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Every inch of the earth's surface consists of one or more biome s. A biome is a formation of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that have common characteristics as a result of similar climates and can be found on different continents. Essentially, biomes are distinct communities that have mushroomed due to a shared physical climate and the communities have developed special adaptations to that particular climate. Biomes should not be confused with habitats.

A biome can be made up of a wide range of habitats. There are 5 major types of biomes in the world; aquatic biome, forest biome, desert biome, tundra biome and grassland biome. Aquatic biome is further subdivided into freshwater biome and marine biome. These subdivisions depend on the salt content of the water and the aquatic plants and animals that flourish there. With that in mind, let's explore freshwater biome, which is our topic of the discussion:

A freshwater biome is a large community of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that live in water bodies with low salt content, usually less than 1%. Examples of freshwater biomes include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and even some wetlands. Freshwater biomes differ from marine biomes. Marine biomes are communities of plants and animals that live in salt water bodies such as oceans and seas.

Climate

Freshwater biome makes up only 0.8% of the entire water body on planet earth. The water making up this biome is also unevenly distributed throughout the world. Due to this uneven distribution, the climate of these biomes differs depending on the region they occur. Averagely, winter temperatures in freshwater biomes range from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The winter temperatures, on the other hand, range from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate of freshwater biomes hinges on an array of factors such as season, location, and water depth.

Averagely, freshwater biome temperatures will drop with deepening of the water. This phenomenon is more prevalent in lakes where water movement is relatively less, and water is deeper compared to a streams or rivers.

Precipitation

Precipitation in freshwater biomes depends on the region the biome is situated. Most wetlands in the world are located in temperate zones, which mean they will receive a lot of precipitation. Rivers and lakes situated in valleys and mountains may receive less precipitation. On average, precipitation in freshwater biome ranges from 10 to 80 inches per year.

Plants

Freshwater Biome plants are affected by the following factors: depth of water, rate of water flow, quality of water and temperature. Sunlight is particularly essential in supporting growth of plants in this biome.

In rivers and streams, vegetation usually thrives on the edges of the water body. Some common plant species on the edges of rivers and streams include contrails, star grass, and tape grass. Tree species like cottonwoods, willows, and river birch are supported by these streams and rivers. These tree species like to grow in shallow areas characterized by slow moving water.

In wetland areas like swamps, bogs, ditches, and marshes, the water is saturated all year round; consequently, the dirt present here holds in every ounce of water it can, creating mud in the long run. Plants dominating in wetlands include duckweeds and cattails. Common tree species here include tamarack, black spruce, and Cyprus.

It's almost impossible for ponds and lakes to support a large community of plants due to their great depth. Common plants that thrive here include weeds and grasses. On some occasions, plant species such as lily pads and cattails can be seen floating in shallow ponds and lakes.

Some freshwater biome plants have developed unique adaptations and defense mechanisms to survive in this biome. For example, water lilies ensure their widespread in the biome by dispersing seeds. The flower of a water lily naturally develops a fruit that effectively floats in the water body and then sinks to the bottom, where it develops roots, and a new lily grows.

Water lilies also have unique adaptations to thrive in the freshwater biomes. They possess stomata that stay open throughout. Stomata are specifically used for gas exchange. Since water is in bountiful supply, lilies do need to retain more water within them. Due to the abundance of water, guard cells on water lilies are usually inactive. Water lilies also have flat leaves and air sacs that aid flotation, including specialized roots to suck up oxygen.

Water lilies have developed interesting defense mechanisms. They offer great protection for aquatic creatures that live in the water body. These creatures lurk under the water lilies and attack animals and birds that feed on the lilies.

Another common plant with impeccable adaptation and defense mechanism is the phytoplankton. The phytoplankton makes similar version of itself by spores growing inside the parent organism or by simple cell division. The plant releases the spores into the water body, which later grows and matures into an adult phytoplankton.

Phytoplanktons have unique adaptations to thrive in this biome. They don't need true stems, leaves, and roots like most plants do; they suck up water and nutrients straight from the environment. This plant has developed numerous spines, pores and other projections that enhance its surface area, suck up nutrients and enhance sunlight exposure to aid photosynthesis. As a defense mechanism, phytoplankton changes shape to insulate itself from predators.

Animals

Freshwater biome supports a huge diversity of animals with special adaptations and defense mechanism. Freshwater biome animals include:

River Otters have strong adaptation to thrive in freshwater biomes. Their ears and nose remain closed in water and have long tails that act as paddles or oars to effortlessly glide through the water. Otters live in habitats such as streams, rivers, and creeks. They feed on frogs, fish, eggs, turtles, and water birds. However, the North American Otters are semi-aquatic animals, which mean they live in water and land.

Crocodiles have characteristic sharp teeth for crushing and chewing prey, including strong claws. They mostly live in ponds, wetlands, canals, and creeks. Crocodiles feed on reptiles, fish, mammals, invertebrates, and birds.

Their main habitats are lakes, rivers, and ponds. Their unique adaptation is the strong shell that shields them from predators and other unknown threats. Freshwater turtles feed on fish, frogs, insects, plants and certain herbs.

European Eels mostly live in rivers and seas. They have adapted a sleek-like skin to effortless glide through the water. Their main diet includes small fish, invertebrates, earthworms, and insect larva.

Black Piranhas mainly live in rivers. They have sharp teeth, which makes them very ferocious. They mostly feed on decaying carcasses, fish, beef hearts, fruits and seeds.

Frogs are incredible jumpers, which makes them uniquely adaptable to this biome. They live on trees, in ponds and creeks. Their diet consists of moths, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, mice, and dragonflies.

Other freshwater biome animals include Clear Lake Hitch, raccoons, Amazon River dolphins and much more.

Types of Freshwater Biomes

Freshwater biomes are divided into three:

Ponds and lakes

Ponds and lakes are sometimes referred to as lentil ecosystems, meaning they consist of standing or still waters. Essentially, the waters don't flow like streams and rivers. Lakes are normally divided into 4 zones of freshwater aquatic communities:

Littoral zone: The area adjacent to the shore of the lake where plants thrive

Limnetic zone: Open water surfaces off the shore

Euphotic zone: Area near the water surface that receives some sunlight to aid photosynthesis

Benthic zone: The bottom of the lake.

Animals that live in lakes include different fish species, frogs, snails, crayfish, worms, insects, turtles and so on. Plants that thrive in lakes include duckweed, lilies, bulrush, bladderwort, stonewort, cattail and so on.

Rivers and streams

They are sometimes known as lotic ecosystems, meaning they have moving waters, as opposed to stagnant waters of lakes and ponds. This kind of biomes comes in different sizes including minute trickling streams and mile-wide rivers that are able to travels thousands of miles.

Different animal species live in and around rivers including fishes, snails, crabs, insects, crocodiles, salamanders, snakes, beavers, and otters. Plant species existing around rivers thrive depending on river location on the globe. Plants naturally populate the edges of the river where water flows slowly. Plants here include star grass, tape grass, river birch and willow trees.

Wetlands biome

This freshwater biome is a combination of land and water. It's, essentially, land saturated with water. The land may be flooded with water or totally submerged most of the time. However, it supports aquatic plants. Typical examples of wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs. These wetlands are usually situated in proximity to large water bodies such as lakes and rivers and are pretty much found all over the world. When they are situated in proximity to rivers, they can aid in the mitigation of flooding and assist purify and filter water. Examples of wetland plants include water lilies, milkweed, cypress trees, mangroves, and cattails. Examples of wetland animals include crocodiles, alligators, raccoons, beavers, deer, and minks.

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FreshWater Biome: Climate, Precipitation, Plants, Animals and Types of Freshwater Biomes | Earth Eclipse

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A freshwater biome is a large community of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that live in water bodies with low salt content, usually less than 1%. Examples of freshwater biomes include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and even some wetlands.

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LOCATION: Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Lakes are large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land, while ponds are smaller bodies of water surrounded by land. Lake Baikal, in central Asia, is the biggest lake on Earth; it contains about one fifth of the Earth's freshwater and has a maximum depth of 5,315 feet (1,620 meters)! Lake Tahoe is a huge lake on the border of California and Nevada that originates from mountain stream runoff. Most lakes are still and contain diverse plant and animal life. Rivers and streams are moving bodies of freshwater, which usually originate in mountains and come from melting ice or ground water and eventually flow into the ocean. For example, the Amazon River originates in the Andes Mountains and ends in the Atlantic Ocean. Over time, as rivers travel, they change course and carve a path through the land. This causes ox bow lakes, caverns, and canyons. The place where fresh and salt-water meet is called anestuary. A unique place where two habitats come together is called an ecotone. Because estuaries are usually shallow, sunlight can reach all levels of the water.

PLANTS: Plants and algae are important to freshwater biomes because they provide oxygen through photosynthesis, and food for animals in this biome. Yum, delicious algae. In fact, that slimy scum you see on the surface of a pond or lake is lunch for many of your favorite aquatic animals, like turtles. In fast streams and rivers many plants have special structures that keep them from being carried away by the water. Some aquatic plants have strong roots that keep them anchored securely, while others have stems that bend easily with the movement of the water. Certain mosses are able to cling to rocks. Plants who live in still waters have different adaptations. Water lilies, algae, and duckweed float on the surface. Cattails and reeds grow along the shoreline of many freshwater ecosystems.Estuaries house plant life with the unique adaptation of being able to survive in fresh and salty environments. Mangroves and pickleweed are just some examples of estuarine plants.

ANIMALS: Many animals live in freshwater ecosystems. Some need the movement of the stream or river water to survive. In fast moving waters animals that have to hold onto rocks and the bottom may have suction-cup like structures on their bodies. Others thrive in still water environments, like lakes. There are a variety of fish, birds, insects, amphibians, and crustaceans that make freshwater biomes their home. One important freshwater animal in the United States is the trout. Many people love to fish for, and eat trout. Trout live in both streams and rivers. They eat fish and insects.Estuaries are rich in animal life and are often a protected area where juvenile creatures seek refuge. There are also a variety of animals who live inestuaries that people like to eat, for example clams, shrimp and lots of fish.

