LECTURE : DESCRIPTION OF BIOMES

• Why particular kinds of living organisms live in

similar place with similar conditions?

• What are the physical and biological variables

that govern number and distributions of
organisms in a particular region?

• In this lecture we will learn on large scale

perspective of nature before focusing into minor
details of structure and processes of nature.
• In particular we focus on geographical
distribution of major terrestrial & aquatic
ecosystems (Biomes), the climate associated
with each other, their soils and other
biological relationships

• Thus we shall categorize world major biomes

and they will be distinguished based on
differences on climate, soil and organisms
that are dominant in each biome
 What are BIOMES?
• Biomes are major types of ecosystems that cover
large areas of the earth and are classified by their
dominant vegetation types adapted (to the
climatic factor) in their environment .

• Are large-scale naturally occurring ecosystems

defined by abiotic factors such as climate, relief,
geology, soils and vegetation adapting to their
environment. .

• Biomes are a way to divide the Earth's surface

based on climate patterns, soil types, and the
animals and plants that inhabit an area
• Thus, concepts of biomes are used as a
classification of world vegetation.

• Biomes are distinguished primarily by their

predominant plants associated within
particular climate.

• They are wide spread terrestrial ecosystems

consists of distinctive plant formations such as
tropical rain forest and the desert biomes.
 Classification of the World’s major
BIOMES
• Many way exists to classify terrestrial biomes
• Different ecologists may assign the same
community to different biomes

Important: Each biome is similar in structure and

appearance wherever they occur on earth

Two major categories of Biomes

• Terrestrial and
• aquatic biomes, but also there are
• human-Dominated Biomes.
 Types of Terrestrial Biomes
14 terrestrial biomes exists including Eight major types
A. Major 8 terrestrial biomes are:
• Tropical Rain-forests
• Tropical Savannas
• Deserts
• Temperate Grasslands
• Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forests
• Temperate ever-green forests
• Taiga and
• Tundra
B. Six additional terrestrial biomes are:
• Polar ice, Mountain zone, chaparral, warm moist
evergreen forest, tropical monsoon forests and semi-
desert.
 Aquatic Biomes
a. Freshwater Biomes
- Rivers and Streams
- Lakes and Ponds
b. Marine Biomes
• Neritic zone - Coastal Biome
• Pelagic zone -
• The Deep Sea

Human Dominated Biomes includes

• Agro-ecosystems
• Urban Ecosystems
-- MAIN FOCUS: TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
 Distribution of Terrestrial biomes
• Many different environmental factors play a role in
determining which biomes are found where.

• Major biological communities can be distinguished in

different climatic regions
• Climate shape the character of ecosystem –

• Climate is determined by latitudinal patterns of rainfall and

temperature which reflects the presence of particular biome

• we find similar biomes at similar latitudes why - Read!

Note: Un even heating of the earth’s spherical surface by the
sun and the tilt of the earth on its axis combine to produce
predictable latitudinal and seasonal variation in climate
• Variations in prevailing mean annual
temperature and precipitation are the
two key parameters/predictors of what
biome will occur where.

• Data on ecosystem productivity at 52

locations around the globe indicates that
NPP depend significantly upon mean
annual precipitation and temperature.
A
B
 Diversity of species in a biome
• Actual species in a biome differ from one area
to another but they possess similar
adaptations.
• This is convergent evolution (development of
same evolutionary solutions to ecological
problems)
• e.g. vegetation in all deserts worldwide
characterized by extensive root systems, long-
term water storage capability, thick waxy
coverings to reduce water loss, and extremely
small (if any) leaves
 1. Tropical rainforests (TRF)
• Is the nature’s most extravagant garden found in
Equator (within 100 latitude N or S of equator)
- Climate: is warm and wet year-round, average temp.
25-27C, receive about 2000 – 4000mm of rain a year
- Soils: Although high PP but climate keeps rainforest
soils often nutrient poor, acidic , thin and low in OM.
Why?
- Thus most rain forest plants are adept in conserving
nutrients (through mycorrhizae association)
- Species: It has the highest species diversity on earth –
Contain at least ½ of the earth’s spp of terrestrial
plants & animals - > 2 mill spp, & many more have not
• It is dominated by larger evergreen trees of > 40m.
Have the largest no of different species/area. One ha of
TRF may contain up to 300 tree species, thousands of
insect species
• So diverse community: each kind of animal, plant (vines,
lianas, trees, shrubs, epiphytes) or micro-organisms is
represented in a given area by very few individuals

