roots and wide-spread shallow roots Spongy tissue Drop leaves Become dormant Store biomass in seeds Animal Adaptations Hide in burrows during day Thick outer coverings (insects) Dry feces Obtain water from dew or food Becoming dormant “Beat the Heat” “Every Drop of Water Counts”

14. Agave Agave Prickly pear cactus Prickly pear cactus Roadrunner Roadrunner Diamondback rattlesnake Diamondback rattlesnake Darkling beetle Darkling beetle Bacteria Bacteria Kangaroo rat Kangaroo rat Red-tailed hawk Producer to primary consumer Gambel's quail Primary to secondary consumer Yucca Jack rabbit Collared lizard Secondary to higher-level consumer All producers and consumers to decomposers Fungi

15. Human Impacts • Soil destruction by vehicles • Depletion of underground water • Urban development • Soil salinization • Waste storage (radioactive and toxic) • Solar cells and solar collectors

16. Polar Tundra Alpine Tundra Temperate Grassland Tropical Savanna Grasslands

17. Grassland characteristics • Seasonal drought • Grazing • Occasional fires (prevent trees)

18. GRASSLANDS BIOMES • Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue). Figure 5-14

19. Tropical grassland (savanna) (Harare, Zimbabwe) Temperate grassland (Lawrence, Kansas) Polar grassland (arctic tundra) (Fort Yukon, Alaska)

20. Tropical Grassland and Savannas • High average temperature • Low to moderate precipitation • Prolonged dry season

21. Cape buffalo Wildebeest Beisa oryx Topi Warthog Thompson's gazelle Waterbuck Grant's zebra Dry Grassland Moist Grassland grazing – grass and herb eating

22. Giraffe African elephant Gerenuk Black rhino Dik-dik East African eland Bushbuck Blue duiker Greater kudu Dry Thorn Scrub Riverine Forest browsing – twig and leaf nibbling

23. Bitterly cold winters Hot, dry summers Sparse, uneven precipitation Tall- and short-grass prairies (NA) Pampas (SA) Veldt (Africa) Steppes (Europe and Asia) Temperate Grasslands

24. Temperate Grasslands • The cold winters and hot dry summers have deep and fertile soil that make them ideal for growing crops and grazing cattle.

25. Pronghorn antelope Pronghorn antelope Coyote Coyote Grasshopper sparrow Grasshopper sparrow Grasshopper Grasshopper Blue stem grass Blue stem grass Prairie coneflower Prairie coneflower Golden eagle Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer All producers and consumers to decomposers Temperate tall-grass prairie Prairie dog Bacteria Fungi

26. Polar Grasslands(Artic Tundra) • Bitterly cold • Frigid winds • Ice and snow Permafrost

27. Snowy owl Snowy owl Willow ptarmigan Willow ptarmigan Dwarf willow Dwarf willow Mountain cranberry Mountain cranberry Moss campion Moss campion Long-tailed jaeger Producer to primary consumer Grizzly bear Caribou Primary to secondary consumer Mosquito Secondary to higher-level consumer Arctic fox Horned lark All consumers and producers to decomposers Polar Grasslands (Artic tundra) Lemming

29. Dense growth of low-growing, evergreen shrubs Mild winters Long, hot, dry summers Referred to as “Mediterranean climate” along coastal areas People like to live in this biome Temperate Shrubland or Chaparral

30. Chaparral • Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of spiny shrubs are subject to periodic fires. Figure 5-18

31. Temperate coniferous forests Temperate deciduous forests Tropical rain forests Forest Biomes

32. FOREST BIOMES • Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate, and polar forests.

33. Tropical rain forest (Manaus, Brazil) Temperate deciduous forest (Nashville, Tennessee) Polar evergreen coniferous forest (boreal forest, taiga) (Moscow, Russia)

34. Warm temperatures High humidity Heavy daily rainfall Most biologically diverse biome Nutrient poor soils Tropical Rain Forests

35. 45 Harpy eagle 40 Toco toucan 35 30 Height (meters) 25 20 Understory Understory Wooly opossum 15 10 Brazilian tapir 5 Black-crowned antpitta Ground layer Ground layer 0 Emergent layer Canopy Shrub layer stratification

36. Temperate Rainforest • Occurs in coastal temperate areas • Coast of North America from Canada to northern California • Ample rainfall or moist, dense ocean fogs • Spruce, Douglas fir, redwoods

37. Temperate Deciduous Forest • Long, warm summers • Cold winters • Abundant precipitation • Nutrient rich soils

38. Metallic wood- boring beetle and larvae Metallic wood-boring beetle and Mountain winterberry Mountain winterberry May beetle May beetle Long-tailed weasel Long-tailed weasel Broad-winged hawk Producer to primary consumer Hairy woodpecker Primary to secondary consumer Gray squirrel White oak Secondary to higher-level consumer White-footed mouse White-tailed deer All producers and consumers to decomposers Shagbark hickory Racer Fungi Wood frog Bacteria

39. 60° N Latitude Long, dry and extremely cold winters Short, mild summers Plant diversity is low Deep layer of decomposed conifer needles provide rich source of peat bogs Evergreen Coniferous Forests ‘Boreal’ or ‘Taiga’

40. Great horned owl Great horned owl Marten Marten White spruce White spruce Pine sawyer beetle and larvae Pine sawyer Blue jay Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Balsam fir Secondary to higher-level consumer Moose Wolf All producers and consumers to decomposers Bebb willow Snowshoe hare Fungi Starflower Bunchberry Bacteria

41. Human impacts on forests • Clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, livestock grazing, and timber • Clearing of temperate deciduous forests for timber, agriculture and urban development • Clearing of evergreen coniferous forests • Conversion of diverse forests to less biodiverse tree plantations

42. Tree Plantation (monoculture)

43. MOUNTAIN BIOMES • High-elevation islands of biodiversity • Often have snow-covered peaks that reflect solar radiation and gradually release water to lower-elevation streams and ecosystems.

44. HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIOMES • Human activities have damaged or disturbed more than half of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems. • Humans have had a number of specific harmful effects on the world’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

45. Natural Capital Degradation Desert Large desert cities Soil destruction by off-road vehicles Soil salinization from irrigation Depletion of groundwater Land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction

46. Natural Capital Degradation Grasslands Conversion to cropland Release of CO2 to atmosphere from grassland burning Overgrazing by livestock Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra

47. Natural Capital Degradation Forests Clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing, timber, and urban development Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations Damage from off-road vehicles Pollution of forest streams

48. Natural Capital Degradation Mountains Agriculture Timber extraction Mineral extraction Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs Increasing tourism Urban air pollution Increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone depletion Soil damage from off-road vehicles