Soil Characteristics Vegetation Animal Life Impact of Humans

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1 Name of Biome Climate including Tundra Near North Pole, covers 1/5 earth s surface. range from -60 F (- 51 C) in the winter to 50 F (10 C) in the summer. Average annual is F ( C) Low annual (< 10 inches) Taiga Northern coniferous forest (needles) Just below the arctic circle Average Temperatures below freezing, fall to 20 C Large amounts of in summer months Nearly constant daylight in summer Soil Characteristics Vegetation Animal Life Impact of Humans Thin layer of topsoil Permafrost: permanently frozen layer Freezing thawing breaks rocks into smaller pieces Acidic soil (most plants cannot grow in acidic soil so Taiga has few plants) Soil forms slowly because of climate acidity (slow decomposition) Small, low plants Lichen (fungus algae living together) Dark Red leaves Cushion Plants Seeds Most trees straight, dead shafts of bark wood; green tops Plant growth most abundant in summer months Conifer Migratory Birds Falcons, Owl Mammals Arctic Fox, Caribou, Musk Ox, Polar Bear (all well insulated) Aquatic birds organisms Birds migrate south Some animals hibernate Snowshoe hares, lynxes, wolves, foxes Camouflage Oil exploration, extraction, transport Pollution caused by spills or leaks of oil toxic materials Deforestation (lumber is very good) leads to habitat loss Pollution has caused to rise. Other Important Facts One of most fragile biomes on planet Simple food chains Lakes swamps

2 months tree with needlelike leaves Deciduous Forest Leaves, seasonal changes Once dominated North America, Europe, Asia can vary greatly depending on season (0 C 35 C). Vegetation changes with temparature Contains an abundance of organic matter nutrients due to slow decomposition in winter months Grow in layers Maple, oak, birch Small trees shrubs More light so ferns, herbs, mosses grow on forest floor Shed leaves for seasonal changes Adapted to use forest plants for food shelter Squirrels eat nuts, seeds, berries. Bears eat leaves berries. Grasshoppers, deer Birds rest in safety of canopy Most birds migratory Deforestation (removing large number of trees) Acid Rain (coal power plants burning fossil fuels) Habitat loss (farming civilization) Some animals stay reduce their activity so do not need as much food for energy.

3 Name of Biome Climate including Grassls Cover large areas of interior of continents Moderate rainfall, not enough for trees to grow Mountains play a role in maintaining amounts Rainfall increases as you move east away from the mountains vary based on location Soil Characteristics Most fertile soil in the world, highly productive Plants die back to root s in winter slow decompositio n Converted to farml for crops Vegetation Animal Life Impact of Humans Grasses wildflowers Single layer of vegetation Shrubs trees only where soil contains extra water, on banks of streams Roots form dense layers to survive droughts fires Pronghorn, antelope, bison (grazing animals) Badgers, prairie dogs, burrowing owls live in underground burrows that shield from fire, weather predators Farming overgrazing Grain crops cannot hold soil in place as well as native grasses (Shallow roots) Erosion occurs due to overgrazing regular plowing of soil Other Important Facts Constant trampling overuse of grassls cannot regenerate so converts into desert-like biome.

4 Desert Variety of deserts all over the world Widely scattered vegetation very little rain range from 40 C to 0 C Often located near mountain ranges that block the passage of rain clouds Rainforest Located near the equator Help regulate world climate play vital roles in nitrogen, oxygen, Wind causes soil erosion Not fertile soil, shallow rocky (less chemical weathering) Does not have rich soil, most nutrients within plants, not soil. Organic matter Adaptations for conserving water Succulents (eg cactuses) store water Root near surface because rainfall rarely penetrates soil Drop leaves during dry period, some stay dormant between rainfalls Most trees form above ground roots grow sideways to provide trees with extra support. Layers of Reptiles such as rattlesnakes have thick scaly skin to prevent water loss. Amphibians such as toad, bury themselves in the group sleep through dry season Elf owl Insects spiders covered with armor to help retain water Most desert animals are nocturnal Biome with greatest amount of species diversity Most rain forest animals are specialists Off-roading kills vegetation leaves tracks that scar the l Vegetation dwindles so does animal population Once covered 20% now only 7%. Rainforests are cleared for logging operations, agriculture, All types of deserts: Hot Dry, Semiarid, Coastal, Cold deserts Most of our house plants are native to tropical rainforests

5 carbon cycles Always humid warm, cm of rain a year Strong sunlight year round, constant decays quickly plants quickly absorb nutrients. Water running out of soil as clear as distilled water. rainforest (emergent, upper canopy, lower canopy, understory) Tallest trees m that use specific resources in particular ways Insects use camouflage oil exploration. Habitat destruction Trading threatens plant animal life due to exotic-pet trading