Biomes

Biomes

A biome is defined as a large natural ecosystem which

is distinct in its climatic conditions and has its specific
type of plant and animal life.
thus, biomes are the major ecosystems of the world
which are the largest ecological units.
Factors determining characteristic of biome
Temperature range
Latitude and altitude
Intensity and duration of summer and winter
Amount and periodicity of rainfall
Soil characteristics
Geographical barriers like mountain or sea
Topography
Water mass
Types of biomes
Terrestrial biome-area of land with similar climatic
condition

Aquatic biome-biome found in water

Terrestrial biome

 They are large terrestrial communities which are influenced

by latitude, amount and periodicity of rainfall.
 The major terrestrial biomes are:
Tundra
Taiga
Deciduous forest
Tropical rain forest
Chapparal
Tropical savannah
Grassland
desert
Tundra
It lies at 60o N latitude below the polar ice
Tundra occupies 8 million km2 area of land extending
across N America, Europe and Asia.
It occurs only in arctic region and is, therefore, also
called arctic tundra.
Physical characteristics-the area receives very little
precipitation, mostly in the form of snow.
The area is covered by snow for most part of the year.
Winter temperature will be -30o C to -40o C.
Summer is for short duration of 45-75 days.
Highest temperature in summer is 10oC.
Tundra
Soil is permanently frozen(permafrost).
North tundra is often called as arctic desert.
The tress found in tundra will complete their life cycle
in brief summer or can remain alive even when
covered by snow for 8-10 months.
Mosses and lichens show best development in the area.
Other plants growing in tundra are grasses, sedges,
heaths and a few shrubs.
The plants possess xeropyhtic characters.
Taiga
 The biome occurs just south of tundra across N America,
Europe and Asia.
 It is also found in southern hemisphere and contains
roughly 10% of land mass.
 The area contains both rainfall and snowfall.
 Lakes and marshes are quite common in the wetter parts.
 The average winter temperature does not exceed 6 oC.
 Summers are pleasant with long hours of day light and
an average temperature of less than 20 oC.
 The growing season is about 150 days.
Taiga
Dominant vegetation consist of evergreen conifers
which are able to tolerate wide fluctuation of
temperature, light and soil.
The area contains pine, fir, hemlock, spruce,
juniper and deodar.
Where conditions are more favourable dense
coniferous forests is present with little light
reaching the ground.
Birch and maple are found at several places.
Temperate deciduous forest
 It is found in both northern hemisphere( Canada, Eastern
USA, North Central Europe, Eastern Asia) and Southern
Hemisphere(New Zealand and Eastern Australia).
 The areas have warm summer and moderately cold winter.
 Annual rainfall lies between 75-150cm.
 The dominant climax vegetation consists of broad leaved trees
like oak, elm, maple, birch, beech etc.
 The trees and shrubs usually shed their leaves with the onset
of autumn.
 New leaves are spread in early spring.
 Where conditions are favourable four storeyed forest is
formed.
Tropical Rain Forest
 It is mainly found in central America, along amazon
and Orinoco rivers. South America, Congo river basin
of Africa and South East Asia including India.
 The biome occurs in equatorial or sub equatorial
regions where both rainfall and warmth and abundant.
 Rainfall is above 140cm per year usually between 200-
500cm per year. Therefore, humidity is good.
 Plant growth is luxuriant.
 The forest is thick and almost impenetrable. Hence,
they are called as jungle.
Tropical Rain Forest
 Diversity of life is so high that a hectare of forest may
have as many as 200 species of trees, 70-80% of all
insects and 80-85% of all birds are known from tropical
forests.
 The vegetation shows stratification which means
grouping of plants in a forest into 2 or more well
defined layers.
 Tropical rain forest is multi storey and mainly contains
broad leaved evergreen plants.
 The important plants found here are rosewood,
mahogany, ebony, rubber tree, cinnamon and bamboos.
Chaparral
 The biome occurs in Mediterranean area, pacific coast of
North America, Chile, South Africa and South Australia.
 It is a broad leaved evergreen shrub forest of hard and thick
leaved small trees and shrubs which usually contain resin but
are resistant to fires.
 It receives humid air from nearby oceans which keeps the
temperature moderate.
 Rainfall is during winter only.
 The plants are adopted to frequent and long period of
drought.
 The common plants are sage, carnithus, adenosdema, oak
and eucalyptus
Tropical Savannah
The savannah is found in equatorial and sub tropical
regions of the world especially South America, Central
Africa and Australia.
It is a warm climate plain which contains coarse
grasses with scattered trees and shrubs.
It receives rainfall for about 100-150cm per year.
The organisms of the biome are drought tolerant.
A savannah does not have much species diversity.
Commonly found trees are Acacia and Eucalyptus.
Grassland
 A grassland posses different types of grasses, non -
graminaceous herbs and a few scattered bushes or
occasional trees.
 Depending upon the types of grasses and non
graminaceous flora, grasslands have been differentiated
into Prairies of Canada and USA, Pampas of South
America, Steppes of Eurasia, Iussocks of New Zealand
and Veldds of South Africa.
 Climate is continental with cold winters and hot summers.
 Rainfall is 25-75cm.
 Dominant plants are short and tall grasses.
Desert
 Deserts are found all over the world in areas bordering cold
oceanic currents, lacking cloud intercepting mountains, lying far
from cloud seeding regions or rain shadow.
 Major desert occur in Asia(Gobi, Thar etc.), central western
Australia, North Africa(Sahara), South Western USA, Mexico,
coastal areas of Chile and Peru.
 Deserts contain low annual rainfall of less than 25cm.
 Depending upon temperature, deserts are of two types namely:
cold and hot deserts.
 Nights are cold but days are very hot with temperature reaching
60oC.
 Hardy grasses, echinops, cacti are common plants grow in desert.