PEOPLE AND FRESHWATER BIOMES: Without freshwater biomes you and I would not be alive. Freshwater ecosystems are important because they provide us water for drinking; energy and transportation; recreation, like boating and fishing; and many jobs, like fishermen and researchers. One way that people use rivers is to produce hydroelectric power. As water passes through a dam, and into a river below electricity is produced. A device inside the dam called a turbine uses magnets, metal, and the movement from the water to produce electricity. When a dam is built, an artificial lake is created behind the dam. Dams can be viewed as good and bad. Dams may provide pollution-free energy, and create lakes for people to enjoy, but they can also damage the environment. Salmon are a species that use rivers to spawn, and are often hurt by dams. Wetlands are also an important type of freshwater ecosystem. They may be soggy and stinky, but they provide critical habitat for tons of plants and animals, help clean our water, control floods, and provide food for humans. Did you know that cranberries come from wetlands?

So, what can we do to help freshwater biomes? First of all, we can conserve water. By using less water, we can help ensure that there is enough water for a healthy biome. We should also be careful not to pollute. Be careful what you put down the drain. By fertilizing the lawn with chemicals and allowing our cars to drip nasty oils and fluids we are polluting freshwater biomes. The rain carries these pollutants down storm drains into rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Another thing you can do to help is get involved! Volunteer with a stream team, or community group that works together to monitor and restore nearby freshwater biomes. By doing this you will learn more about freshwater ecosystems and get to see the cool plants and animals that make these biomes their home.
LINKS:
Freshwater ecosystems: What's it like where you live?
Freshwater Ecology All Along a River
Aquatic Ecosystems (available in English or French)
KidzWorld: Aquatic Biomes US EPA: Wetlands US EPA: What you can do to protect your watershed Natural History of Nova Scotia - Freshwater Habitats
Back to Biomes Index

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LOCATION: Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Lakes are large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land, while ponds are smaller bodies of water surrounded by land. Lake Baikal, in central Asia, is the biggest lake on Earth; it contains about one fifth of the Earth's freshwater and has a maximum depth of 5,315 feet (1,620 meters)!

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Defenders is fighting for clean water protections throughout the country, and especially in the Southeast, which is a hotspot of freshwater biodiversity. We are bringing enforcement lawsuits against polluters for illegally discharging pollutants from coal ash landfills and other point-source pollution.

Defenders is also a member of several coalitions and partnerships throughout the Southeast to protect and restore the health of streams and rivers for all freshwater wildlife, including the fourteen-state Wetland Forest Initiative.

In the Northwest, we are advocating ways to reduce pollution in the Salish Sea with our Orcas Love Raingardens program and remove outdated dams from rivers in the region to restore salmon.

We are relocating "nuisance" beavers in the Rockies and Plains to promote healthy wetlands and waterways and provide habitat for other aquatic species.

We are also working across the country to protect aquatic connectivity for freshwater fish, mussels, turtles and amphibians that need to move between habitats for breeding or because of climate change-induced temperature increases.

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Wetlands are the link between land and water and are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Depending on the type of wetland, it may be filled mostly with trees, grasses, shrubs or moss. Some wetlands, like vernal pools, are actually dry at certain times of the year.

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One commonly used classification system for wetlands was developed by Cowardin and is described in Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States Exit. The Cowardin system is used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the National Wetlands Inventory. In this system, wetlands are classified by landscape position, vegetation cover and hydrologic regime. The Cowardin system includes five major wetland types: marine, tidal, lacustrine, palustrine and riverine.

Another common wetland classification system, used by the Army Corps of Engineers, was developed by Brinson and is described in A Hydrogeomorphic Classification for Wetlands Exit. As the title implies, wetlands are classified by their geomorphic setting, dominant water source (e.g. precipitation, groundwater or surface water) and hydrodynamics. The hydrogeomorphic (HGM) includes five major wetland types: riverine, slope depressional, flat and fringe.

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Wetlands Classification and Types | US EPA

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One commonly used classification system for wetlands was developed by Cowardin and is described in Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States Exit. The Cowardin system is used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the National Wetlands Inventory. In this system, wetlands are classified by landscape position, vegetation cover and hydrologic regime.

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Freshwater Biome: Wetlands (Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs)
This map shows where wetlands are. As you can see, they are very scattered, but there are still many.
This chart lists some of the examples of abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem of a wetland.
The picture here is the symbiosis of the monarch butterfly and the toxic milkweed. This is a type of commensalism. In this, the monarch butterfly sucks the toxins from the milkweed, so predators won't eat it. If the predators do, they will have toxins in them. Yet, nothing is given in return to the milkweed.
Atharv Vanarase
Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors
The Sun
The Water
The Climate
The Soil
Water lilies
Alligators
Bacteria
Fungi
This picture demonstrates the mallard and the crocodiles' mutualistic relationship. The mallard gets a meal by eating the bad junk in the crocodiles mouth, and the crocodile gets clean teeth
This picture demonstrates the catfish and the leeches' parasitism. The leech feeds on the blood of the fish, while it slowly dies.
This picture shows what happens when industrial building are being added into wild habitats. This means that we are killing wild animals everyday. Every building we have made impacted the animals living there, because it will be harder for them to live in those locations, especially if that will be the site of a new city.
Mutualism
Parasitism
Commensalism
Biome Locations
Environmental issues: Human Caused: Industrial Factors
On other big and important topic is water pollution. If people throw trash and litter into the wetlands, it will hurt the water, which will affect both the plants and animals living there.
Environmental Issues: Human Caused: Water Pollution
This picture shows people clearing out the area and getting ready to grow crops. Growing crops is great, but when you destroy an animal's habitat to do it, then it is bad. This is because people are going to end up using those crops anyway, and the animals previously there died, so basically, its a massive death zone.
Environmental issues: Human Caused: Farming Effects
Examples!
Food Web
algae
phytoplankton
water plants
shrimp
frog
fish
snail
pelican
black swan
Food Chain 1
Sun
Algae/Producer
Shrimp/ Primary Consumer
Frog/ Secondary Consumer
Pelican/Tertiary Consumer
Food Chain 2
Sun
Phytoplankton/Producer
Fish/Primary Consumer
Pelican/Secondary Consumer
Food Chain 3
Sun
Water Plants/Producer
Snail/Primary Consumer
Black Swan/Secondary Consumer
Abiotic Factors
Humid
Rainy
Regularly 40-80 in temperature
The overall average is 76 degrees
About 40 in. of rain per year
Moist, Coarse-grained Soil
Lots of water, sunlight, and many other abiotic factors
Water is provided mostly from runoff
Grassy and sometimes no grass, so only soil
Bibliography
"Berkley.edu." Berkley.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.umcp.berkley.edu/>.
"Home." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.lib.colostate.edu/>.
"Freshwater Biome Facts." Freshwater Biome Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.softschools.com/facts/biomes/freshwater_biome_facts/166/>.
"WWF like the Panda & Tiger." WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.panda.org/>.
"World Wetlands Day." Ramsar Convention. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.ramsar.org/>.
"Wetlands Animals." Wetlands Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/wetlands/animals/>.
"Adaptations of Wetland Plants and Animals." Adaptations of Wetland Plants and Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://web.utk.edu/~ctmelear/ossabaw/LeggettVestWilliams/N_Vest2.html>.
"Plant Adaptations to Wetlands." Plant Adaptations to Wetlands. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://digitalsportsman.com/wetlands/plant.htm>.
"Hydrophytic Plant Adaptations." Hydrophytic Plant Adaptations. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://forestandrange.org/new_wetlands/plant_adaptations_inflated.htm#mid>.
"The Charms of Duckweed." The Charms of Duckweed. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckweed.htm>.
"Plant Adaptations in Wetlands." Plant Adaptations in Wetlands. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.d118.org/crown/Webquests/plant_adaptations_in_wetlands.htm>.
"Wetland Info." Website Info. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_010758.pdf>.
"Wetland Soils (Wetland Biogeochemistry)." Wetland Soils (Wetland Biogeochemistry). N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. <http://depts.washington.edu/ehuf475/outsoil.htm>.

Bibliography cont.
"Information for Action." Conservation, Biodiversity Sustainability Environment Issues, Automated Lobbying Database at. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.informaction.org/>.
"Wetlands." Wetlands RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.wetlands2012p2.edublogs.org/symbiosis-in-the-wetlands/>.
"Biochemical Soul Musings on Nature, Science, Evolution, Biology, and Education." Biochemical Soul. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://www.biochemicalsoul.com/>.
"WSFR." WSFR. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. <http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/>.
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"Adaptations." Adaptations. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/schreibe_bran/adaptations.htm>.
"Wet Lands Geographic Map - Wetland Biome." Wet Lands Geographic Map - Wetland Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. <https://sites.google.com/site/mrhbiowetland/wet-lands-geographic-map>.
Fun Facts
Only 3% of the on earth comes from the freshwater biomes

99% of all freshwater is either ice or in an aquifer

The largest wetland is in South America (Mostly Brazil, but also Paraguay and Bolivia) and is called Pantanal

The Nile River is a part of the freshwater biomes

Freshwater biomes are roughly 20% of the world
sun
Tough skin for protection
Renewable and sharp teeth for biting
Webbed feet to help swim
Can hold their breath for long times to hide
Animal Life Example 1: The Alligator
Animal Example 2: The Beaver
Webbed feet
Broad flat tail for swimming help
Waterproof coat
Animal Example 3: Fish
Fins to push through water
Small body to be able to hide
Can intake little oxygen and still be able to live with that small amount
Plant Example 1: Duckweed
In wetlands, there are certain plants that can float on the water, and duckweed was adapted to do that.
Plant Example 2: Rocky Mountain Iris
Adapted to show off it's colors so many pollinators would try to pollinate it
In wetlands, these trees have a very large root system
Plant Example 3: Tree

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Freshwater Biomes: Wetlands (Marshes, Swamps and Bogs)

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Freshwater Biome: Wetlands (Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs) This map shows where wetlands are. As you can see, they are very scattered, but there are still many. This chart lists some of the examples of abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem of a wetland.The picture here is the symbiosis of the monarch butterfly and the toxic milkweed.

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the Pampas, vast plains extending westward across central Argentina from the Atlantic coast to the Andean foothills, bounded by the Gran Chaco (north) and Patagonia (south). The name comes from a Quechua word meaning "flat surface." The Pampas have a gradual downward slope from northwest to southeast, from approximately 1,640 feet (500 metres) above sea level at Mendoza to 66 feet (20 metres) at Buenos Aires. Apart from a few sierras in the northwest and south, most of the region appears perfectly flat. Several smaller plains in other parts of South America, such as the desert of northern Chile, are also referred to by the term Pampas.

