Biomes and Aquatic Ecosystems

Northern Coniferous Forest

South of the Tundra

Very cold winters. Cool summers. Trees can grow (Mostly spruce, firs and other evergreens)

Animals – rodents, snowshoe hare, lynx, caribou, bear, wolves, moose, birds.

• taiga

• desert

• grassland

• temperate forest

• tropical rain forest

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

High northern latitudes. Very cold, harsh winters. Short cool summers. Permafrost. Nutrient poor soils.

No trees. Grasses, wildflowers, moss and small shrubs.

Animals – arctic fox, weasels, snowshoe hare, hawks, rodents, migrating caribou, bears.

• taiga

• desert

• tundra

• temperate forest

• grassland

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Generally very hot during the day and cold at night (but not all). Less than 10 inches of precipitation per year (very dry/arid).

Plants – Cacti, yucca, grasses, wildflowers, small shrubs.

Animals – rodents, reptiles, insects, birds.

• taiga

• desert

• tundra

• temperate forest

• grassland

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Definite dry season and rainy season. Can support a lot of vegetation in the form of grasses, not many trees. Large herd animals are abundant.

• taiga

• desert

• tundra

• temperate forest

• grassland

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Around the equator. Hot and humid with a lot of rain all year round. Great biodiversity. Lots of trees and other plants. Many insects, amphibians (ex. poison dart frogs), birds (ex. parrots) and mammals (ex. monkeys).

• taiga

• tropical rain forest

• tundra

• temperate forest

• grassland

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Where we live. Precipitation all year round. Many trees lose their leaves in the winter. Very rich soils. Have all four seasons. Animals like squirrels, deer, fox, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

• taiga

• tropical rain forest

• tundra

• temperate forest

• grassland

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Oceans - saltwater.

• intertidal

• marine

• estuary

• rivers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Area between high and low tide. Saltwater. Organisms here must be able to deal with wave action, and sometimes having water and sometimes not having water.

• intertidal

• marine

• estuary

• rivers

Area where fresh and saltwater meet. Organisms here must be able to deal with changing salinity.

• intertidal

• lake

• estuary

• rivers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Fast flowing freshwater. Organisms here must be able to deal with constant current.

• wetlands

• lake

• estuary

• rivers