• Extensive tropical rainforests found in South America,

Africa and Southeast Asia

• It is highly used by human at destructive rate(25% of all

prescription drugs are originated from TRF
 Tropical Dry Forest TDF
• It is a an ecosystem cover extensive area of the
world dominated with broad leaves deciduous
plants found btn 100 and 250 latitude (N &S of the
Central Africa RF, N&S of Amazon RF and Indian RF.

- Climate: survive in regions with more seasonal

climate than TRF. Ie. alteration between very wet
(6-7months) and dry (5-6 months) season
- Soil: is less acidic and richer in nutrients than TRF
Why? However presence of short rains followed by
heavy rain make the soil more vulnerable to erosion
- Species: During dry period most trees are
dormant. In wet trees produce their leaves,
flowers and transform the whole landscape.

TDF are more easily converted into agriculture

(cattle ranches, cotton fields) than TRF & intact
TDF is nearly disappeared bse:

- It receive less world conservation attention

relatively fertile, easily to clear land for farming
(dry season provide associability and easier to
burn)
 Savannas
• The world’s great tropical grasslands,
• It occur N&S of TDF within 100 -200 of the equator.
Both TRF & TDF form transitional biomes between
TRF & and Desert. Found in South of Sahara ...
• Climate: have drier climate than TDF with alternating
wet (with intense lighting) and dry (with fire) seasons.
• Fire kills trees while grasses quickly sprouts and
survive. Rainfall is much higher than TDF (750-
1250mm) not sufficient to support large forest
• Soil: soil with low permeability of H20 retain it near the
surface enable Savanna to survive in some wet areas
- Species: They are open, widely spaced fire
resistant trees and shrubs controlled by fire,
with high diversity near ground level.

• Tropical African savanna is habitat of huge

herds of grazing and other animals that move
in response to seasonal and year to year in
rainfall and food availability. eg. elephants,
rhino, lion, giraffe, cheetah. Eg Serengeti

• Area is increasingly inhabited by human &

converted to agricultural uses
Savanna distribution
Savannah
 Deserts
• Are the hottest and driest habitats of the earth, but also flush
floods and bitter colds are common
• desert bands are at 300 N & S corresponds to lalitude where
dry subtropical air descends.
- Climate: most receiving extremely high temp (56C) and low
rainfall (300mm or less/year) - rate of water loss exceeds
precipitation during most of the year– low amount of rainfall
to support vegetation. However there are cold deserts (Gobi
deserts) temp may fall to -20C
• Soil: Mostly are very saline esp. In poorly drained valleys.
However plants and animals turn desert into mosaic of
diverse soils. In open areas have lithosol soils with very low in
OM but under shruby areas soils are fertile forming islands of
fertility. Barrowing and hoarding of seeds by kangaroo rats
- Species: Plant cover is absent in many places &
where plant found are very sparse with diverse
adaptive features to survive harsh environment
eg .......

• Animals are few but may be of high diversity each

species with special adaptive behaviour to avoid
environmental extremes. Give example....

