Download Before, you learned that

Before, you learned that
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Feeding relationships describe how energy
flows through ecosystems
The sun is the original source of energy and
that light energy is transformed into
chemical energy through the process of
photosynthesis.
The amount of available energy decreases
as it flows through ecosystems.
Now you will learn
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About the different land and water
biomes on Earth
How different ecosystems make up a
biome
How biomes vary by region
What is a biome?
A biome is a group of ecosystems
with similar climates and
organisms.
Classifying ecosystems into biomes helps
ecologists describe the world.
What identifies a biome?
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Temperature and rainfall are two
major factors that help identify
biomes.
Climate limits the distribution of plants
in an area and the types of plants in
the area will help determine the types
of animals that live there.
Tundra
The tundra is an extremely
cold, dry biome. Most of
the soil is frozen all year
long. This is called
permafrost. The tundra
receives very little
precipitation per year.
All plants and animals of the tundra
have special adaptations for living
in this very cold environment.
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Plants found are typically mosses, lichens,
grasses and woody shrubs. All plants have
thick, waxy coverings to prevent water loss
and cold stuns. They grow in clumps and
grow low to the ground to withstand winds
and extreme temperatures.
Animals have very thick coats and large fat
deposits beneath the skin to withstand the
extreme temperatures.
Average temperature and
precipitation per year
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Usually receives less than 20 cm of
precipitation per year.
Temperature averages between -60 –
10 degrees Celsius.
Taiga
May also be referred to as:
Coniferous forest biome or
Boreal forest biome
This biome is characterized
by the large numbers of
coniferous, or evergreen
trees. Varieties of pines, fir,
hemlock and spruce trees
can be found here.
This area is typically very
cold in the winter with the
main precipitation being
snow. Summers are rainy
and warm enough to melt
the snow.
Adaptations for
organisms in the taiga
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Plants have waxy, needle-like leaves to
conserve water and thick bark for protection
from the cold.
Animals that stay year-round grow thicker
coats in the winter and shed some off
during summer months and have large
deposits of fat underneath their skin to
withstand cold temperatures.
Many animals migrate to warmer areas
during the extremely cold months or
hibernate until outside temperatures warm
up.
Average temperature and
precipitation per year
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Usually receives about 50 cm of
precipitation per year
Temperatures average between -29 –
22 degrees Celsius
Deciduous Forest
This biome is characterized by deciduous trees.
Deciduous trees are trees that lose their leaves in the
fall and grow new ones in the spring.
This area displays very mild
temperatures, usually having
four very distinct seasons.
Winters are normally cool
and mild and summers are
normally very warm. The
general rule of thumb is “not
too hot and not too cold…
just right.”
This biome has a variety of habitats
due to the mild climate and
plentiful rainfall. Many animals
that live here are migratory and will
not be seen throughout the entire
year due either to hibernation or
migration. Plant life is plentiful due
to nice amounts of rainfall that can
support many types of plant life.
Average temperature and
precipitation per year
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Usually averages about 125 cm of
precipitation per year
Temperature averages between -20 –
30 degree Celsius per year