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Science - Biomes
Home > Subjects > Science > Biomes
Biomes are defined as "the world's major communities, classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment" (Campbell).
General
| The World's biomes | |
| Information about all the world's Biomes from UC Berkeley. | |
| Biomes - Habitats | |
| The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome. | |
| Earth Floor Biomes | |
| There are many different kinds of plants and animals on the Earth, but only certain kinds are naturally found at any particular place. (We are not counting zoos here!) For example, cacti are found in the desert, polar bears are found in the Arctic, and elephants are found in central Africa and India. So, why don't people living in south Texas have to be on the lookout for snow leopards, or why don't kids in Minnesota have to worry about finding giant boa constrictors in their back yards? It is because these animals are not adapted to live in the average weather conditions found in Texas or Minnesota. | |
| Biomes of the World | |
| What's it like where you live? | |
| World Biomes | |
| Study the world's biomes. | |
| NASA Earth Observatory Mission: Biomes | |
| Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes. A biome is a community of plants and animals living together in a certain kind of climate. Scientists have classified regions of the world into different biomes. | |
| Blue Planet Biomes | |
| In our site you will discover facts about our planet, its complex patterns of biomes, plants, and animals, and how climates ultimately determine the biomes of our Earth. | |
| Introduction to Biomes | |
| A biome is an area with a specific climate and the life forms that live there together. Discusses the six main biomes and aquatic communities. | |
| Biomes and Ecozones | |
| A research guide for students. | |
Aquatic (Marine)
| Marine Biome | |
| The marine biome covers three fourths of the earth and there are hundreds of different fish to cover each square foot of it. | |
| Marine Ecosystems | |
| Discover marine creatures from the tiny zooxanthellae that make the coral reefs home to the giant mammals of the vast seas! | |
| Freshwater Ecosystems | |
| You'll find a wide variety of animal life in or around fresh water ecosystems...aquatic birds... amphiphians..mammals and of course, a wide variety of fish. And the water cycle is very important to fresh water ecosystems. | |
| Water Cycle | |
| Precipitation, evaporation, and transpiration are all terms that sound familiar, yet may not mean much to you. They are all part of the water cycle, a complex process that not only gives us water to drink, fish to eat, but also weather patterns that help grow our crops. | |
| Aquatic Biomes | |
| Water covers about three quarters of our planet. From oceans to rivulets, aquatic biomes are host to a wide variety of life-forms, and minerals, from the most common algae to the most mysterious deep-sea creature. | |
Deserts
| Desert Habitats | |
| Deserts cover about one fifth (20 percent) of the earth's land area. The desert is a harsh environment with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. Desert plants (like cacti) are not abundant; neither is animal life. Deserts are very dry regions with limited plant and animal life. | |
| Cactus Plants (cacti) | |
| Cacti are succulent plants that live in dry areas (xeric environments). They can survive long periods of drought (a lack of water). | |
| Desert | |
| The defining characteristic of a desert is that it is dry. Depending on its geographical location, the annual precipitation in a desert varies from half an inch to as much as 15 inches. Rainfall is usually very localized, and although it is frequently seasonal, it is difficult to predict when or where it will occur. At times in the Atacama Desert in Chile, years have passed with no measurable rainfall at all. However, that is not generally the case. | |
Forests
| Taiga Animal Printouts | |
| A taiga, also called a boreal forest or northern coniferous forest, is a cold woodland or forest. This biome span the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Taigas are generally located south of tundras and north of temperate deciduous forests and temperate grasslands. The taiga is the largest land biome on Earth, covering about 50 million acres of land (20 million hectares); this is about 17% of the Earth's land area. Taiga is a Russian word for marshy pine forest. | |
| Temperate Deciduous Forest Animal Printouts | |
| Temperate deciduous forests are forests in cool, rainy areas; they have trees that lose their leaves in Fall and regrow them in Spring. Temperate deciduous forests are found in the middle latitudes around the globe and have four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, these forests are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere, there are smaller areas of these forests, in South America, Africa, and Australia. The growing season in these forests is about 6 months long. | |
| A Sampling of Tropical Rainforest Animals | |
| Rainforests are very dense, warm, wet forests. They are havens for millions of plants and animals. Rainforests are extremely important in the ecology of the Earth. The plants of the rainforest generate much of the Earth's oxygen. These plants are also very important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness. | |
| All About Rainforests | |
| Rainforests are very dense, warm, wet forests. They are havens for millions of plants and animals. | |
| Deciduous Forest | |
| The mid-latitude deciduous forest biome is located between the polar regions and the tropics. Because of its location, air masses from both the cold polar region and the warm tropical region contribute to the changes of climate in this biome. | |
Grasslands
| Grassland Animal Printouts | |
| A grassland is a grassy, windy, partly-dry biome, a sea of grass. Almost one-fourth of the Earth's land area is grassland. In many areas, grasslands separate forests from deserts. Deep-rooted grasses dominate the flora in a grassland; there are very few trees and shrubs in a grassland, less than one tree per acre. There are many different words for grassland environments around the world, including savannas, pampas, campos, plains, steppes, prairies and veldts. | |
| EO Mission: Biome - Grasslands | |
| Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Grasses vary in size from 2.1 m (7 ft) tall with roots extending down into the soil 1.8 m (6 ft), to the short grasses growing to a height of only 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) tall. These short grasses can have roots that extend 1 m (about 3 ft) deep. | |
| Savanna | |
| A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests. | |
Tundra
| Tundra Animal Printouts | |
| The tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is the coldest biome. The tundra is characterized by very low temperatures, very little precipitation (rain or snow), a short growing season, few nutrients, and low biological diversity. The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, which means "treeless plain." | |
| Arctic Tundra | |
| Arctic tundra is found across northern Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. This biome has long cold winters and short cool summers. The Arctic tundra has low precipitation (less than 10 inches per year) and dry winds. These conditions make the Arctic tundra a desert-like climate. | |
Miscellaneous
| Terrestrial Cave Animals | |
| Caves are home to many animals. A troglobiont ('troglo' means cave or hole in Greek and 'bio' means life) is an organism that lives in a cave. | |
| Freshwater Marsh Animal Printouts | |
| A type of wetland that is teeming with both animal and plant life. Freshwater marshes are usually low-lying, open areas located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes, where water flows into the marsh. Marshes are especially common at the mouths of rivers. The water level in freshwater marshes usually ranges from 1 to 6 feet deep (for most of the year); this water is rich in minerals and the water level varies seasonally. In the United States, the biggest freshwater marsh in the United States is the Florida Everglades (in southwestern Florida). | |
| Alpine Biome | |
| What do you think of when you hear the word “alpine”? Perhaps mountains, or skiing? Well, you are right. Alpine biomes are found in mountain regions worldwide, including the Andes, Alps, and Rocky Mountains. The alpine biome usually lies between an altitude of about 10,000 feet, and the place where the snow line of a mountain begins. Combined, the Alpine and Arctic biomes cover 16% of the earth's surface area. | |
| A Note to Parents |
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