The Argentine Pampas covers an area of approximately 295,000 square miles (760,000 square km) and is divided into two distinct zones. The dry zone in the west, which includes most of La Pampa province, is largely barren, with great saline areas, brackish streams, and sandy deserts. The humid zone in the east, a much smaller area that includes part of Buenos Aires province, is temperate and well watered and is the economic heart of the nation and the country's most-populated area. The soil consists chiefly of fine sand, clay, and silt washed down toward the Atlantic by the great rivers or blown in dust storms from the west. Cool winds from the south periodically meet warm air from the tropical north, creating violent gales accompanied by heavy rain in the neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. These storms are known as pamperos. Characteristic animals of the Pampas include foxes, skunks, small herds of guanaco, viscachas, bush dogs, and many bird species related to the sparrows, hawks, and waterfowl of the North American prairies.

The region has been transformed since the middle of the 19th century. The Spaniards had introduced cattle and horses but had made no attempt toward land development. The animals were rounded up by gauchos, who were celebrated for their horsemanship, hardiness, and lawlessness. After liberation from Spain (1816) and the annihilation of the Indians who roamed the plains, landowners began to employ immigrants (chiefly Italians) to cultivate their estancias (ranches), sowing alfalfa for fodder, corn (maize), and finer pastures. They fenced their lands and imported pedigreed sheep and cattle from Great Britain. Railways were built across the Pampas, the gauchos gradually became peons (labourers), and horses were replaced by tractors. The southeastern area between Mar del Plata and Tandil, being relatively cool and containing much swampy land, was devoted to the breeding of high-grade sheep and cattle, while the western belt (from Bahía Blanca to Santa Fe) was cultivated principally for alfalfa and wheat. Around Rosario, corn (maize) and flax are the chief crops, and some livestock is raised. The vicinity of Buenos Aires has been developed to supply the capital with vegetables, fruit, and milk. Since the late 20th century some parts of the Pampas have become noted grape-growing regions, particularly the region around Mendoza, which produces more than half the wines of South America.

The Pampas served as background in Argentina's gaucho literature, including such notable works as José Hernández's El gaucho Martín Fierro (1872) and Ricardo Güiraldes's Don Segundo Sombra (1926), and also as the theme for a great deal of Argentina's musical folklore.

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The Pampas | Plains of Argentina, Wildlife & Agriculture

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The Pampas, vast plains extending westward across central Argentina from the Atlantic coast to the Andean foothills, bounded by the Gran Chaco (north) and Patagonia (south). The name comes from a Quechua word meaning "flat surface." The Pampas have a gradual downward slope from northwest to

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grassland biome . They are flat, fertile plains that covers an area of 300,000 sq. miles or 777,000 square kilometers, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes Mountains. It is found primarily in Argentina and extends into Uruguay. The word Pampas comes from the Guarani Indian word for level plain.

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Savanna Biome Facts

The savanna biome is an area that has a very dry season and then a very wet season. They are situated between a grassland and a forest. They can also overlap with other biomes. There are savanna's located in Africa, South America, India, and Australia.

The savanna biome is mostly made up of grass but there are a few trees.

Because of the availability of grass in the savanna, there are many grazing animals who take advantage of this abundant food supply.

The savanna biome is rich with herbivores such as elephants, zebras, gazelles, and buffalo.

The largest part of the savanna biome is located in Africa.

Almost half of Africa is considered a savanna.

Because of the extended periods of wet and dry climate in the savanna biome, the availability of food changes throughout the year.

Some animals go so long without water during the dry season that they barely make it alive to the wet season.

The savanna biome receives about 59 inches of rain. Majority of this occurs during the wet season.

Although there are various types of soil in the savanna biome, it is not suitable for farming.

In the savanna biome, all the animals and plants are extremely dependent upon each other for a food supply. If one species of animal were removed, the entire ecosystem would be altered.

Climate is very important in the savanna biome. If the rainfall decreases and/or the temperature increases, the animals and plants will not be able to continue to survive.

The savanna in Africa is a big tourist attraction but the introduction of vehicles and humans into that environment is very stressful to the plants and animals there.

The savanna remains warm all year long. During the wet season, the temperature is more pleasant with an average of 63° F.

There are many herbivores in the savanna biome which also bring many carnivores. Herbivores have developed traits which help them escape predators such as being fast, being large, or being tall.

The savanna biome does have a long dry season so plants there have adapted to this climate. Some store water in their roots and others extend their long roots deep into the ground to recover water from the water table.

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The savanna biome is an area that has a very dry season and then a very wet season. They are situated between a grassland and a forest. They can also overlap with other biomes. There are savanna's located in Africa, South America, India, and Australia.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface! Savannas can result from climate changes, soil conditions, animal behavior, or agricultural practices. Humans create savannas by burning grasslands and cutting down trees so they can plant crops. Large animals, like elephants, can turn a forest into a savanna by knocking trees down, stripping the bark from the trees, and tramping on tree seedlings.

WEATHER: An important factor in the savanna is climate. The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68° to 86°F (20 to 30°C). Savannas exist in areas where there is a 6 - 8 month wet summer season, and a 4 - 6 month dry winter season. The annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm) per year. During the dry season, lightning often strikes the ground, igniting the dry grasses that cover the savanna.

PLANTS: The savanna is dominated by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass, lemon grass, and some shrubs. Most savanna grass is coarse and grows in patches with interspersed areas of bare ground. You won't see many trees in the savanna because of little rainfall. Occasionally, you'll find individual trees or small groves of trees. These mostly live near streams and ponds. The Acacia tree is an interesting plant in the savanna. It has an umbrella shape, with branches and leaves high off the ground that giraffes like to eat. Baobab trees also live in the savanna. They deal with dry conditions by storing water between the bark and meat of the tree.

ANIMALS: There are many different types of animals that live in the savanna. The species found in savannas vary by the geographic location of the biome. Animals native to African savannas include African elephants, zebras, horses, and giraffes. Many animals in the savanna are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and there is plenty of grass in the savanna. During the rainy months animals thrive in the savanna, but the rainy season is only half the year. During the dry season, surface water from the rain is quickly absorbed into the ground by thirsty soils. The competition for water during the dry season is so intense that most birds and many of the large mammals migrate elsewhere in search of water. Depending on the severity of the drought, the migration may be to a place nearby, or far away. The dry season is often associated with fires. Many insects with short life spans die in these fires, but the birds and larger animals are usually able to fly or run to safety. Although small burrowing animals probably can't outrun the flames, they often survive the fire by digging deep into the ground and remaining there until the flames are gone. Some birds, such as the Fork-tailed Drongos, don't flee the fires; they actually fly to the fires. For these birds fire means dinner. They eat the fleeing or flame-roasted insects.

PEOPLE AND THE SAVANNA: Some environmental concerns with savannas include poaching or hunting, overgrazing, and destruction of land for commercial crops. Many animals in the savanna, such as the rhinoceros and zebra, are endangered and threatened with extinction due to hunting, poaching, and habitat loss. The savanna is often damaged when it is used as pastureland for non-native domestic cattle. Cattle grazing also limits the amount of food available for wildlife.
GAMES: LINKS: Blue Planet Biomes: Savanna Enchanted Learning: Savanna Animal Printouts Smithsonian National Zoological Park: African Savanna for Kids

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface!

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A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests.

Savannas have warm temperature year round. There are actually two very different seasons in a savanna; a very long dry season (winter), and a very wet season (summer). In the dry season only an average of about 4 inches of rain falls. Between December and February no rain will fall at all. Oddly enough, it is actually a little cooler during this dry season. But don't expect sweater weather; it is still around 70° F.

In the summer there is lots of rain. In Africa the monsoon rains begin in May. An average of 15 to 25 inches of rain falls during this time. It gets hot and very humid during the rainy season. Every day the hot, humid air rises off the ground and collides with cooler air above and turns into rain. In the afternoons on the summer savanna the rains pour down for hours. African savannas have large herds of grazing and browsing hoofed animals. Each animal has a specialized eating habit that reduces compitition for food.

There are several different types of savannas around the world. The savannas we are most familiar with are the East African savannas covered with acacia trees. The Serengeti Plains of Tanzania are some of the most well known. Here animals like lions, zebras, elephants, and giraffes and many types of ungulates(animals with hooves) graze and hunt. Many large grass-eating mammals (herbivores) can survive here because they can move around and eat the plentiful grasses. There are also lots of carnivores (meat eaters) who eat them in turn.

South America also has savannas, but there are very few species that exist only on this savanna. In Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, savannas occupy some 2.5 million square kilometers, an area about one-quarter the size of Canada. Animals from the neighboring biomes kind of spill into this savanna. The Llanos of the Orinoco basin of Venezuela and Columbia is flooded annually by the Orinoco River. Plants have adapted to growing for long periods in standing water. The capybara and marsh deer have adapted themselves to a semi-aquatic life.

Brazil's cerrado is an open woodland of short twisted trees. The diversity of animals is very great here, with several plants and animals that don't exist anywhere else on earth.

There is also a savanna in northern Australia. Eucalyptus trees take the place of acacias in the Australian savanna. There are many species of kangaroos in this savanna but not too much diversity of different animals

Plants of the savannas are highly specialized to grow in this environment of long periods of drought. They have long tap roots that can reach the deep water table, thick bark to resist annual fires, trunks that can store water, and leaves that drop of during the winter to conserve water. The grasses have adaptations that discourage animals from grazing on them; some grasses are too sharp or bitter tasting for some animals, but not others, to eat. The side benefit of this is that every species of animal has something to eat. Different species will also eat different parts of the grass. Many grasses grow from the bottom up, so that the growth tissue doesn't get damaged by grazers. Many plants of the savanna also have storage organs like bulbs and corms for making it though the dry season.

Most of the animals on the savanna have long legs or wings to be able to go on long migrations. Many burrow under ground to avoid the heat or raise their young. The savanna is a perfect place for birds of prey like hawks and buzzards. The wide, open plain provides them with a clear view of their prey, hot air updrafts keep them soaring, and there is the occasional tree to rest on or nest in. Animals don't sweat to lose body heat, so they lose it through panting or through large areas of exposed skin, or ears, like those of the elephant.

