Biomes

1. Biomes A Review

2. What is a Biome? • Biomes are a geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups adapted to the climate and geography of the region. There are over 30 Types of Biomes on Earth.

3. Climate • The plants and animals that live in a Biome depend on its climate. Climate is the weather that an area has had over a long period of time, such as 30 years . The location of a biome affects it’s climate.

4. Plant Adaptations • Plants and animals are well suited to the biome in which they live. Over time plants adapt so they can get as much sunshine and water as possible for making food. • For Example: Some desert plants have long roots for finding water deep in the soil

5. Animal Adaptations • Animals also need to adapt in order to survive in their biome. Some animals have bodies that are specially suited to their home. Animals that live in cold climates often have thick fur to keep them warm. Many tropical animals have large ears that give off extra body heat and allow them to stay cool.

6. Abiotic Factors • Abiotic, meaning not alive, are nonliving factors that affect living organisms. Examples: habitat (pond, lake, ocean, desert, mountain) or weather such as temperature, cloud cover, rain, snow, hurricanes, etc. are abiotic factors.

7. Biotic Factors • Biotic means of or related to life. The prefix 'Bio' literally means life. Examples: Plants, animals, fungi, protist and bacteria are all biotic or living factors and other stuff like competition, disease, and overpopulation are all biotic factors .

8. Biotic or Abiotic? • Mississippi River- AbioticHeron- BioticHumidity- AbioticRain- AbioticAlgae- BioticMosquito- Biotic

9. Human Impact on Taiga • One tragedy to hit the taiga biome is acid rain. Acid rain is formed when pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide, from burning gas, and sulfur dioxide, from burning coal, are released into the air and mix with water vapor to form a cloud. If these toxic clouds become heavy with water and precipitation falls, the result can be devastating to vegetation, animals, and the land. Since the rain from these clouds is acidic, large spreads of land can be destroyed. In some parts of Scandinavia and Russia, vast areas of the taiga have slowly died off because of acid rain.

10. Human Impact on Grasslands • Humans have cultivated many crops on grassland soil. The soil is rich and almost anything in it can grow if it is both used and treated right. Poor agriculture practices can ruin soil and turn a grassland into a lifeless, barren land. If crops are not rotated properly, all nutrients in the soil are stripped and poor soil results. The soil then turns to dust and nothing can grow in it for many years.

11. Human Impact on Temperate Forest • Logging of the temperate forests is a major threat to the biome and everything thereby inclusive. In North America loggers have devastated many temperate forests. For instance, of the ninety-five percent of forest covering the state of Ohio in 1800, only fifteen percent remains. deforestation not only affects the trees, but it also affects every plant and animal living in the area. Because of deforestation, the Carolina parakeet became extinct in the early 1900's. Other animals, like the Mississippi sandhill crane, bears, woodland caribou, goshawks, wolves, fox, and mountain lions, are also becoming endangered .