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Biomes
Tundra:
Climate: In U.S., found only in
Alaska. Is extremely cold and
dry. Receives less than 25cm of
precipitation a year. Frozen layer
of soil is called permafrost. Plant:
Consists mostly of mosses,
grasses, and lichens. Animals:
Caribou, wolves, and lemmings.
Wetlands of the tundra.
Caribou on Arctic Tundra of Alaska
Alpine Tundra of the Rocky Mountains. What animals might you find in
this biome?
Alpine Tundra of the White Mountains, New Hampshire
Aerial View of Arctic Tundra and Tiaga of Alaska
Coniferous Forests:
Climate: Also called a taiga. Forest floor
is frozen in the winter months, wet and
swampy in the warm months. Found in
Alaska and high Rocky Mountains.
Rainfall is between 50 and 125 cm/yr.
Plants: Needle leaved trees called
Conifers. Includes the Redwoods of
California. Animals: Includes Wolves,
Deer, Bear, Moose,Beaver, Hares,
Squirrels, and Owls.
Paper Birch, Balsam Fir, and White Spruce in eastern Michigan.
What animal is shown on this slide?
The climate of the mountains high above Death Valley is cooler and
more moist than the valley below, allowing for the growth of White Fir
and Limber Pines.
Outside the Olympic National Park, the world's largest species of Spruce
and Thuja (Western Redcedar) are harvested, leaving another 200-300
years for the forests to regain old-growth characteristics (if they don't cut
again in 60 years).
The two foot thick bark of a Giant Sequoia normally prevents such large
fire scars as this tree has. But within the thousands of years that these
trees persist, many fires may have "tried" and failed to kill the tree.
Lichens, Fraser Fir (branches), and Red Spruce (Bark) in the Great
Smoky Mountains of Tennesse.
Giant Sequoia, the largest of tree species on Earth, grows
along side of Sugar Pine (just left of big tree), the biggest of
pines on Earth.
Giant Sequoias as shown here, grow only in patches in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of
California. The tallest trees on earth are the Coast Redwoods, which grow only along the coastal
fog belt of California. Despite their increasing rarity, old-growth Coast Redwoods are still being
cut for lumber outside of parks. The Giant Sequoias are safe from loggers, because their wood
ruptures as soon as the giants hit the ground. What are the largest trees(in diameter) in the world?
Coniferous Firs in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Many different trees in more than one biome.What are some biomes
represented?
Trilisa and Saw Palmetto grow as understory plants in this pine forest in
the Florida panhandle.
This is a pine forest in a southern Mississippi. Note the fire-blackened
bark. Small frequent fires help keep this forest healthy.
Longleaf Pine. Longleaf Pine grows as a grass like plant for its first few
years; its bud protected from from ground fires by its long needles.
Later, the tree shoots up from the ground without branching, reaching
over five feet in a season (foreground).
In the mixed forests of the Great Lakes, conifers dominate under two
different conditions. Dry south-facing upland bluffs (especially sand)
support pines. Wet, boggy (acidic) soils support other trees such as fir
and tamarack.
Deciduous Forests:
Climate: Cover eastern half of U.S.
warm summers and cold winters.
Rainfall is 75 to150 cm/yr.
Plants: Deciduous trees shed
leaves in autumn. Include Oak,
Birch, Maple, Beech, and Hickory.
Animals: Include many song birds,
snakes, Squirrels and Racoons.
The different colors of orange are from Sugar Maples.
Fall time view looking southeast from the fire tower in Frozen Head
State Park.
This slide represent Michigan's largest stand of virgin Great Lakes Mixed
Forest. Red and White Pines occur along the south facing ridge (left).
The many other dark green patches are Eastern Hemlock in the virgin
forests. Sugar Maple flowers give the light yellow-green patches.
Tuliptree is a pioneer tree which persists in old-growth stands in the
Great Smoky Mountains. The Smokies have the largest remaining stands
of virgin forests in the eastern U.S. They are known for their decidous
Tropical Rainforests:
Climate: Found in Hawaii.
Rainfall is at least 200 cm/yr.
Temp is warm. Plants: Many and
diverse. Tops of trees form a
canopy. Animals: Include Parrots,
Toucans, bats, insects, tree
Frogs and snakes.
Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, Washington. Mosses drape
the branches of Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock.
Cloud forests of Costa Rica are similar to those in southern Mexico.
What are some animals that could be found in this forest?
A view of the Tropical Rain Forest in Costa Rica.
Areas of rain forests are cleared to make room for banana plantations and
cattle ranches. Although this practice is detrimental to biodiversity, it has
not stopped similar practices that have destroyed temperate forests.
Grasslands:
Climate: Rainfall is 25 to 75
cm/yr. Has hot summers and
cold winters. Plants: Mostly
Grasses. Few trees because of
low rainfall and fires. Animals:
Include Gophers, Prairie Dogs,
Prairie Chickens and Bison.
Iowa Grassland - Low wet spot
This guy is waving to the buffalo...
This is the Iowa Prairie with different grasses
Biome:
Deserts:
Climate: Rainfall is less than 25
cm/yr. Located in SouthWestern
U.S.
Plants: Include Cacti and
Yucca(tree.) Animals: Include
Kangaroo Rat, Jack Rabbits and
Cougars.
Plants in the desert usually have very small-thick leaves (or none at all).
Why would desert plants have small thick leaves or none at all?
Because the dry climate inhibits plant growth, there are few roots to hold
down the soil. Sand Dunes form in some desert areas as Death Valley
(shown here). Death Valley is in the rain shadow of the Panamint Range
and the Sierra Nevada. Death Valley is below sealevel, and would be
become large lake if it received enough rain.