Terrestrial Biomes Part 1

Terrestrial

Biomes of the World Part 1

The types of plants and animals found in a biome depend on the climate and types of resources found there.

Climate

Climate describes the average temperatures and moisture found in an area during the year.

Difference in Climate

• Climates that are very cold are home to plants and animals that have adapted to the low temperatures. 

• Climates that are extremely hot and dry are home to plants and animals that have adapted to the high temperatures and small amount of available water.

Influence of Climate

• Climate is influenced in part by the location of a particular area relative to sea level and to the equator. 

• Biomes that are at higher latitudes tend to experience larger temperature ranges than those nearer the equator. Some of the biomes on Earth are described below.

•  Biomes that are at higher altitudes tend to experience colder, windier climates. These biomes also have less oxygen available because the composition of the atmosphere changes as the altitude increases.

Multiple Choice

Biomes at higher altitudes experience:

• warmer temperatures

• colder temperatures with less oxygen

Multiple Choice

Biomes closer to the equator experience:

• colder, dryer temperatures

• warmer temperatures with more humidity

BIOMES

What are the main terrestrial (land) Biomes of the world?

Terrestrial (Land)

BIOMES OF THE WORLD

• Polar Ice

• Artic Tundra

• Taiga (Coniferous Forests)

• Grasslands

• Savannah

• Desert

• Rainforest

POLAR ICE

• CLIMATE: Always cold

• TEMPERATURE: Always below freezing

• Only found at the north and south poles

POLAR ICE ANIMALS

• ADAPTATIONS: The animals living in the polar ice biome have thick fur, skin, and feathers that protects them from the extreme cold..

• Orca whales, polar bears, walruses, seals, penguins

POLAR ICE LANDSCAPE

• Mostly made up of large, thick pieces of ice. 

• Little to no soil so there are NO plants.

• Phytoplankton are the beginning of the food chain in this biome. (Primary Producer)

ARTIC TUNDRA

• CLIMATE: Winters in the tundra are long and extremely cold; summers are short, mild, and cool.

• PRECIPITATION: Very little rain

• TEMPERATURE: Very low temperatures year round

ARCTIC TUNDRA ANIMALS

• ADAPTATIONS: The animals living in the tundra have adaptations which allow them to stay warm in the very low temperatures. 

• For instance, Arctic foxes, reindeer, caribou, grizzly bears, and ermines (a kind of weasel) all have thick fur that protects them from the cold. 

• Also, some kinds of animals, such as caribou, migrate south in huge groups to warmer climates for the winter.

ARCTIC TUNDRA LANDSCAPE

• Most of the soil is frozen. Only the very thin top layer of soil is unfrozen and available for plants to grow in. 

• This limits the kinds of plants that can grow in the tundra to only small, low-growing types, such as mosses, grasses, and small bushes. 

• Trees cannot grow in the tundra because their roots cannot grow deep enough into the soil.

TAIGA

• Also called the Coniferous Forest Biome and is the LARGES biome on Earth.

• CLIMATE: Winters are long and summers are short.

• PRECIPITATION: Less than in other forest biomes but more than tundra or deserts.

• TEMPERATURE: Low temperatures year round

TIAGA ANIMALS

• ADAPTATIONS: The animals living in the tundra have adaptations which allow them to stay warm in the very low temperatures. 

• Black bears, grizzly bears, owls, foxes, otters, and snowshoe hares.

TIAGA LANDSCAPE

• Soil is rocky and poor. However, forests of evergreen trees, called CONIFERS are able to grow in this biome.

• Pine trees are conifers.

• Covers most of Canada and Siberia.

• Does not exist in the Southern Hemisphere.

Multiple Choice

The snow hare lives on snow-covered mountaintops. Big cats such as the mountain lion and lynx hunt the snow hare for food. Which adaptation best suits the snow hare for its environment?

• blue eyes

• white fur

• small tail

• big ears

Multiple Choice

The organism shown has adapted to live in cold, dry climates, such as those found in this biome:

• tundra

• savanna

• desert

• rainforest

Multiple Choice

There are many factors that influence the number of different kinds of plants in a biome. Why is elevation, or height, a factor that influences what kinds of plants can live in any certain biome on Earth?

• Elevation determines whether the plants get enough sunlight

• The elevation helps to determine the temperature of the biome.

• The elevation determines whether people can see and enjoy the plants.

• Elevation does not influence what types of plants can grow in a certain biome.

The End

• Complete this Quizizz as many times as you need to improve your score.

• Get out and enjoy our biome :)