The savanna has a large range of highly specialized plants and animals. They all depend on the each other to keep the environment in balance. There are over 40 different species of hoofed mammals that live on the savannas of Africa. Up to 16 different species of browsers (those who eat leaves of trees) and grazers can coexist in one area. They do this by having their own food preferences, browsing/grazing at different heights, time of day or year to use a given area, and different places to go during the dry season.

These different herbivores provide a wide range of food for carnivores, like lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and hyenas. Each species has its own preference, making it possible to live side by side and not be in competition for food.

In many parts of the savannas of Africa people have started using it to graze their cattle and goats. They don't move around and soon the grasses are completely eaten up. With no vegetation, the savanna turns into a desert. Huge areas of savanna are lost to the Sahara desert every year because of overgrazing and farming.

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A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: What do you think of when you hear the word "alpine"? Perhaps mountains or skiing? Well, you are right. Alpine biomes are found in mountain regions worldwide, including the Andes, Alps, and Rocky Mountains. The alpine biome usually lies between an altitude of about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), and the place where the snow line of a mountain begins. Combined, the Alpine and Arctic biomes cover 16% of the earth's surface area.

WEATHER: In the summer average temperatures range from 40 to 60°F (4.5 to 15.5&degC). In the winter the temperatures are well below freezing. Generally, as the altitude increases, the temperature gets colder. Temperatures in the alpine biome are dynamic and can also change from warm to freezing in one day. The winter season lasts from around October to May. The summer season may last from June to September. The alpine biome is fairly dry with an average precipitation of 12 inches (30 cm) each year.

PLANTS: The alpine biome is a tough place for plants to live. It's windy, cold, and the sunlight at these high altitudes is very strong. There are only about 200 species of alpine plants. At the high altitudes where these plants live, there is very little carbon dioxide, which is necessary for plants to carry on photosynthesis. Because of the blustery weather, most plants are small groundcover plants, which grow and reproduce slowly. They protect themselves from the cold and wind by hugging close to the ground. When plants die the cold weather makes it hard for them to decompose quickly. This makes for poor soil conditions. Most alpine plants are adapted to grow in sandy and rocky soil. Plants have also adapted to the dry conditions of the alpine biome. Some of the plants found here are tussock grasses, small-leafed shrubs, and dwarf trees. The bristlecone pine is an amazing plant of the alpine biome. It lives in scattered, arid mountain regions of six western states of America ranging from Colorado to California. Many are found in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California. These trees only grow to about 60 feet (18 meters). That may seem tall, but for its age 60 feet (18 meters) is short! Bristlecone pines can live to be over 4,000 years old. That is almost as old as the Great Sphinx of Ancient Egypt!

ANIMALS: Can you imagine living in a cold, windy place without much shelter? Animals that live in the alpine biome must have special adaptations to survive the cold, snowy conditions. They also have to deal with high UV light exposure from the sun and thin atmosphere. Mostly warm-blooded animals live here, but a few types of insects also make the alpine biome home. Alpine animals adapt to the cold by hibernating, migrating to warmer areas, or insulating their bodies with layers of fat and fur. Their bodies tend to have shorter legs, tails, and ears, in order to reduce heat loss. Alpine animals also have larger lungs, more blood cells, and blood that can deal with the lower levels of oxygen at higher altitudes. Some animals in the alpine biome are mountain goats, sheep, elk, beetles, grasshoppers and butterflies. Which of these animals do you think leaves the alpine biome in the winter?

One interesting alpine animal is the chinchilla. Maybe you've seen one of these small, gray, furry creatures in a nature center or zoo. In the wild, chinchillas live in the Andes alpine regions, but they are not easily found. Chinchillas are herbivores. Their diet in the wild consists of plants, roots, and grasses. As altitude increases, the temperature decreases, so in these regions the chinchilla has even denser fur. Chinchillas used to be hunted for their soft, beautiful fur. People used their pelts to make coats until they became nearly extinct in the 1940s. It takes over 100 pelts to make one chinchilla coat! Now they are on the endangered species list, and protected by law from hunting and people. The snowshoe rabbit and ptarmigan bird are also alpine animals. They are adapted to be less visible when snow covers the ground through camouflage. The showshoe rabbit has brown fur in the summer, but in the winter it turns white. What do you think the ptarmigan does to camouflage? It's like the snowshoe hare! In the summer the ptarmigan has brown feathers and in the winter its feathers are white to hide in the snowy environment.

PEOPLE AND THE ALPINE BIOME: You've probably heard of mount Everest and the Sherpas who help people climb it. The Sherpas are naturally born mountaineers! They live in the Himalayas and are the world's highest living population. They are physically adapted to live in the alpine biome. Sherpas have larger lungs and more hemoglobin in their blood to cope with the increased pressure and lack of oxygen at high altitudes. The Indians of the Andes Mountains in South America have also adapted to living in the alpine biome.
LINKS: Blue Planet Biomes: Alpine GF Awesome: Subalpine Ecosystems
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: What do you think of when you hear the word "alpine"? Perhaps mountains or skiing? Well, you are right. Alpine biomes are found in mountain regions worldwide, including the Andes, Alps, and Rocky Mountains.

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Mountain ecosystem | Ecology, Flora & Fauna

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Mountain ecosystem, complex of living organisms in mountainous areas. Mountain lands provide a scattered but diverse array of habitats in which a large range of plants and animals can be found. At higher altitudes harsh environmental conditions generally prevail, and a treeless alpine vegetation,

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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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Temperate forest | Plants, Animals, & Facts

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Temperate forest, vegetation type with a more or less continuous canopy of broad-leaved trees. They occur between approximately 25 and 50 degrees latitude in both hemispheres. Toward the polar regions they grade into boreal forests dominated by conifers, creating mixed forests of deciduous and conif…

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Temperate Forests

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones. The firstzone is the tree stratum zone. It is the tallest zone and trees here range from 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters) tall. Maple, elm, and oak trees are just some examples of trees found in this zone. The second zone is the small tree and sapling zone. Younger, shorter trees characterize this zone. The shrub zone is the third zone. Shrubs include mountain laurel, huckleberries, and many others. The fourth zone is the herb zone, and contains short herbal plants, like ferns. The Ground zone is the final zone where plants grow directly near the ground. Some plants that grow here are lichens and mosses.

WEATHER: This biome has four changing seasons including winter, spring, summer, and fall. These seasons happen because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. Throughout the year, rays from the sun hit different parts of the world more directly than others, causing varying temperatures, or seasons. If the Earth were not tilted on an axis, temperatures around the globe would always be the same. Temperate deciduous forests also have quite a wet environment. Following rainforests, temperate deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches (75 - 150 cm). This precipitation falls throughout the year, but in the winter it falls as snow. The average temperature in temperate deciduous forests is 50°F (10°C). Summers are mild, and average about 70°F (21°C), while winter temperatures are often well below freezing.

PLANTS: Trees and plants in deciduous forests have special adaptations to survive in this biome. Deciduous trees are trees with leaves rather than pine needles, and they dominate temperate forests. As the seasons change each year, so do the leaves. Each year deciduous trees lose their leaves, and grow them back. In the summer their broad green leaves capture sunlight and help the trees make food through photosynthesis. As temperatures cool in the fall, the chlorophyll (green pigment in leaves) breaks down, causing the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaf colors of fall. In the cold winter, deciduous trees and plants go into dormancy, kind of like sleep. It is too cold for them to protect their leaves from the damage of freezing in the winter, so they simply lse them and seal up the places where the leaves attach to the branch. The warmer spring days signal to the trees that they can grow new leaves again, and restart the cycle.

ANIMALS: Animals in temperate deciduous forests have to adapt to changing seasons. They must be able to cope with cold winters and hot summers. Some animals hibernate or migrate during the winter to escape the cold. Animals who do not hibernate or migrate must have special adaptations to deal with higher exposure to predators in the winter. When leaves fall, there is less cover for animals in this biome to hide from predators.

The black bear is an animal that is well adapted for the temperate deciduous forest biome. It has a heavy coat made of many layers of fur to deal with the winter cold. Black bears have long claws that help them to climb trees.This is an essential adaptation because black bears often live in hollowed trees. Black bears are omnivores, so they eat plants and animals. Most of their diet is composed of plant material, so their long claws are useful to get their food from trees and shrubs. They also hibernate to avoid having to find food in the snowy, frozen winter.

PEOPLE AND THE TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST: Temperate forests are very important to people as they provide enjoyment as well as many resources including food, timber, and oxygen for us to breathe. However, we are also the cause of some major threats to this biome, one of which is acid rain. Acid rain caused by industrial and vehicle emissions damages the leaves of trees, and causes them to produce smaller and fewer seeds. It also reduces the trees' resistance to disease, pests, and frost. Clear cutting of forests is also a threat to this biome. Trees are cut for timber and land cleared for agriculture. Another problem associated with deciduous forests is the introduction of non-native plant and animal species because it upsets the balance of the forest ecosystem. Non-natives may compete for food and habitat space, possibly threatening the native species.

Although these threats may be worrisome, there are many things that you can do to help protect this unique biome. First of all, you can recycle. Trees are used to make the paper for paper bags, newspapers, printer paper, and many more products we use each day. If you recycle used paper, and make the effort to buy recycled paper, you will be reducing the need to cut down more trees. Also be sure to use both sides of the paper that you write on before you recycle it. Use cloth products instead of paper products, like napkins, towels, plates, and cups. These products can be washed and used again, which helps to save trees. Drive less, and carpool when possible. Car exhaust is one of the main contributors to acid rain. Walk or ride your bike to help keep our environment clean. If you are buying furniture, lumber, or any other wood product, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. This label indicates that the trees were grown in a well-managed forest. Learn more about forests. By reading, searching the Internet, and visiting temperate deciduous forests, you can learn lots of cool things about this biome. You can also teach other people about what you have learned. If we want to continue to enjoy temperate deciduous forests, the products that come from them, and protect the unique habitats within them, we must be sure to do our best to take care of this important biome.
GAMES: LINKS: Geography for Kids: Deciduous Forest Blue Planet Biomes: Deciduous Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Ecokids Forests Shades of Green: Earth's Forests
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones.The firstzone is the tree stratum zone.

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World Biomes

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Some Facts about Our planet

Earth is the third planet, and 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km.) from the sun. It is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old.

The planet rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. It makes one full revolution around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.45 seconds. Earth's axis is tilted at a 23.5° angle.

Earth has a total surface area of 196,800,000 square miles. Approximately 57,300,000 square miles, or 29% of the total surface area is land. Water covers approximately 139,500,000 square miles, or 71% of the total surface area.

