N. American Biomes

READ and THINK!!!

The map must be

colored specific

colors.

N

E

S

W

Biomes of the World

Plant and Animal Adaptations

Hot

ColdTe

mp

era

ture

Rainy DryPrecipitation

Tundra

Taiga/Boreal Forest

DesertTropical Rainforest

TemperateForest

Grassland

What two factors cause the climate of a biome?

Temperature

Precipitation

Desert – Climate

<25cm of rain per year

Temperature Range

– High 20 – 50oC (68 – 122oF)

Hot, dry summers; cooler winters

A lot of direct sunlight and strong winds

Desert Plants

Flowers open at night

Succulents – store water in stems and leaves

Most plants have no leaves or reduced leaves(spines)

Long roots to reach groundwater

Desert Animals

Migrate

Active at dawn & dusk or are completely nocturnal when it is cooler.

Burrow into the soil/sand

Hibernate

AKA - Grasslands

Savanna (Africa),

Chapparal (Mediterranean and Australia),

Prairie (N. America)

Steppes (Eurasia)

Pampas (S. America)

Grassland – Climate 2 seasons

– Dry (most of the year)

– Rainy (short)

20-100cm of rain per year

Temperate Grasslands

– -40 – 35oC (-40 – 950F)

Tropical Grasslands

– 10 – 35oC (50– 950F)

Wildfires during the dry season

Grassland PlantsDeep & extensive

root systems

– Roots survive wildfires and grazing

Narrow leaves reduce water loss

Wind pollinators (strong winds)

Grassland AnimalsMigrate to find water

Teeth and digestive systems adapt to a grass diet

Burrowers and nocturnal to avoid predators

Skin colors blend with plants (camouflage)

Grassland Animal Examples

Temperate Grasslands (Prairies)

– Bison, deer, mice, birds, snakes, spiders, and insects

Savannas

– Lions, hyenas, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, birds, insects

Tropical Rainforest – Climate

20oC – 30oC (680F – 86oF)

200-1000cm of rain per year

Intense sunlight at canopy level, but little or no sunlight below the canopy

Same year round (1 season)

Tropical Rainforest Plants

Leaves have drip tips and waxy surfaces to remove water.

Some plants grow on or climb others to reach the sunlight.

Plants (even trees) have shallow roots to get the nutrients in the top layer of soil

Kapok tree

Strangler fig ↓

Bougainvillea ↑Coconut

tree

Bamboo ↓Durian ↓

Strangler Fig

Tropical Rainforest Animals

Huge diversity!

INSECTS GALORE!!!

Bengal Tiger ↓

Chimpanzee ↓

Dawn Bat ↑

Toco Toucan ↑

Temperate Forest – Climate

-10 – 35oC (14 – 95oF)

75 – 125cm of rain per year

Four distinct seasons

Temperate Forest Plants

Deciduous trees

– broad, thin leaves to capture as much sunlight as possible

– drop their leaves in the fall to prevent water loss and breakage in winter

Thick bark protects against cold winter weather

Temperate Forest Animals

Animals must deal with the cold and lack of food during winter

– Migrate

– Hibernate

– Cache – Store Food

Taiga – Climate

Aka – Boreal Forest

-30 – 20oC (-22 – 68oF)

30 – 50 cm of rain per year

Short summers and long, dry winters

Taiga Plants

Conifers/Evergreens

– Dark-colored needles absorb more sunlight

– keep their leaves all year

•Plants can do photosynthesis immediately when it warms up

– Needles prevent water loss

Taiga AnimalsAnimals must deal with

the cold and lack of food during winter

– Migration

– Hibernation

– Fur/feather coats

Tundra – Climate -40oC – 10oC (-40 – 50oF)

Cold year round

<25 cm of rain per year

Permafrost – permanently frozen sublayer of soil

Short, soggy summers; long bitterly cold winters

During parts of the year, days/nights last 24-hours

Tundra – PlantsSmall to keep from freezing

Dark colors help absorb solar heat

Plants grow in clumps

– Shields the wind and cold

Examples – short grasses, shrubs, and mosses

Animals must deal with the cold and lack of food during winter

– Migration

– Hibernation

– Fur/feather coats

Tundra – Animals