Essential Question:

What are the characteristics

of the Earth’s major
terrestrial biomes?
S7L4e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s
major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain
forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga,
tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities
(i.e., freshwater, estuaries, and marine)
 At the beginning of our
ecology unit, you learned
about different levels of the
environment, one of which
was a Biome.
 Biome
A Biome is a region of
Earth that has a particular
climate and certain types
of plants.
During this Biome lesson,
we are going to focus on
Terrestrial Biomes.
Tundra
Tundra Characteristics
• Long, cold winters and short
cool summers
• Little rainfall (less than 25 cm
each year)
• Ground is often wet and soggy
because water cannot drain thru
the frozen ground (permafrost)
• Located in northern most
regions of Earth
Color the Tundra on your
Biomes Map
 Tundra Plant Life
• Only the toughest
plants can grow due to
extreme temperatures
• No trees can grow
• Lichens, grasses,
mosses, small shrubs
Tundra Plant Life

Mosses Lichens

Grasses
 Tundra Animal Life
• Primary consumers
include: rodents,
caribou, arctic hare
• Predators include
grizzly bears, white fox,
snowy owls, polar bears
 Tundra Animal Life

Caribou Arctic Hare

Snowy Owl

Polar Bear White Fox

Tundra Adaptations
Read the Tundra Plant and
Animal Adaptations sheet.
Select 2-4 adaptations to
record on your chart.
 Taiga
(Coniferous Forest)
 Taiga
Characteristics
• Largest land biome
• Also called the Coniferous
Forest or Boreal Forest
• Found in the Northern
Hemisphere below
the Tundra
 Taiga
Characteristics
• Precipitation is usually in
the form of snow and
averages 30-60 cm a year
• Long, cold winters
• Warm summers
Color the Taiga on your
Biomes Map
 Taiga
Plant Life
• Evergreen trees called Coniferous
trees (conifers) Pine, Spruce,
Larches
• Conifers have needle-like leaves
that produce food all year long
• Low sunlight and very thin, acidic
soil prevent plants from growing
Taiga Plant Life: Conifers
 Taiga Animal Life

Elk Bear

Wolf Lynx Ermine

Taiga Adaptations
Read the Taiga Plant and
Animal Adaptations sheet.
Select 2-4 adaptations to
record on your chart.
• There are hot deserts and cold
deserts characterized by dry soil.
• Dry with little rainfall (less than
25 cm a year). Evaporation rates
are faster than rainfall rates.
• Driest Biome
• In hot deserts, there are high
temperatures during the day
and cold temperatures during
the night
• Most deserts are located near
middle latitudes
Color the Desert on your
Biomes Map
Plants usually have few leaves
and thick roots to help them
keep moisture in the dry soil
 Desert
Chickory Sage Bush
Cacti

Indian
Paintbrush Ghost Flower
• Borrowing animals such as
the kangaroo rat and ground
squirrel
• Predators such as snakes,
owls, and foxes
Jack Rabbit
Scorpion Kit Fox

Lizard Rattlesnake
Read the Desert Plant and
Animal Adaptations sheet.
Select 2-4 adaptations to
record on your chart.