The highest temperatures on Earth have reached 136° F (58° C) at Al Asisiyah, Libya. Temperatures of - 128° F (-89° C) have been recorded at Vostok station in Antarctica.

The atmosphere is a thin, gaseous layer of air that envelops the planet. Its inner layer is called the troposphere and reaches only 11 miles above sea level. It contains most of the planet's air, which consists of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). The stratosphere, or outer layer, stretches 11-30 miles above sea level and contains ozone (O3). Ozone filters out most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

More than 99% of earth's atmosphere is less than 50 miles (80 km.) high. However, particles of the atmosphere are found 1,000 miles (1,600 km.) in space above the planet's surface.

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Earth is the third planet, and 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km.) from the sun. It is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old. The planet rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. It makes one full revolution around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.45 seconds.

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Rainforest

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Biome is another name for a distinct type of ecosystem. Biomes are characterized by their climate, which determines the particular plants found there. The climate and the plants in a biome determine what animals live there. This article addresses the climate and biodiversity of one of Earth's most diverse and iconic biomes: the tropical rainforest.

The tropical rainforest biome has four main characteristics: very high annual rainfall, high average temperatures, nutrient-poor soil, and high levels of biodiversity (species richness).

Rainfall: The word "rainforest" implies that these are the some of the world's wettest ecosystems. Rainforests generally receive very high rainfall each year, although the exact amount varies among different years and different rainforests. For example, South America's tropical rainforests receive between 200 and 300 centimeters (80 and 120 inches, or 6.5 to 10 feet!) of rain in a typical year. Despite relatively consistent rain in these ecosystems, there are distinct dry seasons in some rainforests. Wet and dry seasons of tropical rainforests vary in their timing, duration and severity around the globe. Tropical rainforests also have high humidity; about 88% during the wet season and approximately 77% in the dry season.

Temperature: Tropical rainforests are found near the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer (23°27'N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23°27'S). The equator receives direct sunlight. This steady flow of radiation produces consistently high temperatures throughout the year. A typical daytime temperature any time of year in tropical rainforests is 29°C (85°F), although temperatures can be much higher. In the majority of tropical rainforests, there is only a 5°C (9°F) difference in temperature between the seasons.

Soil Composition: Since there is a tremendous amount and diversity of foliage in tropical rainforests, you might assume that rainforest soils are rich in nutrients. In fact, rainforest soils are nutrient-poor because nutrients are not stored in them for very long. The heavy rains that occur in rainforests wash organic material from the soil. Although decomposition occurs rapidly in the hot, moist conditions, many of the dead, fallen leaves and other organic detritus are swept away before releasing all of their nutrients. In addition, rainwater seeps into the ground and leaches away nutrients. Nevertheless, the high diversity of decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi accelerates the decomposition process enough that the nutrients released by decomposition are taken up quickly by the plants, instead of being stored in the soil.

Biodiversity: Tropical rainforests are areas of extremely high biodiversity compared to other ecosystems. In the topical rainforests of Borneo, scientists have documented more than 15,000 plant species, including 2,500 species of orchids! Biologists estimate that tropical rainforests contain about 50% of the world's terrestrial plant and animal species, yet they encompass only about 6% of the world's land area.

While tropical rainforests around the world have many similarities in their climates and soil composition, each regional rainforest is unique. You will not find precisely the same species living in all the tropical rainforests around the world. For example, the species in African tropical rainforests are not the same as the species living in the tropical rainforests of Central America. However, the different species play similar roles within their specific regional rainforest.

Flowering plants must be pollinated in order to reproduce. During pollination, pollen is transferred from the male reproductive organs to the female reproductive organs in the flower to form seeds. Many tropical rainforest plants rely on animals as pollinators, and attract them with a combination of flashy color displays, alluring scents, and nutritious pollen rewards. Plants also rely on animals or the wind to help disperse their seeds to new areas. This dispersal expands the distribution of the population. Many plants embed their seeds in tasty fruits. The dispersers might carry the seeds stuck on their fur or feathers, they might carry the fruit away and drop the seeds while eating the fruit, or the seeds might pass through the digestive tract of the disperser after it eats the fruit. The species that carry out these important ecological roles are different in different tropical rainforests. Below are some examples from around the world:

In Costa Rica's tropical rainforest, the kapok tree is pollinated by bats and the seeds are dispersed by wind. In the Amazon Basin, the Brazil nut tree is pollinated by orchid bees and the seeds are dispersed by agoutis, a type of large rodent native to Central and South America. In Madagascar the traveler's palm tree is pollinated by lemurs, which are small primates endemic to the island, and the seeds are dispersed by parrots. In Borneo, fig trees are pollinated by fig wasps, and the seeds are dispersed by orangutans, one of the large, great ape primates.

Images: Howler Monkey - Jason Rothmeyer, Rainforest - Neil Palmer, Orangutan - Tony Hisgett.

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Tropical rainforest biomes (article) | Khan Academy

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Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

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Rainforest

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The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly.

Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group. The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C); average humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year. There is usually a brief season of less rain. In monsoonal areas, there is a real dry season. Almost all rain forests lie near the equator.

Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.

A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world. Scientists have counted about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1-hectare) area in South America. Seventy percent of the plants in the rainforest are trees.

About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare comes from a tropical vine, and is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles during surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. A person with lymphocytic leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer.

All tropical rain forests resemble one another in some ways. Many of the trees have straight trunks that don't branch out for 100 feet or more. There is no sense in growing branches below the canopy where there is little light. The majority of the trees have smooth, thin bark because there is no need to protect the them from water loss and freezing temperatures. It also makes it difficult for epiphytes and plant parasites to get a hold on the trunks. The bark of different species is so similar that it is difficult to identify a tree by its bark. Many trees can only be identified by their flowers.

Despite these differences, each of the three largest rainforests--the American, the African, and the Asian--has a different group of animal and plant species. Each rain forest has many species of monkeys, all of which differ from the species of the other two rain forests. In addition, different areas of the same rain forest may have different species. Many kinds of trees that grow in the mountains of the Amazon rain forest do not grow in the lowlands of that same forest.
Layers of the Rainforest
There are four very distinct layers of trees in a tropical rain forest. These layers have been identified as the emergent, upper canopy, understory, and forest floor.

Emergent trees are spaced wide apart, and are 100 to 240 feet tall with umbrella-shaped canopies that grow above the forest. Because emergent trees are exposed to drying winds, they tend to have small, pointed leaves. Some species lose their leaves during the brief dry season in monsoon rainforests. These giant trees have straight, smooth trunks with few branches. Their root system is very shallow, and to support their size they grow buttresses that can spread out to a distance of 30 feet.

The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees allows light to be easily available at the top of this layer, but greatly reduced any light below it. Most of the rainforest's animals live in the upper canopy. There is so much food available at this level that some animals never go down to the forest floor. The leaves have "drip spouts" that allows rain to run off. This keeps them dry and prevents mold and mildew from forming in the humid environment.

The understory, or lower canopy, consists of 60 foot trees. This layer is made up of the trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants and small trees. There is little air movement. As a result the humidity is constantly high. This level is in constant shade.

The forest floor is usually completely shaded, except where a canopy tree has fallen and created an opening. Most areas of the forest floor receive so little light that few bushes or herbs can grow there. As a result, a person can easily walk through most parts of a tropical rain forest. Less than 1 % of the light that strikes the top of the forest penetrates to the forest floor. The top soil is very thin and of poor quality. A lot of litter falls to the ground where it is quickly broken down by decomposers like termites, earthworms and fungi. The heat and humidity further help to break down the litter. This organic matter is then just as quickly absorbed by the trees' shallow roots.

Plant Life
Besides these four layers, a shrub/sapling layer receives about 3 % of the light that filters in through the canopies. These stunted trees are capable of a sudden growth surge when a gap in the canopy opens above them.

The air beneath the lower canopy is almost always humid. The trees themselves give off water through the pores (stomata) of their leaves. This process, called transpiration, can account for as much as half of the precipitation in the rain forest.

Rainforest plants have made many adaptations to their environment. With over 80 inches of rain per year, plants have made adaptations that helps them shed water off their leaves quickly so the branches don't get weighed down and break. Many plants have drip tips and grooved leaves, and some leaves have oily coatings to shed water. To absorb as much sunlight as possible on the dark understory, leaves are very large. Some trees have leaf stalks that turn with the movement of the sun so they always absorb the maximum amount of light. Leaves in the upper canopy are dark green, small and leathery to reduce water loss in the strong sunlight. Some trees will grow large leaves at the lower canopy level and small leaves in the upper canopy. Other plants grow in the upper canopy on larger trees to get sunlight. These are the epiphytes such as orchids and bromeliads. Many trees have buttress and stilt roots for extra support in the shallow, wet soil of the rainforests.

Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Lianas start off as small shrubs that grow on the forest floor. To reach the sunlight in the upper canopy it sends out tendrils to grab sapling trees. The liana and the tree grow towards the canopy together. The vines grow from one tree to another and make up 40% of the canopy leaves. The rattan vine has spikes on the underside of its leaves that point backwards to grab onto sapling trees. Other "strangler" vines will use trees as support and grow thicker and thicker as they reach the canopy, strangling its host tree. They look like trees whose centers have been hollowed out.

Dominant species do not exist in tropical rainforests. Lowland dipterocarp forest can consist of many different species of Dipterocarpaceae, but not all of the same species. Trees of the same species are very seldom found growing close together. This bio diversity and separation of the species prevents mass contamination and die-off from disease or insect infestation. Bio diversity also insures that there will be enough pollinators to take care of each species' needs. Animals depend on the staggered blooming and fruiting of rainforest plants to supply them with a year-round source of food.
Animal Life
Many species of animal life can be found in the rain forest. Common characteristics found among mammals and birds (and reptiles and amphibians, too) include adaptations to a life in the trees, such as the prehensile tails of New World monkeys. Other characteristics are bright colors and sharp patterns, loud vocalizations, and diets heavy on fruits.

Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in tropical forests. They include brightly colored butterflies, mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and huge colonies of ants.

The Amazon river basin rainforest contains a wider variety of plant and animal life than any other biome in the world. The second largest population of plant and animal life can be found in scattered locations and islands of Southeast Asia. The lowest variety can be found in Africa. There may be 40 to 100 different species in 2.5 acres ( 1 hectare) of a tropical rain forest.

