Download Human Biology 100A – Biome Images

Human Biology 100A – Biome Images
Instructor: Mark Eberle
Coastal Zone
 Kelp Forest (temperate latitudes)
Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Oregon (photographs by Megan Rohweder)

Coral Reef (tropical latitudes)
Rain Forests (precipitation >100” per year)
 Tropical Rain Forests:
o near equator in northern South America, western Africa, and islands between
Southeast Asia and Australia
o broad-leaved evergreens
o richest species diversity of any ecosystem — also have high biomass
o relatively shallow soils (most nutrients tied up in biomass)
 Temperate Rain Forests
o e.g., northwestern coast of North America
o conifers and broad-leaved evergreens (lower species richness than tropical rain
forests)
Olympic National Park, Washington (photographs by Mark Eberle)
Temperate Deciduous Forests
 eastern North America, Europe, and eastern China
 broad-leaved deciduous trees
 precipitation ~30–60” per year; summer and winter seasons
 soils reasonably well developed (leaf fall)
Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania (photograph by Mark Eberle)
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri (photograph by Mark Eberle)
Taiga (Northern and Montane Coniferous Forests)
 Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia (also N–S mountain ranges, such as the Rocky
Mountains)
 conifers (low species richness)
 most precipitation comes as snow
 relatively long winters (short growing season)
 soils relatively thin and acidic
Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico (photograph by Bill Stark)
Calaveras Big Tree State Park, California (photograph by Mark Eberle)
Tundra (Alpine Tundra and Arctic Tundra)
 Alpine Tundra on highest mountains; Arctic Tundra farthest north in North America,
Europe, and Asia
 few trees; mostly shrubby due to soil permafrost
 flora dominated by lichens (fungus + alga) and low-growing plants
 little annual precipitation in Arctic Tundra (<10” per year)
Alpine Tundra, Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming (photograph by Eric Hoch)
Temperate Grasslands
 central North America, western China, and smaller areas in South America, South Africa,
and Australia
 dominated by grasses, with some clumps of trees (e.g., along streams)
 similar climate to temperate deciduous forests, but less precipitation (10–40” per year)
o drier conditions and wildfires limit tree growth
 soils relatively deep (extensive fibrous grass roots)
Z-Bar Ranch, south-central Kansas (photograph by Shauna Marquardt)
Big Creek, Hays, Kansas (photographer unknown)
Savannas (Tropical Grasslands)
 relatively large areas South America, eastern & south-central Africa, and eastern
Australia
 dominated by grasses and small trees
 climate with 3 general seasons
1. cool-dry,
2. hot-dry, and
3. warm–wet
 ~30–60” of precipitation per year (similar to temperate deciduous forest), but regular
drought
 soils somewhat less fertile than those of temperate grasslands
South Africa (photographs by Niki Lambrecht)
Deserts
 western North America, North Africa, Middle East, central Asia (Mongolia), and central
Australia
 dominated by shrubs, succulents (e.g., cacti), and bunchgrasses
 defined primarily by limited precipitation (generally <10” per year)
 “hot deserts” — short or absent winter season; “cold deserts” — relatively long winter
season
o NOT hot and cold desserts
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico (photograph by Mark Eberle)
“Hot Desert”, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona (photograph by Mark Eberle)
“Cold Desert”, Great Basin, Nevada (photograph by Jenn Nylund)
Estuaries (Ecotone)
 ecotones = area of transition between 2 adjacent ecosystems
 estuary = ecotone between freshwater from land and saltwater of ocean
o low species richness
o high productivity (comparable to tropical rain forests)
South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Coos Bay, Oregon (photograph by Mark Eberle)