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Biomes
Specific Divisions of Biosphere
Ecosystems
• So almost every corner of this planet, from
the highest to the lowest, the warmest to the
coldest, above water and below, has
acquired its population of interdependant
plants and animals. It is the nature of these
adaptations that has enabled living
organisms to spread so widely through our
varied planet.
– David Attenborough
Biome Definition
• Large, distinct, terrestrial ecosystem
characterized by particular climate, soil,
plants and animals.
• Boundaries determined mostly by climate
• Precipitation next limiting factor
• Altitude next
Tundra
• Cold north!!! Why not south?
• Long, harsh winters; dark 20 hrs/day
• Very short summers
• Due to tilt of earth, sunshine is “watery”
and weak
• However, days are long; light 20 hrs/day
• Sun might not even set for a few days in
midsummer!!!!
• Cold limits precipitation; very little
available
• Tundra soils young. Why?
– Only since last ice age
• Consequences?
– Poor organic load
– Poor nutrients
• Permafrost
–
–
–
–
–
Never thaws
Only a few feet down
Limits roots; no plants over a foot tall!!!
In summer when upper layer melts; water sits there
“Boggy”
• Low species diversity
– Plant
• “Lots of a little”
• Monotonous landscape
– Animal
• Small herbivores
–
Rodents, hares
• Low species diversity
– Plant
• “Lots of a little”
• Monotonous landscape
– Animal
• Small herbivores
–
Rodents, hares
• Larger herbivores
–
moose, caribou, musk-oxen
www.smouse.force9.co.uk/index.htm (moosecall)
Caribou
Notice the monotonous plant life
• Low species diversity
– Plant
• “Lots of a little”
• Monotonous landscape
– Animal
• Small herbivores
–
Rodents, hares
• Larger herbivores
–
moose, caribou, musk-oxen
• Carnivores
–
Weasels, owls, hawks
• No reptiles!!!!!
• No amphibians!!!!
• Lots of insects
• parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/parks/nwtw/nahanni/
• tqjunior.thinkquest.org/3500/animals.htm
Taiga: Evergreen Forests of
North
• Large stretches of North America and
Europe
• ~11% of earth’s surface!!
• Again not found in Southern Hemisphere
• Winters long and cold, but not as severe as
tundra
• Little precipitation (rain; there is lots of
snow)
• Consequently poor soils
• Lots of ponds and lakes, depressions left
from previous ice ages
• Layer of decomposed conifer detritus
• Predominant vegetation; conifers - the cone
bearers
• Consequently poor soils
• Lots of ponds and lakes, depressions left
from previous ice ages
• Consequently poor soils
• Lots of ponds and lakes, depressions left
from previous ice ages
• Layer of decomposed conifer detritus
• Predominant vegetation; conifers - the cone
bearers
• Animals = all sorts of consumers
– Migrators; bear, moose, wolves, etc
Brown Bear
Grizzly
Black Bear
Wolves
Foxes
• Consequently poor soils
• Lots of ponds and lakes, depressions left
from previous ice ages
• Layer of decomposed conifer detritus
• Predominant vegetation; conifers - the cone
bearers
• Animals = all sorts of consumers
– Migrators; bear, moose, wolves, etc
– Most mammals small; rodents, rabbits, fur
covered predators (lynx, mink, etc)
– Birds seasonal
• Lots of insects (due to standing water)
• Some reptiles; but low species diversity
• Not good for agriculture; but huge in
forestry
• 1 in 6 Canadians works in forestry
• www.taiga.org/photo/image.php3?pic=1047