When early explorers first discovered the rainforests of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America, they They were amazed by the dense growth, trees with giant buttresses, vines and epiphytes . The tropical vegetation grew so dense that it was difficult to cut one's way through it. It was thought at the time that the soil of a rainforest must be very fertile, filled with nutrients, enabling it to support the immense trees and other vegetation they found.

Today we know that the soil of the tropical rainforests is shallow, very poor in nutrients and almost without soluble minerals. Thousands of years of heavy rains have washed away the nutrients in the soil obtained from weathered rocks. The rainforest has a very short nutrient cycle. Nutrients generally stay in an ecosystem by being recycled and in a rainforest are mainly found in the living plants and the layers of decomposing leaf litter. Various species of decomposers like insects, bacteria, and fungi make quick work of turning dead plant and animal matter into nutrients. Plants take up these nutrients the moment they are released.

A study in the Amazon rainforest found that 99% of nutrients are held in root mats. When a rainforest is burned or cut down the nutrients are removed from the ecosystem. The soil can only be used for a very short time before it becomes completely depleted of all nutrients.
Where the Rainforests Are Found
The tropical rain forest can be found in three major geographical areas around the world.

Central America in the Amazon river basin.

Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern Madagascar.

Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

Rainforests
In an average year the climate in a tropical rain forest is very humid because of all the rainfall. A tropical rainforest gets about 150 cm of rain per year. It gets lots of rain because it is very hot and wet in rain forests. The hotter the air, the more water vapor it can hold. It rains usually about 1/8 of an inch per day.

This climate is found near the equator. That means that there is more direct sunlight hitting the land and sea there than anywhere else. The sun warms the land and sea and the water evaporates into the air. The warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. As the air rises, it cools. That means it can hold less water vapor. Then as warm meets cold, condensation takes place and the vapor forms droplets and clouds form. The clouds then produce rain. It rains more than ninety days a year and the strong sun usually shines between the storms. The water cycle repeats often along the equator.

The main plants in this biome are trees. This is important because in the rain forest, some rain never gets past the trees and to the smaller plants and ground below. Trees in this climate reach a height of more than 164 feet. They form a canopy. The forest floor is called understory. The canopy also keeps sunlight from reaching the plants in the understory. Between the canopy and understory is a lower canopy made up of smaller trees. These plants do receive some filtered sunlight.

The tropical rain forest is classified under the Köppen Classification system as Af, meaning tropical forest. The A is given to tropical climates that are moist for all months and which have average temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. The f stands for sufficient precipitation for all months. The latitude range for my climate is 15° to 25° North and South of the equator.

The annual precipitation of a rain forest is greater than 150 cm. In a rain forest there is a short dry season. In only a month the rainforest receives 4 inches of rain. The rain forest climate is different from a lot of other climates. In other climates, the evaporation is carried away to fall as rain in far off areas, but in the rain forests, 50 percent of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation. A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never reaches the ground, instead it stays on the trees because the leaves act as a shield.

The average temperature of a rain forest is about 77° Fahrenheit. The rain forest is about the same temperature year round. The temperature never drops below 64° Fahrenheit. Rain forests are so hot because they are found near the equator. The closer to the equator you are, the more solar radiation there is. The more solar radiation there is, the hotter it is. Rain forest are never found in climates which have temperatures 32° Fahrenheit and below because the plant life will not be able to live in the frost. All the plants will die out if the rain forest is cooler.

The plants that make up the understory of a rain forest have adapted to the small amount of sunlight that they receive. Ferns and mosses do well, along with epiphytes. These are plants that grow on other plants. They can be found growing on branches of tall trees. There are many different plant species found in the rain forest.

by Michael G. 2001
Bibliography:
"Introduction", http://www.hqlist.demon.nl/gvg/ctkoppen.htm (Nov 2000)

"Köppen Biomes", http://www.tesarta.com/www/resources/library/biomes.html (Dec 2000)

"Rainfall", http://encarta.msn.com/find/print.asp?&pg=8&ti=00531000&sc=29&pt=1 (Dec.2000)

"Temperature", http://encarta.msn.com/find/print.asp?&pg=8&ti=00531000&sc=29&pt=1 (Dec.2000)

Allaby, Michael, Biomes of the world volume 7 Oxford: Anndromedia Limited1999

Kellert, Stephen R. Macmillion Encyclopedia of the Environment. Simon and Schuster and Prentice Hall International. 1997

"Rainforest Climate", http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/GEOsystem/Rainforests/climate.html (March 2001)

Stralhler, Arthur N. Strahler, Alan H. Elements of Physical Geography . John Wiley & Sons. 1997.

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The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly. Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group.

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Tundra

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tundra, a major zone of treeless level or rolling ground found in cold regions, mostly north of the Arctic Circle ( Arctic tundra) or above the timberline on high mountains (alpine tundra). Tundra is known for large stretches of bare ground and rock and for patchy mantles of low vegetation such as mosses, lichens, herbs, and small shrubs. This surface supports a meagre but unique variety of animals. The Finns called their treeless northern reaches the tunturi, but the concept of a vast frozen plain as a special ecological realm called tundra was developed by the Russians.

One constant factor shaping the tundra is alternate freezing and thawing of the ground. Along with the factors mentioned above, this freeze-thaw cycle sets the tundra apart from two ecosystems frequently found adjacent to it-the icy polar barrens on the one hand and the evergreen taiga on the other. Permafrost -perennially frozen ground-is a significant feature of the Arctic tundra; however, it does not typically occur in alpine regions.

Distribution

The global extent of the tundra biome is considerable, accounting for roughly 10 percent of Earth's surface. The southern limit of Arctic tundra follows the northern edge of the coniferous forest belt. In North America this line lies above latitude 60° N, while in Eurasia most of it occurs north of 70° N-except in eastern Siberia, where it extends southward to 60° N in Kamchatka. The northward bulge of forest in Eurasia is a result of the warmer summers that occur over that large contiguous landmass.

Alpine tundra covers approximately 3 percent of Earth's land surface, and it is mostly found in the Northern Hemisphere. This habitat can be found in mountainous areas worldwide, occurring at high elevations where temperatures are too low and winds are too strong for the growth of trees. The average elevation where alpine tundra occurs is generally higher near the Equator than at the poles.

Because nearly all of Antarctica is covered with ice, it lacks a well-developed tundra, though lichens, mosses, and at least three species of flowering plants occur in more favourable habitats there.

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Tundra | Definition, Climate, Animals, & Facts

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Tundra, a cold region of treeless level or rolling ground found mostly north of the Arctic Circle or above the timberline on mountains. Tundra is known for large stretches of bare ground and rock and for patchy mantles of low vegetation such as mosses, lichens, herbs, and small shrubs.

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Tundra

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Did you know that the Arctic Tundra is the world's youngest biome? It was formed 10,000 years ago. Located at latitudes 55° to 70° North, the tundra is a vast and treeless land which covers about 20% of the Earth's surface, circumnavigating the North pole. It is usually very cold, and the land is pretty stark. Almost all tundras are located in the Northern Hemisphere. Small tundra-like areas do exist in Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere, but because it is much colder than the Arctic, the ground is always covered with snow and ice. Conditions are not right for a true tundra to form. Average annual temperatures are -70°F (-56°C).

Tundra comes from the Finnish word "tunturia", which means a barren land. The ground is permanently frozen 10 inches to 3 feet (25 to 100 cm) down so that trees can't grow there. The bare and sometimes rocky ground can only support low growing plants like mosses, heaths, and lichen. In the winter it is cold and dark and in the summer, when the snow and the top layer of permafrost melt, it is very soggy and the tundra is covered with marshes, lakes, bogs and streams that breed thousands of insects and attract many migrating birds.

The main seasons are winter and summer. Spring and fall are only short periods between winter and summer. The tundra is the world's coldest and driest biomes. The average annual temperature is -18° F (-28° C). Nights can last for weeks when the sun barely rises during some months in the winter, and the temperature can drop to -94° F (-70° C). During the summer the sun shines almost 24 hours a day, which is why the Arctic is also called the Land of the Midnight Sun. Summer are usually warm. Temperatures can get up to 54° F (12° C), but it can get as cold as 37° F (3° C). Average summer temperatures range from 37° to 60°F (3° to 16°C).

The Arctic tundra is also a windy place and winds can blow between 30 to 60 miles (48 to 97 kilometers) per hour. Of the North American, Scandinavian and Russian tundras, the Scandinavian tundra is the warmest, with winter temperatures averaging 18°F (-8°C)

The tundra is basically like a desert when it comes to precipitation. Only about 6 - 10 inches of precipitation (mostly snow) fall each year. Below the soil is the tundra's permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of earth. During the short summers the top layer of soil may thaw just long enough to let plants grow and reproduce. Since it can't sink into the ground, water from melting permafrost and snow forms lakes and marshes each summer.

There is barely any vegetation in the tundra, only about 1,700 different species, which isn't very much. These are mostly shrubs, sedges, mosses, lichens and grasses. There are about 400 varieties of flowers. The growing season is only about 50 to 60 days long. There are no trees, except for some birches in the lower latitudes. The ground is always frozen beneath the top layer of soil, so trees can't send their roots down. Willows do grow on some parts of the tundra but only as low carpets about 3 inches (8 cm) high. Most plants grow in a dense mat of roots which has developed over thousands of years. The soil is very low in nutrients and minerals, except where animal droppings fertilize the soil.

Surprisingly there are animals in the tundra. Although there isn't a lot of biodiversity, only 48 species of land mammals are found on the tundra, there are a lot of each species. These consist of slightly modified shrews, hares, rodents, wolves, foxes, bears and deer. There are huge herds of caribou in North America (known as reindeer in Eurasia) which feed on lichens and plants. There are also smaller herds of musk-oxen. Wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes, and polar bears are the predators of the tundra. Smaller mammals are snowshoe rabbits and lemmings. There aren't many different species of insects in the tundra, but black flies, deer flies, mosquitoes and "no-see-ums" (tiny biting midges) can make the tundra a miserable place to be in the summer. Mosquitoes can keep themselves from freezing by replacing the water in their bodies with a chemical called glycerol. It works like an antifreeze and allows them to survive under the snow during the winter. The marshy tundra is a great place for migratory birds like the harlequin duck, sandpipers and plovers.

