TundraConiferous Forest

Temperate GrasslandTemperate Broadleaf

Dilnar, David, Molly, CarolineB Block

By:Dilnar Mahmut

Tundra Facts

• Temperature Range: Summer: 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter: 20 degrees Fahrenheit maximum. Average -20 degrees Fahrenheit to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

-Annual Precipitation: 6 to 10 inches -I think that this biome is a very cold, life-less and dull place. The colors are dull and somber. It is a very opposite landscape compared to the New England landscape.-Latitude:75 degrees North to 60 degrees North. Greenland, Alaska, Russia, Canada.

Two Plant Species in the Tundra-Arctic Moss:Found in the bottom of tundra lake beds. Shallow roots called rhizoids. Slow growing. Store nutrients in winter. Grow near to ground because of strong winds.-Arctic Willow:Shallow root depth to adapt to permafrost. Form pesticide in summer to keep away insects. Long fuzzy hairs on leaves to keep warm in tundra weather.

Two Animal Species in the Tundra-Arctic Fox:Round, short body with thick coat to minimize amount of skin exposed to frigid air. Ecological niche: small mammals, carcasses, small berries. Build dens and mating season is in Spring.-Polar Bear:Black skin and white fur to absorb sunlight and heat. Paws are designed specially for tundra landscape. Short ears to minimize heat loss. Ecological niche: seals, dead carcasses of whales. Live near water and ice follies.

Abiotic Factors and Ecological Disturbance

-Two Abiotic Factors:Wind: Strong winds make tundra cold and force plants to grow low to the ground. Water: Water cannot penetrate underlying permafrost which forces plants to have shallow roots.-Ecological Disturbance:When glaciers retreat, they leave moraines on the bays . This is secondary succession . The species that would follow in tundra would be mosses like the Arctic Moss and Arctic Willow.

Coniferous Forest

By: David Oluwadara

Coniferous Forest

Temperature Range: -40°C to 20°C

Annual Precipitation: 300 to 900 millimeters of rain per year

Latitude: Between 86 and 98 degrees north

Personal impression:The Coniferous Forest is an interesting biome, because there, trees growNeedles instead of leaves, and cones instead of flowers. Characteristics like Those help the different conifers grow in cold or dry areas. Without trees from The Coniferous Forest, Christmas wouldn't be the same, because that's where We get the trees from.

Plant species found in the Coniferous Forest

1. Blue Spruce 2. Balsam Fir

Plant species found in the Coniferous Forest:

1. Blue Spruce Tree2. Balsam Fir Tree

The blue spruce and balsam tree reside in coniferous forests, because ofthe temperature and environment there. These trees can not reside in other Biomes, because they have pine needles and compared to leaves of other trees, have a smaller surface area. That means they won't be able to take in as much sunlight as other plants and produce as much food. The dark colorOf the pines, compared to a light color, is an advantage, because the dark-Colored pines captures more sunlight.

Animals found in the Coniferous Forest

1. Moose 2. Tassel-eared squirrel

Animal Species found in the Coniferous Forest:

1. Moose2. Tassel-eared squirrels

Like the plant species, the moose and the tassel-eared squirrel reside in the coniferous forests, because of the environment. The niches of a moose are food, water, and sulight. The moose has hollow hair, which helps the moose stay warm in the cold weather because it's a good insulator. If it where elsewhere, the moose would become very hot due to all the constant heat it would insulate. Eventhough the tassel-eared squirrel's hair is not hollow, it only lives in the coniferousforest because of the Ponderosa pines. The niches of a tassel-eared squirrel are The Ponderosa pines, water, sunlight, and shelter.

Abiotic Factors:

1. Rocks and SoilThe rocks and soil affect the characteristics of the roots of trees. Since there isn't that much moisture or nutrients in the soil, the trees have roots that spread out to take advantage of the moisture. The condition of the soil is rocky and poor which makes the roots shallow. A majority of trees elsewhere need and have long and deep roots to get nutrients from the soil, which isn't the case for trees in the coniferousforest.

