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Organisms

Species

Population

Community

Ecosystem

Biome

Biosphere

Biome: groups of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms

• Climate is defined as weather patterns over a long period of time

• temperature & precipitation

There are terrestrial (land) biomes as well as freshwater & marine biomes

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Latitude: Distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees

Altitude: Height of an object above sea level

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1. Tropical & Temperate Rain Forests2. Temperate Deciduous Forests

3. Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)4. Tropical Grassland (Savanna)5. Temperate Grassland (Prairie)

6. Chaparral (Scrubland)7. Desert8. Tundra

Freshwater Aquatic Biomes:Lakes and PondsWetlands

Marshes Swamps

Rivers (& Streams)

Marine Aquatic Biomes:Coastal Wetlands

Estuaries Marshes Swamps Shores

Coral reefsOceans

•Around the Equator- SE Asia, Central & S. America, Africa

• Wet, Hot, & Humid>200-450cm rain/yearStrong sunlight all year

Nutrient poor soils (fast decay)>1/2 of worlds plant & animal

speciesProduce 40% of Earth’s oxygen

and~1/4 of all medicinesCovers 7% Earths surface

(used to be 20%)

• Pacific NW US (Wa), Central Europe, Australia,

New Zealand• High Precipitation & Humidity; Moderate

Temps (cool and moist)• Evergreen trees covered

in lichens & mossesFerns

• Frogs, bears, wolves, red pandas

• North Eastern US, Western Europe, Eastern Asia

• Extreme temp differences between winter & summer

• 4 distinct seasons• Trees lose their leaves

• Birch, maple, oakDeer, fox, coyote,

chipmunks/squirrels

• Northern Europe, Asia and N.America• Largest biome

• Cold w/long winters & high snowfall

• Summers bring nearly constant daylight

• Coniferous Forest • Moose, Bear, Wolves,

Snowshoe Hare

• Central S.America, Central Africa, N.Australia, India• Wet & dry seasons, but

warm year round• Scattered trees, grasses,

shrubs• Giraffe, zebra, antelope,

lions, hyenas• Plants w/vertical leaves,

large horizontal roots, thorns

• Interior of N. America, S. America, Asia & Africa

• Nutrient rich, fertile soils • Slow decay

• Hot summers/cold winters• Moderate rain, but not enough to

support trees• Tall & short grasses, flowers &

herbs w/deep root systems • Drought & Fire

• Antelope, bison, owls, prairie dogs & prairie chickens

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• West coastal regions of the Mediterranean, US, Chile,

Africa, Australia •Temperate shrubland

• Dry, coastal climate, little/no rain in summer

•Small shrubs w/leathery leaves

Herbs like Sage and Bay•Animals adapted

Quail, lizards, snakes

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•The Americas, Asia Australia, & Africa

•Precipitation (rain) less than 25cm/year

•Scattered vegetation & dry•Very hot days, cold nights•Plants & animals adapted

for little moisture•Cacti (succulents)

Thorny devil, hawks, turtles, camels

Northern Arctic Pole regions

Long, cold wintersLittle precipitation

Short growing seasonTreeless w/mosses, lichens,

shrubsPermafrost

Musk Oxen, Snowy Owls, arctic foxes, caribou,

migratory birds, insects