The tundra is one of Earth's three major carbon dioxide sinks. A carbon dioxide sink is a biomass which takes in more carbon dioxide than it releases. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. During the short summer tundra's plants take in carbon dioxide, sunlight and water in the process of photosynthesis. Plants normally give off carbon dioxide after they die and decompose. But because of the short, cool summer and freezing winter temperatures, plants can't decompose. Remains of plants thousands of years old have been found in the tundra permafrost. In this way the tundra traps the carbon dioxide and removes it from the atmosphere. Today global warming is melting the permafrost of the tundra and every year several feet of tundra are lost. As the tundra melts, the plant mass decomposes and returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

The tundra is a very fragile environment. The extremely cold temperatures makes it a difficult environment to survive in during the winter, and plants and animals have a hard time coping with any extra stresses and disturbances. More people moving to the tundra to work in the mines and oil rigs have created towns and more roads. Some animal's movements to traditional feeding and denning grounds have been disrupted by these obstacles. When they try to pass through a town they are often scared away or shot. With their feeding patterns disrupted, many polar bears have starved. The Alaskan oil pipeline was built across a caribou migration route. In some places the pipeline has been raised above the ground so the caribou can pass under it. Pesticides have been used to control the hordes of insects. Thousands of migrating birds come to the tundra because of the abundant insects. Through the food chain the pesticides reach many of the animals that live on the tundra.

Pollution from mining and drilling for oil has polluted the air, lakes and rivers. The land around some nickel mines in Russia has become so polluted that the plants in the surrounding area have died. Footprints and tire tracks can be visible for many years after they were made. When the sun hits the ruts it causes the permafrost to melt. This causes erosion and the ruts get bigger, and eventually the ruts turn into gullies. Tracks made during WW II have grown so large that some of them are now lakes.

The tundra is not a cold and useless wasteland. It is a very fragile environment and the plants and animals that have made their home on the tundra biome have made some incredible adaptations to the long, cold winters and the short but abundant summers. They live on a precarious edge and the smallest stresses can bring about their destruction.

by Whitney S. 2002

Bibliography:

Kaplan, E. (1996). Biomes of the World: Tundra. Hong Kong: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.

"Encyclopedia.com - Results for tundra", http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/13116.html, (June 2000)

"The World's Biomes: Tundra", http://www.latymer-upper.org/geog/sixth/tundra%20the%20not%20do%20barren%20land.htm, (July 2000).

Photo Credit: "Interface", http://www.nsbsd.k12.ak.us/PROJECTS/arctic_year/anaktuvuk/interface.htm, (July 2000).
*Check out this website for great info on life on the tundra and the people who live there!

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Did you know that the Arctic Tundra is the world's youngest biome? It was formed 10,000 years ago. Located at latitudes 55° to 70° North, the tundra is a vast and treeless land which covers about 20% of the Earth's surface, circumnavigating the North pole.

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Kids learn about the world's biomes and ecosystems. The network of life and biodiversity needed for all to survive.

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Marine

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Biomes

There are two major aquatic or water biomes, the marine biome and the freshwater biome. The marine biome is primarily made up of the saltwater oceans. It is the largest biome on planet Earth and covers around 70% of the Earth's surface. Go here to learn more about the world's different oceans.

Types of Marine Biomes

Although the marine biome is primarily made up of the oceans, it can be divided up into three types:

Oceans - These are the five major oceans that cover the world including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans.

Coral reefs - Coral reefs are small in size when compared to the oceans, but around 25% of marine species live in the coral reefs making them an important biome. Go here to learn more about the coral reef biome.

Estuaries - Estuaries are areas where rivers and streams flow into the ocean. This area where freshwater and saltwater meets, creates an ecosystem or biome all its own with interesting and diverse plant and animal life.

Ocean Light Zones
The ocean can be divided up into three layers or zones. These layers are called light zones because they are based on how much sunlight each area receives.

Sunlit or euphotic zone - This is the top layer of the ocean and it gets the most sunlight. The depth varies, but averages around 600 feet deep. The sunlight provides energy to the ocean organisms through photosynthesis. It feeds plants as well as small little organisms called plankton. Plankton are very important in the ocean because they provide the food basis for much of the rest of ocean life. As a result, around 90% of ocean life lives in the sunlit zone.

Twilight or disphotic zone - The twilight zone is the middle zone in the ocean. It runs from about 600 feet deep to around 3,000 feet deep depending on how murky the water is. There is too little sunlight for plants to live here. Animals that live here have adapted to living with little light. Some of these animals can produce their own light through a chemical reaction called bioluminescence.

Midnight or aphotic zone - Below 3,000 or so is the midnight zone. There is no light here, it is completely dark. The water pressure is extremely high and it is very cold. Only a few animals have adapted to live in these extreme conditions. They live off of bacteria that get their energy from cracks in the Earth at the bottom of the ocean. Around 90% of the ocean is in this zone.

Animals of the Marine Biome
The marine biome has the most biodiversity of all the biomes. Many of the animals, such as fish, have gills that allow them to breathe the water. Other animals are mammals that need to come to surface to breathe, but spend much of their lives in the water. Another type of marine animal is the mollusk which has a soft body and no backbone.

Here are just a few of the animals that you will find in the marine biome:

Fish - Sharks, swordfish, tuna, clown fish, grouper, stingray, flatfish, eels, rockfish, seahorse, sunfish mola, and gars.

Marine mammals - Blue whales, seals, walruses, dolphins, manatees, and otters.

Mollusks - Octopus, cuttlefish, clams, conch, squids, oysters, slugs, and snails.

Great White Shark

Plants of the Marine Biome

There are thousands of species of plants that live in the ocean. They rely on photosynthesis from the sun for energy. Plants in the ocean are extremely important to all life on planet earth. Algae in the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and provides much of the Earth's oxygen. Examples of algae include kelp and phytoplankton. Other ocean plants are seaweeds, sea grasses, and mangroves.

Facts About the Marine Biome

Over 90% of the life on Earth lives in the ocean.

The average depth of the ocean is 12,400 feet.

Around 90% of all volcanic activity takes place in the world's oceans.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest point in the ocean at 36,000 feet deep.

The largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, lives in the ocean.

Humans get most of their protein by eating fish from the ocean.

The average temperature of the ocean is around 39 degrees F.

Activities
Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.
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Kids learn about the marine biome. The largest biome by far, the oceans cover most of the Earth's surface.

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Marine

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The marine biome is the largest biome in the world. It takes up a whopping 70% of the Earth and accounts for 90% of the world's water supply. This biome boasts of more than 230 distinct species. Marine biome is characterized by salty waters that have a lot of biodiversity making up numerous complex ecosystems. The marine biome is prestigious due to it's a biotic factors. The absence of a biotic factors means oceans would be lifeless. The sun is essential to this biome as it provides the sunlight needed for algae and phytoplankton, which are the cornerstone of the ocean's food chain. Water depth and water temperature significantly affect the life that exists in this biome.

Marine biome is a division of aquatic biome, which also consists of freshwater biome. It is a unique collection of underwater ecosystems, which supports a wide range of animals, plants, and conditions. Marine biome is, essentially, an oceanic ecosystem.

Location

Marine biome is found in 5 main oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic and the Southern ocean.

Marine biome experiences an average temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The ocean biome is naturally colder at the South Pole, but as you approach the equator, it becomes warmer because the sun rays strike the water surface directly. Marine species are continually impacted by any change in climatic condition. The oceans are frequently disturbed by oceans waves and currents. This phenomenon causes typhoons and hurricanes, which may not have any impact on many marine species.

However, species like fish, polar bear, Plankton, seals, sea lions, walruses, seabirds, and penguins are often impacted by the typhoons and hurricanes. Some species have mastered to adapt to these seasonal disasters; they migrate to safer places when disaster strikes or when it's about to strike. The high temperature is another aspect that impacts species in the marine biome. High temperatures have contributed to lots of marine death. The high temperatures cause coral bleaching, which has since resulted in 70% of marine death throughout the world.

The soil in this biome is constantly wet because of the water. Marine biome consists of water life, which makes the soil always wet.

There are two major kinds of plants here; the sea grasses and the algae and seaweeds. Seaweeds fall into the family of the most sophisticated plants. Algae and seaweeds manifest simple forms and are typically microscopic. Plants in the marine biome vary from minute single-celled organisms to large, complex forms. Marine plants naturally grow near the surface of the water to harness the sunlight for photosynthesis. They also collect nutrients from particles washed up from the seafloor by currents. Some plants thrive deep into the ocean where there is no sunlight. These plants, called phosphorescent, produce chemical lights.

Kinds of Marine Plants
Phytoplankton
The smallest plants thriving in the marine biome are phytoplankton. They are single-celled plants and are the cornerstone of the marine food chain.
Green algae (Chlorophyta)
Green algae represent the most popular marine plant. Chlorophyll content gives these plants their characteristic bright green color. When these plant species leave calcify, they contribute to the layers on the ocean floor. Statistically, 200,000 algae species exist in marine biomes despite the fact that just 36,000 have been found.
Red algae (Rhodophyta)
Red algae are the largest and most diverse plant species in the marine biome. They owe their color to the pigment phycoerythrin. Some even stick themselves to corals and create reefs eventually. Both red and green algae species favor cold and warm water. Brown algae, on the other hand, also known as Phaeophyta due to fucoxanthin pigmentation, favor cold or temperate water. A few brown algae species exist in the tropics.

Brown algae are the most popular plant species on reefs. Cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria, previous referred to as blue-green algae, are chiefly microscopic strands. These microscopic strands convert nitrogen derived from the atmosphere into forms that are able to be used by other marine plants.

Marine biome plants typically live in various habitats throughout the world, including open seas, salt marshes or near shores. For example, the Giant Kelp (seaweed mostly found in the South Pacific) grows in colonies in the warm coastal waters. On the contrary, sea ice algae, grows on floating ice sheets.

Marine biome plants have various roles. Marine biome plants, mainly, sea grasses and macro algae, offer shelter and nourishment for many animals. Marine plants help corals to build up reefs. The reefs are then held intact by plants like coralline algae. Algae typically live inside certain marine animals. Coral tissues are home to millions of algae per square inch. Marine plants are the sources of nutrients for the corals.

Algae can also be found in panels inside gigantic clams, in flatworms and sponges. Marine plants also play a significant role in kelp bed forests; they serve as habitats and food for the wide range of animals like eels, octopi, and seals.

