Tropical Rainforest

Tropical rainforest. Image by

WorldWideHappyMedia
You probably picture tropical rainforest as a jungle,
where it stays warm all year. There are too many
animals to count and the huge numbers of trees
keep their leaves year-round. Many of these forests
get so much rain that there isn't even much of a dry
season – more like a rainy season and a rainier
season.

Temperate Forest 
Temperate forest. Image by Umberto Salvagnin.
This is the kind of forest where there are four
relatively distinct seasons. Many of the trees shed
their leaves in the fall and become inactive through
the cold winter. In these forests, you find deer,
woodpeckers, and bears, some of which hibernate
through the winter.

Desert
A desert with sand dunes. Image by Jon Sullivan.
Deserts make up the hottest biome, but can also get
cold temperatures in winter. Such temperature
swings make this an extreme environment, where
many animals have to burrow underground to find
more stable temperatures in order to survive. Plants
and animals here must be able to withstand long
periods without water.

Tundra
Tundra in Greenland. Image by Hannes Grobe.
Tundra is flat and cold with low plants like grass and
moss that only grow during the short summer. A
thick layer of ice lies just below the shallow soil
(permafrost) all year around, and trees cannot
penetrate it to anchor their roots. Many birds visit
the tundra in the summer to nest, but most escape
the winter by migrating to warmer areas. Mice and
other small mammals stay active during the winter
in protected tunnels under the snow.

Taiga (Boreal Forest) 

Boreal forest of Alaska. Image by L.B. Brubaker.
Taiga is the largest land (terrestrial) biome in the
world.  It is made up of mainly conical-shaped
evergreen trees with needle-like leaves. These trees
are called conifers because their seeds are clumped
into cones. The taiga has long, cold winters when
most mammals hibernate and birds migrate, or
leave the area because the winters are too cold for
them to stay. Animals like weasels, grouse and
rabbits that do not migrate or hibernate grow dense
feathers or fur and turn white to match the snow.

Grassland  
Grasslands. Image by Tony Hisgett
Sometimes called plains or prairie, grasslands are
almost entirely short to tall grasses with no trees.
This land type gets just enough rain to help grasses,
flowers, and herbs grow, but stays dry enough that
fires are frequent and trees cannot survive. Here we
find large mammals that often travel together in
huge herds.

Savanna
Savanna in Tanzania. Image by Nevit Dilmen.
These tree-studded grasslands receive enough
seasonal rainfall so that trees can grow in open
groups or singly throughout. The animals living here
have long legs for escaping predators and usually
are seen in herds. A combination of fire and grazing
animals are important for maintaining the savannah.

Freshwater
Lakes are usually freshwater, like this lake in
Pakistan. Image by Joonasl.
This water biome is named for the low concentration
of salt found in the water. This includes most ponds,
streams, lakes, and rivers. Because salt is important
to body function, the plants and animals here have
many adaptations that help them save salt.

Marine
Marine environments have salt water, like this
tidepool in Portugal. Image by Alvesgaspar.
This water biome is the largest biome in the world,
as it includes the five major oceans that cover 70%
of the Earth. Marine water has high levels of salt, so
animals and plants living here have adaptations that
help them get rid of salt or take on water.

Virtual Biomes
Virtually visit some of the biomes without having to
travel.
Take a virtual look inside some of these biomes
using a computer, smart phone, tablet, or Google
Goggles. Our first two virtual biomes are the desert
and rainforest. Compare how the two are different
and how they are the similar. Write up your results in
our biologist notebook.