• Eg. Sahara, The Gobi (Asia) & The Great Sandy

desert in America, Dzamiin Uuded (Mongolia
 Prairies /Temperate grasslands
• Grassland found halfway btn the equator & the
poles (temperate regions). Represent the largest
biome in N America (S Canada to the Gulf of
Mexico etc) and widespread in Eurasia (Easterrn
Europe to Eastern China

- Climate: It is wetter than desert (annual rain btn

300-1000mm in hot summer) but experience
very long drought that my persists for several
years 70-102cm/year. Have cold winters
- Soil: vary but mostly (N America and South
Eurasia)have deep and fertile with high OM. In
arid area soils have less OM
- Species: the area is dominated by herbaceous
vegetation (perennial grasses which form dense
network of sod that resist inversion of trees) with
less trees (in margins of streams & rivers) which are
also controlled by fires.

- The biome once supported Greater heard of grazing

animals (bison & pronghorns) – and wild horses and
saiga antelope in Eurasia. Now all now have gone
- Most of these area have now converted for
industrial agriculture
Natural prairie Converted prairie
 Temperate Forest (TF)
• TF can be either Coniferaous or deciduous
forests contain the largest living organism have
ever lived (the sequoias and giant Eucalyptus).
• Found btn 300 -550 latitude in Eastern-North
America, Europe (Western Scandinavia,
Northern liberia to British Isles) and Asia (Japan,
East China, Korea) Northern Hemisphere
(Southern Chile, Newzealand ans S Australia)
- Climate: occur where temperatures are not
extreme and rainfall range 650-over 3000mm
• Temperate deciduous forest dominate where
growing seaon is moist at least 4 months long.
• Temperature ever-green forests (conifers) dominate
where winter are more severe or summer drought(eg
Pacific coast of North America

- Soils: in deciduous forest are mostly fertile, rich in OM

and inorganic matter. Rich soils are also found in
conifers which also able to grow on poorer acidic
soils. Nutrient movement between conifers and soil is
very slow but it is first in deciduous forest.

- Species: have large biomass with larger trees >

100m,with diverse spp of birds, mammals and insects.
the pine forests of the Western US, California oak
woodlands and the Australian Eucalyptus forests.
Temperate deciduous forest

summer winter
Temperate ever-green forest
 Taiga (Boreal Forest)
• Boreal comes from greek word (means forest confined to
the Northern hemisphere). Is the largest ecosystem on
earth (11% of the earth land area)
• Cover a great ring of Northern Forests (btn 500 -650 N
latitude) of Coniferours trees (eg spruce, hemlock & fir)
extend from Scandinavia through European, Russia, across
central Canada.
- Climate: Characterised by long and cold winter, limited rain
available in short summer to support temp forests

- Soils: low fertility, thin and acidic due to low temp,

decomposition and low rate of soil formation. Nutrients are
largely tied up in thick layer of of plant litter.
• Species: dominated by evergreen conifers
of one or few species.

• The biome is a home of many large

animals exists eg. elk, moose, deer,
wolves, brown bears etc
 Tundra
• It is an open landscape of mosses, lichens and dwarf
scattered trees and small ponds
• Found in the far North-above the great coniferous
forest and south of the polar ice
• Covers 1/5th of the earth land surface
• Receive very little rain or snow fall which frozen to
create a boggy of permanent frost areas which cover
the soils

• Large grazing mammals exists: rain deer, canivores

eg wolves, foxes & lynnx.
Tundra
 Other terrestrial Biomes
• Self reading on the remaining terrestrial
biomes which include:
• Polar ice
• Mountain zone
• Chaparral
• Warm moist evergreen forest
• Tropical monsoon forests and
• Semi-desert
 Aquatic biomes
• Cover over 71% of the earth surface

• They are of different categories based on

variation on physical factors (such as light,
temperature, water movement) and
chemical factors (salinity and oxygen)

• Among the Aq, biomes, Ocean contain over

97% of water in the biosphere and 2% is
water from ice caps, while < 1% is
freshwater
 Classification of Aquatic biomes
• Two major categories:
1. Marine biomes: have salt concentration over 3% and
covers over 99% of Aquatic biomes.
- They include oceans, shallow marine waters (Kelp forest
and coral gardens), Marine shores (btn high and low
tides), Estuaries, salt marshes and Mangrove forests

2. Freshwater biomes: have < 1% salt and cover less than 1 %

of the world water. They divided into
a. Standing (lentic) bodies of water (lakes, ponds, inland
wetlands
b. Moving (lotic) bodies of water (rivers & streams)
 Ocean
• Is the largest aquatic biomes on the planet cover
about 360 million km2 and average of about
4000m depth.

