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Terrestrial (Land) Biomes
Biome
Biome Description
Plants
Animals
Tundra
Characterized by very dry
cold winters. Temperatures
can get below -30°C.
Ground is permanently
frozen (permafrost) below
the surface. Summers and
growing seasons are cool
and short. About 50cm
precipitation a year.
Nutrient poor soil since the
process of decay is slow.
Locations: Arctic and
Antarctic regions and at
tops of high mountains.
Examples: Low shrubs,
mosses, liverworts, hardy
grasses.
Adaptations: Plants are
short in response to
sheering wind forces and
others grow in clumps in
order to break harsh winds
and protect each other
from the cold. Plants have
shallow roots to absorb
water quickly.
Examples: Polar bear, artic fox,
caribou, grey wolves, reindeer.
Adaptations: Extra body fat.
Thick insulating cover of feathers
or fur. Some animals migrate or
hibernate. Others have adapted
by preventing their bodily fluids
from freezing solid by having
built in antifreeze agents or
super-cooling methods. Use
camouflage to protect
themselves, ex: brown fur in
summer & white fur in winter.
Tropical Rainforest
Temperature is warm to
hot year round.
Precipitation is high (460700cm annually). It is
earth’s most densely
populated biome and
home to more species than
all the other biomes
combined. There is a very
distinct layering of plants:
emergent, canopy,
understory, & forest floor.
Sunlight is a major limiting
factor.
Locations: Found in all
parts of the world, in areas
near the equator.
Examples: Vines, ferns,
palms, also bamboo,
banana trees, rubber trees,
and cassava.
Adaptations: Some plants
have aerial roots and live
their entire life high up in
tree tops. Generally have
large leaves to catch as
much sunlight as possible.
Some plants produce an
odor similar to rotting flesh
which attracts pollinating
insects.
Examples: Anteater, jaguar,
brocket deer, lemur, orangutan,
marmoset, macaw, parrot, sloth,
and toucan.
Adaptations: Animals may have
bright colors to attract mates.
Camouflage hides insects and
amphibians from predators.
Animals are able to climb and
forage for food in trees, such as
monkeys and sloths. Birds have
strong or longer beaks, such as
toucans & macaws.
Examples: Oak, beech, ash,
and maple trees.
Adaptations: Roots are
expansive, deep and long.
Fertile soil supports large
plants and trees with
woody stems. Autumn
temperatures signal trees
to cut off the water supply
to leaves making them less
vulnerable to damage by
winter’s cold.
Examples: Deer, fox, eagle, bear,
squirrel, wood mice, rabbits,
raccoons, woodpeckers,
cardinals, and finches.
Adaptations: Many migrate to
warmer places to escape the cold
winters, others hibernate
through winter when food is
scarce. Some animals such as
squirrels chipmunks and jays
store food using hallows of trees
as storehouses for nuts and
seeds.
Temperate Deciduous Summers are hot and
winters are cold.
Forest
Precipitation is 50-150cm a
year. Soil is fertile. Cold
winters halt plant growth
for several months.
Growing season averages
six months. There are four
seasons in this month.
Locations: Mid-latitudes of
North America, Europe,
Asia, South America, Africa,
& Australia.
Biome
Biome Description
Plants
Animals
Taiga (Coniferous)
Forest
Cold year round.
Temperatures range
between -30°C - 20°C. Little
precipitation (35 – 75 cm)
Short growing season.
Locations: Located south
of the Arctic tundra. It
stretches from Alaska
straight across North
America to the Atlantic
Ocean and across Eurasia.
Examples: Moose, the red fox,
the snowshoe rabbit, and birds
such as the crossbill and the
great horned owl.
Adaptations: Store extra fat
layers on their bodies to keep
warm. Some animals hibernate.
Others live beneath the snow in
tunnels. Many use camouflage to
protect themselves or to catch
their prey. Ex: brown fur in
summer & white fur in winter.
Desert
Less than 25cm of rain per
year. Area is dry most of
the time. Extreme
temperature changes
during the course of the
day. Very hot during the
summer and mild in winter.
Locations: Africa, Asia, the
Middle East, North and
South America and
Australia
Examples: Cone-bearing
trees such as spruce,
hemlock, and fir.
Adaptations: Dark green
needles allow more
sunlight & heat to be
absorbed. Leaves remain
green during winter so
photosynthesis can occur
year round. Needle-leaf
trees are drought
resistance and prevent
snow from collecting on
them, which may cause the
branches to break.
Examples: Cacti such as
yucca, aloe, ocotillo, plants,
the tall saguaro, stinging
nettles, creosote bushes,
Joshua trees, variety of
short-season wildflowers.
Adaptations: Leaves are
modified (thorny) so
animals do not eat them.
Some have knife-like leaves
that prevent water loss.
Many cacti store large
amounts of water in their
thick stems and pulpy
interior.
Grassland
(Savanna)
Fertile soil. Precipitation is
moderate – 60 – 90cm per
year. Soils are rich in both
minerals and organic
matter. Water is usually
found just below the soil
surface.
Locations: Central Asia,
North America, Australia,
central Europe, and South
America.
1.
Examples: Variety of grass,
sunflowers, clovers, and a
variety of annual
wildflowers.
Adaptations: Adapted to
cold, temperatures,
drought, and fires. Grasses
have extensive root webs
that prevent grazing
animals from pulling their
roots out of the ground.
Seeds are narrow with
sharp pointed edges that
stick to large grazing
animals
Examples: Mammals, insects,
birds, reptiles including lizards,
snakes, owls, camels, and
antelope.
Adaptations: Hard outer
coverings such as keratinous
scales in snakes help reduce
water loss. Thin large ears with
dense surface capillaries aid in
heat loss. To prevent
overheating both reptiles and
amphibians make burrows to
escape heat. During the hottest,
driest times of the year, some
animals estivate (similar to
hibernation but they are avoiding
the heat). Some animals do not
have sweat glands & pass small
amounts of concentrated urine.
Examples: Bison, rabbits prairie
dogs, coyotes mule deer,
badgers, rhinoceros, zebras,
giraffe, antelope.
Adaptations: Sharp teeth that
are able to gnaw through grasses.
Small animals can hide in grasses.
Large animals protect themselves
with speed or camouflage.
Others live in large groups called
herds to protect themselves from
predators and to protect the
weaker members.