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6
Major Ecosystems of the World
Earth’s Major Biomes

Biome
A
large, relatively distinct terrestrial region with a
similar climate soil, plants, and animals,
regardless of where it occurs in the world
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Distribution of Terrestrial Biomes
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tundra



Treeless biome in the north
Permafrost
Low species diversity
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Boreal Forests

Coniferous forests in the northern hemisphere
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Temperate Rainforest

Coniferous biome
 Ex:


Northwest US
High species richness
Heavily logged
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.


Temperature Deciduous Forests
Seasonality
Most of biome has been
regenerated after farming and
timber harvest
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Grassland

90% of this biome has been lost to farmland

Soil has thick, organic material rich organic
horizon
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chaparral

Frequent fires
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Deserts
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Savanna
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tropical Rainforest



Very productive biome
Most species-rich biome
Ancient, weathered, nutrientpoor soil
 Nutrients
tied up in vegetation,
not soil
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Vertical Zonation

Increasing in elevation has similar effect on
ecosystem as traveling to higher latitudes
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aquatic Ecosystem

Fundamental Division
 Freshwater

vs. Saltwater
Aquatic Ecosystems also affected by
 Dissolved
oxygen level, light penetration, pH,
presence/absence of currents
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.