2. TemperatureThe average temperature in the coniferous forest is very cold. DueTo the low temperatures, animals in the coniferous forest have fur to keepThem warm and insulate any heat that may be given. For the plants, sinceThe needles have little sap, freezing them isn't that much of a problem.

Ecological Disturbance

Example: Forest fire

Result:If a fire were to happen in a coniferous forest, secondary succession wouldOccur. This would happen because, after the fire, the soil would still be intact, So the surrounding area or community would return to its original state. SecondarySuccession would occur more rapidly, because of the soil that was already present From the community before its time. First would come the grass, then the herbs,Then, finally the trees.

Temperate Grasslands

Molly Mamon

Temperature Range

-40°F--70°F

Annual Precipitation

About 20-35 inches

Latitude

Around 25°N and 25°S

Description

Temperate Grasslands are plains and prairies—long expanses of grass with deep, nutrient-rich soil. Not many trees grow, instead they consist mostly of grass and smaller species of plants. They have wild fires and droughts that keep the soil rich and allow some plants to be destroyed and grown again.

Plant Species Present

Perennial grass—Type of tall grass with underground stems and buds, so it is not easily destroyed by wild fires.Sunflowers—Also have underground stems and buds, which save it from fires, and the soil is rich enough in nutrients for them to to grow.

Animal Species Present

Prairie dogs—Type of rodent, creates tunnels and living spaces in the deep soil.

Bison—Large grazing animals that eat the grasses.

Abiotic Factors

Soil—Deep and nutrient rich. Allows some plants to grow easily and rodents to build shelters.Precipitation—Low amount makes temperate grassland very dry, which is good for certain species of plants to grow.

Ecologic Disturbance Effects

If there were a fire, all of the shrubs would be destroyed, but the grass and most other plants would remain because of their underground stems. This is called secondary succession because the existing community (the shrub) is cleared out by a disturbance (the fire) but the soil remains intact. Since the soil is so deep, it stays the same. Once the shrub is gone, more plants (shrubs or flowers) will grow because the soil is very rich in nutrients.

Temperate Broadleaf

Stats

• Temperature Range: -30˚C to 30˚C• Annual Precipitation: 750 to 1,500mm

per year• Latitude: 0-50˚ north latitude

Description

• Temperate Broadleaf is the typical environment of the North East. The broadleaf trees are exposed to four seasons, so they must adapt to the colder weather by changing color and losing their leaves. There is a verity of trees in temperate broadleaf forests, such as oak, maple, beech, and chestnut.

Plant Species

• Maple and Chestnut trees live in the temperate broadleaf biome because they are able to adapt to the changing seasons by losing their leaves and conserving their energy for the spring and summer. These trees need the annual precipitation and nutrient filled soil found north of tropical climates and south of arctic climates.

Animal Species

• Eastern Gray Squirrels and raccoons live in the temperate broadleaf biome because they have special adaptations needed for seasonal life. They store fat and hibernate during the winters when they need warmth and have no food during the winter. Both animals have dense fur to keep them warm during the winter. These animals live in the trees and feed off of their bark, nuts, and seeds. Squirrels and

raccoons need the dense forests for food, shelter, and protection.

Abiotic Factors

• The temperate broadleaf is characterized by its year-round precipitation and by its changing seasons. The annual precipitation is spread relatively evenly throughout the year, so plants do not dry up before the next rainfall, saying green and healthy. The only plants and wild life that can live in the temperate broadleaf biome have adaptable characteristics because the four changing seasons affect the environment dramatically each year.

Disturbance Effects

• There is a fire in the temperate broadleaf forest biome! All wild life is burned, and trees have fallen and turned to ash. Nutrients from the burned trees are released into the soil, and the ground receives direct sunlight. More plants can begin to grow because the tall trees do not cover them. The plants that succeed have widely spread their high quantity of seeds by the wind and can grow under direct sunlight. Once the trees have fully grown and formed a canopy, other plants that can grow under the shade will dominate the ground level.