• The biomes are spread through three major

ocean basins of Pacific (180 million km2 , depth
of 4000m), Atlantic (106 million Km2) and India
(75 million km2)

- Stratification: ocean can be divided into several

vertical and horizontal zones
 Horizontal stratification
1. Littoral/intertidal zone/foreshore: the shallow
shoreline which is above water at low tide and
under water at high tide (ie the area between tide
marks) – the area bear the great physical impact of
waves, desiccation, and sunlight.
- 2. Neritic zone: that extends from the coast to the
margin of continental shelf where the ocean is 200m
deep. It includes mangrove, kelp forests and corals
- Support marine organism of high diversity and world
great fisheries are in shallow water
3. Oceanic zone: the zone beyond continental shelf
 Vertical stratification
Divided into several depth zones
1. Epipelargic zone: the surface layer of oceans that
extends to a depth of 200m – also called photic zone
2. Mesopelargic zone: layer that extend from 200 to
1000m
3. Bathypelargic zone: extends from 1000 to 4000m
4. Abyssal zone: from 4000 to 6000m
5. Hadal zone: the deepest parts of the ocean
NB: Habitats on the bottom of ocean and other aquatic
environ called benthic while those off bottom are
called pelagic
• Pelargic zone is a home to plankton (microscopic -
drifting organisms including protists & photosnth
bacteria) & nekton (fish & other larger actively
swimming ones) – feed on plankton & one another
• Organism in this zone provide food sources to those
that live below.
• Benthic zones: Is a thick blanket of mud, fine settled
particle accumulated over billions of years
• It has high pressure, cold temp (2-3C), darkness and
lack of food
• However it is a home of to a surprising number of
species – save as reservoir of largely unknown
biological diversity
 Stratification of freshwater biomes
E.g of lakes
consist of 4 zones, defined by depth and distance from
shore
1. littoral zone: shallow, close to shore with rooted and
floating plants flourish
2. Limnetic zone: light penetration layer consists of
– by phytoplankton, zooplankton, higher animals
– produces food and oxygen that supports most of
lake’s consumers
3. Profundal zone: consists of deep, aphotic regions, too
dark for photosynthesis oxygen levels are low
- inhabited by fish adapted to cool dark waters
4. Benthic zone: bottom of lake, inhabited by
organisms that can tolerate cool temperatures
and low oxygen levels

• Productivity of Aquatic biomes is influenced

by physical and chemical factors such as
•Light
•temperature
•depth
•nutrient content
•dissolved oxygen content
 Light on oceans
• Vary with depth
• 80% of solar energy is absorbed in the first 10m in
the
• Within PAR, ocean absorb more rapidly red,
orange, yellow and green than blue light which is
reflected back
• Very low amount penetrate from the depth of
600m
• At the depth beyond 3400m is a complete black
water a – only light produced by bioluminescent
fishes and invertebrates
 Questions for class presentation
1. Describe the mechanism of variability on the
amount of solar radiation and precipitation
intercepted by earth

2. Explain water cycle and the process involved .

Explain why aquatic organism survive in their
environment ( able to function) with far fewer
supportive structures (tissues) than terrestrial
organism?
3. Compare and contrast the process of
salinization between marine and terrestrial
ecosystems. Explain why this process is
more prevalent in arid areas compared to
other terrestrial ecosystem

4. Explain the concept of green house gases,

their sources and green house effects.
Elaborate how this concept is applicable to
improve productivity in the area of your
choice