Download BIOME Desert Tundra All Grasslands Steppe Prairie ABIOTIC

BIOME
ABIOTIC FACTORS
BIOTIC FACTORS
PLANTS
Desert
Very little rainfall, < 10 cm/yr
Soil – rich in minerals
*Low rainfall means
minerals are not carried
deep into soil
- poor in organic material
(dead stuff)
*too dry for decay of dead
plants & animals
Occasional High Winds
Therefore – little or no topsoil
Most get H2O from foods
Adaptations*thick outer coat or skin
(shells/scales)
*burrows during heat of
day (nocturnal)
*big ears to release heat
*smaller animals
(less surface/area)
Ex. beetles, snakes, lizards,
hares, kangaroo rat, vulture
Can be Cool or Hot Deserts
….but always drastic change in
temperatures from day to night
Store H2O
Adaptations*spines vs. leaves =
less surface area
to loose water
**also prevent
predators
*Succulents store water
(thick water filled
leaves with waxy
coating)
*Thick, waxy coating
*Shallow, broad roots
Ex. cacti, aloe, mesquite
tree
Little rainfall, <25cm/year.
Temp. rarely above 10oC
Only the top layer of soil thaws in
summer – active zone.
Permafrost -frozen soil beneath
the active zone.
Short growing season & low temps.
= slow recovery from any
disruptions in vegetation or
changes to the active or
permafrost layers.
Small & grow close to the
ground.
Shallow roots due to
permafrost.
Trees < 1m tall & more
like shrubs than trees,
due to short growing
season & limited space
for roots.
Ex. Mosses, shrubs &
Grasses.
Many seasonal visitors
(summer). Migration = longdistance seasonal travel.
Few predators & little
competition for food or
space.
Adapted for maintaining
body temp. (insulated, thick
coats, small ears…
Ex. Caribou, arctic hare,
arctic fox, polar bear.
All
Grasslands
Wetter than deserts
Grasses have
underground roots to
withstand fires etc..
Steppe
<50cm of rain/year
Bunch grasses = short,
fine-blade grasses that
grow in a clump. Blades
prevent water loss and
bunching keeps water in
small root area & shade
of plant.
Combined steppe & prairie:
Many migrate, hibernate or
burrow as adaptation to
extremes (cold, hot, dry..).
Prairie
50-75cm of rain/year
Sod-forming grasses do
not dry out quickly or
blow away in wind.
Form a layer of organic
material = humus.
Ex. Armadillo,
Prairie dogs, ground birds,
bison,
Tundra
ANIMALS
Savanna
Tropical grasslands
Rainfall 25-150cm/year,
has a rainy & dry season.
Need to resist drought.
Grow runners = long
horizontal stems below
the ground. (allows quick
growth & easy recovery
from damage)
Grow in tufts = large
clumps of tall, coarse
grasses.
Thorns & sharp leaves =
less water loss & less
predation.
Adapt for short rainy season
(migrate, thick skin, scales).
Many reproduce during rainy
season = more food & water.
Limited food leads to
vertical feeding = animals
eat vegetation at different
heights.
Coniferous
Forests
Far from the equator, usually
Northern Hemisphere.
Warm summers (2-5 months).
Winters long & very cold.
Precipitation 40-200cm/year.
* well defined seasons
• heavy snowfall
Soil is poor in nutrients and acidic
(needles are acidic and decompose
slowly).
Conifer = cone-bearing.
(cones carry seeds)
grow closely together.
Roots long to anchor
trees in high winds.
Needles are long, thin and
waxy to conserve water,
also help shed snow.
Most are evergreen
(don’t loose needles in
winter) Not very diverse.
Low sunlight & poor soil
keep many plants from
growing on forest floor
Ex. Pine, hemlock, fir,
spruce, cedar, aspen,
ferns & moss.
Adaptations for cold winters
– burrowing, hibernation,
warm coats & extra
insulation.
Ex. Mice, squirrels, nesting
birds, eagles, hawks, moose
elk, beaver, snowshoe hares,
bears, wolves & lynxes.
Deciduous
Forests
Closer to equator than coniferous
forests = temperate zone.
Temp. varies greatly, summers hot
& winters very cold.
Precipitation 50-300cm/year (rain
or snow)
Deciduous trees well
adapted to varied climate
(dormant in winter,
conserves water &
energy).
More diverse due to
increased sunlight and
nutrients.
Deep layer of humus.
Ex. Maple, oak, hickory,
birch, ferns, mosses,
shrubs, wild flowers
Adapted for change in
seasons – loose winter coat,
hibernate, burrow..
Ex. Insects, invertebrates,
nesting birds, owls, eagles,
hawks, mice, squirrels, small
mammals, deer, snakes,
toads, frogs, salamanders,
wolves, mountain lions &
foxes.
