4-3 Biomes

Biome

• Group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities

Tolerance

• Organism’s capacity to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor.

Microclimate

• Climate within a small area that differs significantly from the climate of the surrounding area

Canopy

• Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain forest trees.

Understory

• Layer in a rain forest formed by shorter trees and vines

Deciduous

• Term used to refer to a tree that sheds its leaves during a particular season each year

Coniferous

• Term used to refer to trees that produce seed-bearing cones and have thin leaves shaped like needles.

Humus

• Material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter

Taiga

• Biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw

Permafrost

• Layer of permanently frozen subsoil in the tundra

Key Concept

• The world’s major biomes include tropical rain forest, tropical dry forest, tropical savanna, desert, temperature grassland, temperature woodland and shrubland, temperature forest, northwestern coniferous forest, boreal forest, and tundra. Each of these biomes is defined by a unique set of abiotic factors- particularly climate- and a characteristic assemblage of plants and animals.