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• Biomes are large regions of the world with distinctive climates, wildlife and vegetation.

• There are terrestrial and aquatic biomes

• Terrestrial Biomes– Latitude– Altitude– Temperature– Precipitation– Soil Type– Solar Energy– Winds– Proximity to Water

• Aquatic Biomes– Salinity– Clarity– Temperature– Current– Oxygen, CO2 for

photosynthesis– Solar Energy– Nutrients– Depth

• Mainly determined by temperature and precipitation

• Tropical Forests– Lie along either side

of the equator, mainly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

– Average Temperature is between 20 and 34 degrees C.

• Seasonal or Evergreen (rain forests)

• Occupy less than 10% or earth, but house between 50% and 80% of terrestrial plant and animal species.

• At risk because millions of hectares have been destroyed in the last 30 years. – Burnt or cut down for

farm land.

• Rain forests important in regulating the Earth’s climate.

• Represent slightly more than ¼ or all the forests in the world.

• Canada and Northern Russia

• Composed of conifers and forest floor covered with moss and lichen.

• Many lakes and marshes.

• Lots of sunlight in summer, so trees can thrive despite poor soil.

• Diverse wildlife

• Southern Canada, USA, Europe and some parts of Asia.

• Mixture of conifers and deciduous trees although more southern, mostly deciduous.

• Nutrient-rich soil because of decomposing leaves

• Leaves fall in autumn, and then grow back in spring.

• Also called Prairies

• Grasses can survive fire, drought and mowing because they spend a lot of their resources developing their root system.

• Temperate

• Savannas

• Derived grasslands

• North of the boreal forests

• Forms a ring of vegetation around the North Pole

• Canadian far north is Arctic Tundra

• Long, cold winters, and very short summer allow only stunted vegetation

• Animals such as the caribou, arctic fox and lemming have adapted to the harsh arctic biome

• 1/3 of Earth’s continental land mass

• Less than 25 cm of annual precipitation

• Very high or low temperatures

• Only a few species of animals can survive.

• With no clouds or air humidity, heat escapes the hot, arid deserts at night and they can get below freezing temperatures.

• Defined by altitude rather than latitude

• Found almost everywhere in the world

• Higher the altitude, lower the temperature

• Submontane zone

• Montane zone

• Subalpine zone

• Alpine zone

• Nival zone