Unit A-Chapter 4- Lesson 4 Notes

What Are The Features of Land Biomes?

Biomes

Biomes are large geographic regions with a particular kind of climate and community.

The plant communities that grow in any biome largely determine the types of animal communities that live there.

A particular type of biome may occur in a number of places around the world.

Climate changes with latitude. 

• Biomes near the equator have warm, relatively unchanging climates
• Biomes at mid-latitudes have marked seasonal changes.
• Biomes near the poles have the coldest climates with the shortest summers and longest winters.

Altitude affects climate; temperatures drop as altitude increases.

Land Biomes

Tundra
The tundra is the northernmost and coldest biome.

During summer months only a few centimeters of ground thaw; the ground below remains frozen year-round.

Permafrost is ground that is permanently frozen.

Most tundra palnts are small.

Examples of animals in the tundra include ducks, geese, caribou, and lemmings.

Taiga
The taiga is a forest biome just south of the tundra, characterized by conifers.

The taiga is also called the coniferous forest biome because it is dominated by coniferous tress such as spruce, pine, and fir.

Examples of animals in the taiga include moose, black bears, and elk.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

The temperate deciduous forest is a forest biome characterized by trees that lose their leaves each year.

Examples of trees include maples, beeches, and oaks-that lose their leaves in autumn.

Temperate deciduous forest have four distinct seasons.

Examples of animals in the temperate deciduous forest include deer, snakes, birds, and insects.

Grassland

The grassland is a biome characterized by few trees and many grasses.

The soil is fertile becuase each year the tops of grasses die and decompose returning nutrients to the soil.

Many cereal grains are produced on the grasslands.

Examples of animals include coyotes, bison, rabbits, and praire dogs.

Tropical Rain Forest

The tropical rain forests are biomes that have much rainfall and high temperatures all year.

Tropical rain forests are found near the equator. 

More species of organisms live in the rainforests than in any other land biome.

Fruits, nuts, and spices come from the rainforest-as well as cacao, which is used to make chocolate.

Examples of tropical rain forest animals include parrots, monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs, and butterflies.

Desert

The desert is a biome with little rainfall and usually high daytime temperatures.

Some deserts may be sandy; others rocky.

Desert organisms have adaptations, cuch as water storage abilities, that help them survive extremely dry conditions.

Scorpion

Examples of desert animals include roadrunners, scorpions, meerkat, ans ostrich.