Tropical
Rainforest
Aquatic
Biomes
Many symbiotic relationships
(two organisms living
together)
Adapted for life
• in trees
• wet
• low light
Near equator.
Very little variation in temp.
(~20oC all year)
No seasons.
Rainfall 100-400cm/year
Highest biodiversity & energy
(biomass). Nutrients are
recycled/used so quickly <1 inch
topsoil.
Thick layer of dead organic
material on floor.
Fast decay (weeks vs. years)
Shallow & wide root
systems to get
nutrients,
little or no sun on forest
floor (1%)
Trees provide homes for
other plants (epiphytes)
& animals.
Determined by salinity (amount of
dissolved salts and minerals in
water).
Measured in parts/thousand.
Biotic factors depend
mainly on light
availability.
Photic zone receives
light enough for
photosynthesis.
Aphotic zone little or no
light.
Phytoplankton (plants
carried by the current
of the water) provide
food source.
Zooplankton = animals
carried by the current of
the water.
Ex. Cyprus, kapok, teak,
mahogany, moss & algae
Ex. Tapir, sloth, toucan,
tree frog, poison arrow
frog, snakes, kapybara,
margay, howler monkey,
tamarind.Swamp
Fresh
Water
Salinity < 0.5ppt
Lakes
Deepest water
May have aphotic zone
Fed by underground aquifers or
streams
Floating algae & benthic
plants along shoreline.
Fish, zooplankton…
Ponds
Light reaches benthic zone
(bottom where water meets
soil/ground)
Fed mainly by rainfall.
May be seasonal
Algae & plants growing
on bottom (benthos)
Fish, frogs, insects,
zooplankton …
Marsh
Very shallow with land
occasionally exposed. Soil is
saturated (wet). Low oxygen.
May be fresh, saltwater or in
between (brackish). Often tidal.
Plants with underground
roots, leaves above
water (emergent).
Ex. Grasses, cattails..
Crabs, snails, insects,
zooplankton …
Insects, zooplankton,
visiting reptile & mammal
predators.
Swamp
Land is soaked due to poor
drainage. Flat, low land often
along stream beds.
Large trees and shrubs
adapted to muddy,
oxygen-poor soil.
Ex. Cyprus, willow,
dogwood.
Bog
Inland wetland with little water
exchange, soil is acidic, decay
slow. AKA fen or moor.
Sphagnum moss is
dominant. Decaying moss
= peat.
Streams
Flowing water all called streams.
Speed of flow determines
characteristics.
Plants grow in
accumulated sediments
in slower moving waters
(which will slow water
even more).
Marine
Biomes
Salinity = 35ppt
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Oceanic
Zone /
Open
Ocean
Very deep (500-11000m)
Actually, now divided into several
biomes. Increasesd photic zone
due to clarity of the water, but
because of depth – still a very
large aphotic zone.
Warmer surface waters can be
extremely cold at depth.
Currents and depth determine
characteristics.
Microscopic and
macroscopic floating
plants.
Ex. Phytoplankton,
Sargassum…
Open ocean - whales, sea
birds, pelagic fish
(roamers) tuna…
Deep sea - creatures
adapted to life with no
light and little food.
Zooplankton every where
Neritic
Zones
Between shoreline and edge
continental shelf,Mostly photic
zone.
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Coral
Reef
Close to equator, constant water
temperatures, low nutrient
waters, shallow waters (must be
photic)
Macro & Phytoplankton
Breeding areas for many
pelagic and reef fish.
Ex. Coral, reef fish, moray,
sea turtles, barracuda,
sharks, shrimp, octopus….&
Zooplankton
Estuaries
Fresh water source meets salt
water ocean.
Salinity varies with depth, time
of year, flow rate, tide,
rainfall…(brackish).
Macro & Phytoplankton
Nurseries for young fish.
Ex. Insects, fish &
Zooplankton.
Not much, but zooplankton.
Fish, zooplankton ….
Intertidal
Zones
Alternates between periods of
submersion and exposure at least
twice a day.
Must tolerate changes
due to exposure.
Drastic change in habitat submerged/exposed
Salt/fresh water
Salt
Marsh
Flat muddy wetlands, influenced
by tides.
Salt-tolerant grasses &
Phytoplankton
Crabs, clams, oysters, fish
& Zooplankton
Mangrove
Warm climate, low oxygen soil.
Known as an island builder mangroves germinate in sandy
regions and overtime, sediments
get trapped in the roots of the
mangrove trees.
Act as a hurricane buffer &
decrease wave effects on shore.
Red, black, & white
Mangrove trees,
buttonwoods &
Phytoplankton
Sponges, mangrove
snapper, sea horse, shrimp,
small mammals &
Zooplankton