Download Biomes Description File

Climate:
Biodiversity:
Plants:
Animals:
Other
Characteristics:
TUNDRA (Arctic and alpine)
Arctic; arid
Low
Lichen, mosses, small shrubs
Caribou, arctic fox, some insects, some birds, polar bear
Permafrost-permanently frozen subsoil
Shallow; widely-spread roots on plants adapted to short growing
seasons and thin rocky soil
Animals:
TAIGA (Boreal/Coniferous Forest)
Sub-arctic; semi-arid
Low
Conifers (cedar, spruce, pine and fir)
Mosses and lichen
Insects, birds, mammals (rabbits, mink, raccoon, bear and moose)
Other
Characteristics:
Low evaporation leading to a swampy terrain
Largest terrestrial biome
Climate:
Biodiversity:
Plants:
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS (Hardwood/broadleaf Forest)
Climate:
Temperate; semi-humid
Biodiversity:
High
Plants:
Beech, maple, oak, hickory, ferns, mosses and shrubs
Animals:
Insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mice, chipmunks, squirrels,
deer, bobcats and bear
Other
4 seasons
Characteristics:
Trees lose their leaves
Pennsylvania’s biome
TEMPERATE GRASSLAND (Prairie, outback, pampas, veldts, steppe)
Climate:
Temperate; semi-arid
Biodiversity:
Medium-high
Plants:
Grasses; no trees
Animals:
Worms, insect, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mice, prairie dogs,
rabbits, coyotes, bison and antelope
Other
Plant height is limited by the amount of precipitation
Characteristics:
Excellent soil (Great Plains=breadbasket)
Climate:
Biodiversity:
Plants:
Animals:
Other
Characteristics:
DESERT (Temperate/tropical; Hot/cold)
Dependent; arid
Low
Succulents such as cacti and aloe
Sagebrush, mesquite, tumbleweed
Insects, reptiles, birds, rodents
Extreme temperature fluctuations in a 24 hour period
Plant roots shallow; widely spread
Death Valley National
Park has more than 3.3
million acres of
spectacular desert.
Badwater is the lowest
point (-282 feet) in North
America.
Climate:
Biodiversity:
Plants:
Animals:
Other
Characteristics:
TROPICAL GRASSLANDS (Savanna)
Tropical; semi-arid
Low to medium
Grasses and scattered clumps of trees (acacia and baobab)
Insects, reptiles, birds, zebra, giraffes, antelopes, lions, cheetahs
and hyenas
Poor soil
Two seasons; wet/dry
Climate:
Biodiversity:
Plants:
Animals:
Other
Characteristics:
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
Tropical; humid
High
Tall flowering, broadleaf evergreen trees; vines and epiphytes; few
plants on forest floor
Insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, monkeys, sloths, leopards, pigs
and tigers
Poor soil
Daily precipitation
An abundance of houseplants originate from the rainforest
Emergent layer above a dense canopy, understory and forest floor
Brazilian rain forest is visible behind the smoke of an actively burning fire caused by
slash and burn agriculture. Credit: NASA/Doug Morton
Changes in ecosystems (6b) are discussed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHWgWxDWhsA(7:47) and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qblwORXwrg(2:26).