Download Terrestrial Biomes

Biomes
There are 2 types:
 Terrestrial Biomes (on land)
 Aquatic Biomes (in the water)
Terrestrial Biomes
Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes:
 Savanna
 Temperate grassland
 Chaparral
 Desert
 Tundra
Chapter 6 Section 3
Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes
Objectives
 Describe the difference between tropical
and temperate grasslands.
 Describe the climate in a chaparral biome.
 Describe two desert animals and the
adaptations that help them survive.
 Describe one threat to the tundra biome.
Chapter 6 Section 2
Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes
Key Terms
 Savanna
 Temperate grassland
 Chaparral
 Desert
 Tundra
 Permafrost
Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes
 Climates with less rainfall
 As precipitation decreases, species diversity
decreases
Biomes of the World
Insects swarm over the Madagascar savanna.
Grasslands in different regions have different names: Africa has savannas; Asia
has steppes; South America has pampas; and North America has prairies.
Savanna
 Tropical and subtropical grasslands found in
Africa, western India, northern Australia, and
South America
 Found near equator between tropical rain forest
and desert biomes
 Grasses with a few
scattered trees,
shrubs, many
with thorns
Savanna
 Hot temperatures with wet and dry seasons
 Annual rainfall is between 50 and 127 cm
 Plants and animals most active during wet
season
 Large variety of grazing animals and predators
 More species of grazing mammals than any
other biome
Savanna
 Grass fires are common during the
dry season
 Fires help return nutrients to the soil
Temperate Grasslands
Temperate Grasslands
 Found north of the Tropic of Cancer or south
of the Tropic of Capricorn
 Cold winters and hot summers
 Cover 25% of the land on Earth
 Characterized by tall perennial grasses and
lack of trees
Prairie dogs live in temperate grasslands. Prairie
dogs live in colonies and burrow in the ground to
build mounds, holes, and tunnels.
Temperate Grasslands
 Because of the dry climate, trees
are found only near water
sources such as streams
 Usually receive between 50 and
90 cm of rainfall each year
 Summer temperatures can
reach up to 38oC, and winter
temperatures can fall to –40oC
Chaparral
 Found between 32o and 40o
latitude on the west coast of
continents
 Receive between 35 and 70 cm
of rain, usually in the winter
 Vegetation is extremely
resistant to drought and
weather events
Chaparral Biomes
Chaparral
 Grows between forest and grassland, or
between desert and grassland biomes
 Many plants and trees have leathery leaves,
gnarled bark, and intimidating thorns
 Often called “scrub”
Chaparral
Temperate woodlands are usually too dry to support a forest,
but they receive sufficient precipitation to support vegetation
that grows in bunches, such as the piñon and juniper trees
shown here.
Desert
Desert
 Typically found between 25o and
40o latitude
 Temperatures typically range
between 20oC and 25oC but some
extreme deserts can reach
temperatures higher than 38oC
and lower than –15oC
Desert
 Driest places on earth
 Receive less than 25 cm of rain each year
 Often located on the dry side of mountain ranges
 Little or no vegetation
Desert
Desert
Tundra
 Treeless or marshy plain
 Characterized by permafrost –
permanently frozen soil starting as
high as a few centimeters below the
surface – which severely limits plant
growth
Tundra
Tundra
 Winter temperatures average –34oC while
summer temperatures usually average
below 10oC
 Low precipitation (15–25 cm per year) but
ground is usually wet because of low
evaporation
Tundra with Alaska pipeline in the distance
Tundra
 Arctic tundra can be found in Antarctica and
the North Pole, North of the Arctic Circle
 Grass, lichen and herbs
 Very short warm season that is also very wet
 Many insects during warm season
Tundra
During its brief summer, the Alaskan tundra is covered by
flowering plants and lichens.