4.3 BIOMES
A biome is a complex of terrestrial communities tha cover a large area and is characterized by certain soil and climate conditions and particular assemblages of plants and animals. Not all organisms can live in the same conditions. To live in harsh conditions, animals must adapt to their environment. Plants and animals also show tolerance. Tolerance is the ability to survive and reproduce under conditions that differ from their normal conditions.
The climate of a region is an important factor determining weather the organism can survive their or not. Microclimate is also an important factor too because microclimate is the climate in a small area that differs from the climate around it such as rain, snow, and fog. Temperature and the precipitation is also the two main components of climate.
Scientists recognize at least ten biomes. The first one is the tropical rain forest. The tropical rain forest have a dense covering on the top called the canopy. Below the canopy is the under-story. The tropical rain forest is hot and wet year round and have nutrient-poor soil. Some of the animals and pant there are: sloths, toucans, monkey, parrots, piranhas, boas, anacondas, evergreen trees, fern, vines, climbing plants, and few others. These biomes can be found in parts of South and Central America, Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, Southern India, and northeastern Australia.
The tropical dry forest is the second biome. The tropical dry forest grow in places where rainfall is highly seasonal. Tree drop their leaves during the dry. When trees shed their leaves in the dry season, they are called deciduous. The tropical dry forest is warm year round, it also have rich soils due to erosion. Some of the plants and animals their are orchids, tall, deciduous trees, tigers, monkeys, elephants, rhinoceroses, pelican, snakes. These biome can be found in part of Africa, South and Central America, Mexico, and Australia.
Tropical Savanna receive more rainfall than desert but less than dry forests,and grassland. Tropical savannas have isolated trees and shrubs while the rest are grass. Tropical savanna have compact soils and frequent fires. Tropical savannas have warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall. Some of the animals and plants are: grasses,fire resistant trees, shrubs, lions, leopards cheetahs, hyenas, zebra, baboons, eagles, ostriches, and a few others. Tropical savanna can be found in parts of eastern Africa, Southern Brazil, and northern Australia.
Deserts are dry and hot in the day. Many animals here undergo extreme temperature changes during the course of the day as in the morning it is extremely hot, while at night it is super cold. Deserts have low precipitation, variable temperatures, soil is rich in minerals but poor in organic material. Some of the plants and animals there are: Cactus, creosote plants, mountain lions, gray foxes, kangaroo rats, owls, hawks, rattlesnakes, and a few others. Deserts can be found in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, United States, Mexico, South America, and Australia.
Temperate grassland are characterized by a rich mix of grasses and under laid by some of the world’s most fertile soils. Temperate grassland is warm to hot summers, and cold winters. Temperate grassland also have seasonal precipitation and fertile soils. Some of the plants and animals there are: Lush, herbs, coyotes, badgers, wolves, grizzly bears, deer, rabbits, prairie dogs, bison, hawk, owls, snakes. Temperate grassland can be found in central Asia, North America, Australia, central Europe, and upland plateaus of South America.
Temperate woodland and shrub land is hot, and have dry summers, cool moist winter, nutrient-poor soils, periodic fires. Some of the plants are woody evergreen shrubs, oily herbs,coyotes foxes,rabbits, hawks ,snakes and a few others. Temperate woodland and shrub land can be found in western coasts of North and South Americas, area around the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, and Australia.
Temperate forests contain deciduous and coniferous trees. Soils of temperate forests are often rich in humus, a material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter that makes soil fertile. This biome is cold to moderate and warm to summers. This biome have year round precipitation and fertile soils. Some of the plants and animals there are: broad-leaf deciduous trees, some conifers, a ground layer of mosses, ferns, deer, black bears, bowels, raccoon, skunks, and a few other. This biome can be found in eastern United States, southeastern Canada, most of Europe, and parts of Japan, China, and Australia.
The northwestern coniferous forest have mild temperatures, abundant precipitation during fall winter and spring. Some of this animals here are: Sitka spruce, western hemlock. redwood, Douglas fir, bears, deer, beavers, owls, and a few others. This biome can be found in the Pacific coast of northwestern United States and Canada, from northern California to Alaska.
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The boreal forest is also called the taiga. This biome have long cold winters, short mild summers, moderate precipitation, high humidity, and nutrient poor soils. Some of the animals and plants here are: needle leaf, coniferous trees, spruce, fir, wolfs, lynxes, moose, beavers. This biome can be found in the North America, Asia, and northern Europe.
The tundra is characterized by permafrost, where a layer of permanently frozen subsoil. The tundra is also characterized by strong winds, low precipitation, short and soggy summers, long, cold , and dark winters. This biome also have poorly develop soils. Some of the animals and plants here are: mosses, lichens, sedge, short glasses, shore birds, caribou, musk ox, lemmings, and a few others. This biome can be found in northern America, Asia,and Europe.
Mountain ranges can be founded on all continents. As you move up from the summit, temperatures become colder and precipitation increases. Not only the climate changes, but also the animals. Polar ice caps border the tundra. Outside of the ice and snow, plants are few but they are still able to survive. Polar bears, and seals live in the north polar region. While penguins and other marine animals live in the south polar region (Antarctica) where it is covered by a layer of ice that is nearly 5 km thick.
ALL PICTURES ARE FROM GOOGLE IMAGES.