Download Biomes of the World

Biomes of the World
Deciduous Forest
Rainforest
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Very sunny, hot, warm all year long
Rains almost every day (more than 250
cm of rain a year)
No change in season, found near the
equator
Ideal for growing a variety of plant
species, contain about half of all the
different plants on earth
Forest has three canopy layers, very
little sunlight penetrates the canopy and
reaches the forest floor
Varieties of plants include vines, ferns,
mosses, orchids and tall trees
Large diversity of life found in the
rainforest
Many animals are found in the canopy
(mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds)
Very complicated and varied food webs
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Desert
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Very little rain (less than 10 cm a year)
Extreme temperature changes-hot in the
day, very cold a night
Only few type of plants can grow and
survive here due to lack of rainfall
Desert plants, such as cacti, have
adaptations that allow them to survivethey can store water in their leaves
Desert bushes, such as mesquite, grow
long roots to reach underground water
Animals are adapted to dry, hot climates
Snakes and lizards thrive in deserts due
to the presents of scales and being cold
blooded
Small mammal such as jackrabbits get
water from plants that they eat
Warm summers, cold winters (seasonal
changes)
75-250 cm of rain or snow each year
Deciduous trees have broad shaped leaves
that change color and fall when the seasons
change
These are the dominant trees in this biome
Growing season lasts about 6 months,
Several layers of plants in this forest-tallest
are oaks, maples and hickories, shortest
include mosses, lichens, shrubs and ferns
Plant layers provide a variety of animals
habitats
Insects and birds can be found in canopy,
small mammals, large mammals, reptiles,
amphibians live on forest floor
Predatory birds and carnivores are also found
in this biome
Grassland
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Taiga
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Cool temperatures all year, coldest in the
winter (seasonal changes)
20-60cm of rain or snow all year
Dominant plants are conifers, trees that
produce cones (pines, evergreens, spruce,
hemlock, firs)
Needle like leaves are protected by a waxy
coating to retain water, do not fall and can
make food for the tree all year long
Trees form a thick canopy, only mosses and
lichen grow beneath trees on forest floor
Diversity of animals change with the seasons.
Insect eating birds are present during the
summers when insects are present
Some small birds and predatory birds (owls)
live in the taiga year round
Carnivores such as wolves, lynx and weasles
live here all year
Bears are present
Moderate temperatures, warm summers, cool
winters (seasonal changes)
Very little rain (10-40 cm of rain or snow a year)
Grasses are the dominant plants, long thin
blades allow them to retain, or keep, water, roots
spread out just below surface of soil and allow
water to quickly be collected
Few trees are found in grassland due to lack of
rainfall, trees that do grow are found near other
water sources such as rivers and streams
This biome plays large role in agriculture-wheat,
corn, rice, and other cereal grains grown well in
this biome
Small mammals, reptiles as well as large
herbivores live in this biome
Predatory birds such as hawk can hunt for small
mammals during the day, while owls can hunt
during the night
Tundra
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Cold all year, long winters, short cold summers
250 cm of snow all year
Dramatic seasonal changes, very little sunlight in
winter, constant sunlight in the summer
No trees grow due to cold temperatures
Only plants that grow dense mats of roots can
survive due to permafrost (the ground is
permanently frozen)
Seasonal changes allow plants to grow and
bloom quickly in the spring and summer
The tundra is home to many migrating animals
that move from the taiga to the tundra when the
seasons change, including musk ox, caribou and
several types of birds
Arctic hare and the arctic fox have adaptations
such as thick fur, that allow them to remain in the
tundra throughout the year