Marine biome is home to a wide variety of animals. The animals obtain food from plants and small animals within this biome. The same plants provide animals with shelter. Some broad categories of animals that live in the marine biome include fish, whales, crustaceans, mollusks, sea anemones, fungi, and bacteria.
Tiger Shark
Feed on fish, marine mammals, seabirds, crustaceans and mollusks. They live near coastlines in the tropical and subtropical waters. Tiger Sharks have sharp teeth to devour their prey.
Grey Whale
Their main source of food is small crustacean-like amphipods and tubeworms. They mainly live in shallow waters of the North Pacific Ocean. Grey Whales have long streamlined bodies to effortlessly glide through the water.
Starfish
Feeds on oysters, plankton, and clams. It's mainly found in Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans. It has a calcareous skin for regeneration and protection.
Sea Horse
Sea Horse feeds on shrimps. It lives in coral reefs and seagrass beds in tropical waters. Sea Horse has mobile eyes that can see without moving. The male carries fertilized eggs, contrary to the belief that the female is supposed to carry the egg.

Other animals types in the marine biome include black tip reef shark, blue tang, manatees, dugongs, convict tang, box crab just to name a few.

Types of Marine Biomes

There are three types of marine biomes:

Oceans are the largest types of marine biomes with a huge array of organisms. They bond with the land habitat through the inter-tidal zone (where tides rise and fall). Nevertheless, the land and ocean work hand-in-hand to transport heat and water throughout the earth.

Coral reefs are underwater limestone structures generated by minute invertebrate animal species known as corals. Coral reefs only develop in shallow, Tropical Ocean. These animals secrete limestone (calcium carbonate) to develop an external skeleton. They usually live in groups, and the skeletal material continues to develop to form a reef. Coral reefs are home to numerous marine biome organisms, as well as over 4,000 tropical fish species.

Estuaries are, basically, bays where rivers empty into oceans. They are typically semi-enclosed, which makes them protected areas. The surrounding waters are nutrient-packed coming from the rivers, and they are shallow enough to allow penetration of sunlight to aid photosynthesis. Due to this aspect, estuaries are brimming with marine life.

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Marine Biome: Location, Climate, Plants, Animals and Types of Marine Biomes | Earth Eclipse

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The marine biome is the largest biome in the world. It takes up a whopping 70% of the Earth and accounts for 90% of the world's water supply. This biome boasts of more than 230 distinct species.

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Grasslands

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Grasslands are common on every continent but Antarctica, yet they're far from predictable.

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Grasslands

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Grassland biomes can be found in the middle latitudes, in the interiors of continents. They can have either moist continental climates or dry subtropical climates. In Argentina, South America, the grasslands are known as pampas. The climate there is humid and moist.

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Desert

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Deserts are some of the most widespread yet unexplored biomes. They cover about 1/3 of the earth's surface and are found in 60 of the world's nations. The largest hot desert biome (the subtropical Sahara) stretches over 3.5 million square miles or 9 million square kilometers. However, the Antarctica, which is a polar desert, is the largest desert overall. Many people assume that deserts cannot support any form of life, but they actually harbor about 4,000 different plants and animal species. Since desert biomes receive little precipitation per year, the conditions are very hostile for plants and animals.

A desert biome is a collection of habitats that that develop in arid (dry) environments as a result of little rainfall (50cms per year) or no rainfall at all. Desert biomes are classified into four, with each having their own unique features, but have great similarity regarding living and nonliving composition. They include hot and dry deserts, semi-arid deserts, coastal deserts and cold deserts. In the midst of these 4 desserts exists numerous deserts in many areas across the globe.

Climate

Due to the availability of little moisture in the air to capture and hold on to the heat emanating from the high temperatures during the day, desert nights are typically cold. A combination of extreme temperature fluctuations and incredibly low levels of water makes the desert biome a very harsh land mass to live in.

Temperatures are so extreme during the day because there is very little moisture in the atmosphere to block out the sun's rays. This means that the sun's energy is absorbed on the ground surface. The ground surface then heats up the surrounding air.

When night falls, the exact opposite happens. The heated ground, plus the hot air, radiates the heat absorbed during the day back to the atmosphere, triggering rapid drop in temperatures. Temperatures at night can plummet to zero degrees Celsius.

Precipitation

Precipitation in hot and dry deserts is a lot different from precipitation in cold deserts. Hot and cold deserts typically receive very little rainfall, an average of 15 cm per year. Cold deserts, on the other hand, experience a lot of snow and receive rain in spring, an average of 15-26 cm, to be exact.

Location

Most deserts occur far away from the coasts, in locations where moisture emanating from the oceans and seas hardly reaches. However, some deserts are situated on the west coast of some continents like the Atacama in Chile and Namibia in Africa, culminating in coastal fog deserts whose aridity is caused by cold ocean currents.

The desert biomes of the world are located in six biogeographic domains including:
The Australian deserts
The Australian deserts consist of a collection of lowlands arid eco-regions in the heartland of Australia. They are hardly inhabited, and their average population density is lower than one person per square kilometer. Of all the deserts in the world, Australian deserts have the lowest human population, by far.
Afrotropic deserts
These desert biomes are located in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the southern fringe of the Arabian Peninsula. The biome receives a lot of pressure from humans, particularly in Madagascar and the horn of Africa.
The Indo-Malay region
The Indo-Malay region consists of 2 hot lowlands including the Indus Valley and the Thar. These deserts top the world deserts regarding human footprint.
The Neotropic deserts
Those located in South America cover an area of about 684, 000 million square miles. However, only 6 percent of this total area is protected.
The Nearctic deserts
These deserts cover an estimated area of 1.04 million square miles in North America. Due to the expansion of urban corporations like Phoenix in the U.S., their average population is relatively high.
Palearctic domain
This domain concentrates the largest range of desserts in the entire world, covering an area of a staggering 9.9 million square miles. That's, essentially, 63% of all deserts in the world. These deserts are famous for their extreme dryness and sheer inaccessibility. The Sahara desert in Africa covers an area of about 9.9 square miles or approximately 10% of the African continent. On the flip side, the deserts located in the Central area are characterized by folded mountains, high landscape heterogeneity, as well as enclosed basins.

Seasons

Seasonal climate varies considerably in desert biomes. In the summer months, temperature ranges between 30 to 49 degrees Celsius. Little or zero precipitation occurs in the summer. Also, the rate of evaporation typically overtakes precipitation.

In the winter months, temperatures range between 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. A lot of the precipitation takes place during these summer months.

Plants

When we talk about a desert biome, sand, heat or Gila monsters springs to the mind. When the topic of desert biome plants comes up, Cactus is the plant that comes first in mind, since it's the most memorable feature of a desert. The very little rainfall experienced in desert biomes, as well as extreme daily temperature fluctuations, makes life difficult for plants. In spite of these challenges, a wide range of plants grows in this biome. The most common plants that thrive in desert biomes include Cacti, small shrubs, succulents, and grasses.

To thrive in these harsh climatic conditions, desert plants have developed unique adaptations. Common adaptations include water storage in stems and leaves, waxy coverings on leaves, shedding leaves, all to minimize water loss. Some have developed long taps roots to be able to reach water tables. Others become dormant until the rains return.

The cactus plant, particularly, has adapted well to the harsh climatic conditions of desert biomes such that it's able to grow up to 20 feet or more and liver for over 200 years. The Giant Saguaro cactus, in particular, has managed to thrive in this harsh biome due to shallow roots, which enables it to soak up rain and dew before it evaporates. It also features a spongy interior, which has the ability to expand and hold a lot of water. Another adaptation of the cactus is that it grows slowly to save energy.

The Mugma Tree is another plant adapted to live in desert biomes. It consists of small leaves that uniquely grow upwards and act as funnel when it rains. The funnel-like leaves direct the rain water to the base of the tree, where it's soaked up by shallow roots. Generally, this adaptation guarantees that the tree will get a lot of water when rain falls. Other plants of the desert biome include Brittle Bush, Desert Ironwood, Chainfruit Cholla, Joshua Tree, Palo Verde, Jumping Cholla, Ocotillo, Pancake Prickly Pear Cactus, Soaptree Yucca and Mojave Aster.

Animals

In spite of the harsh climatic conditions in the desert biome, many animals live here. These animals have developed unique adaptations to help them keep cool and use less water. For example, a recognizable desert animal like the Camel can get by for days without food and water due to the fat stored in its hump. It also has thick fur and underwool to protect it from the harshest of winter. Its nostrils are able to be closed to keep out blowing sand.

A camel has two rows of eyelashes to shield it eyes from the sun and blowing winds and broad hooves to prevent it from sinking in the sand. Foxes survive here due to their burrowing and nocturnal lifestyles. This burrowing ensures they escape the intense heat during the day. They also have large ears to aid in the dissipation of excess body heat during hot days. Their thick, sandy fur helps protect them from the cold nights in the desert. The thick, sandy fur also helps reflect heat and for camouflage.

Animals in desert biomes have also developed adaptations such as panting to minimize heat, seasonal migration, and long periods of dormancy that lasts until triggered by moisture and temperature conditions. Other animals in the desert biome include Bobcats, Coyotes, Javelina, Desert Tortoise, Cactus Wren, Desert Kangaroo Rat, Sonoran Desert Toad, Thorny Devil, Desert Bighorn Ship, Armadillo Lizard, Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope, and so on.

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Desert Biome: Climate, Precipitation, Location, Seasons, Plants, Animals | Earth Eclipse

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A desert biome is a collection of habitats that that develop in arid (dry) environments as a result of little rainfall or no rainfall at all. Desert biomes are classified into four, with each having their own unique features, but have great similarity regarding living and nonliving composition.

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Desert

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In this report you will learn about Hot and Dry Deserts and Cold Deserts. I hope you enjoy!

A Hot and Dry Desert is, as you can tell from the name, hot and dry. Most Hot and Dry Deserts don't have very many plants. They do have some low down plants though. The only animals they have that can survive have the ability to burrow under ground. This is because they would not be able to live in the hot sun and heat. They only come out in the night when it is a little cooler.

A cold desert is a desert that has snow in the winter instead of just dropping a few degrees in temperature like they would in a Hot and Dry Desert. It never gets warm enough for plants to grow. Just maybe a few grasses and mosses. The animals in Cold Deserts also have to burrow but in this case to keep warm, not cool. That is why you might find some of the same animals here as you would in the Hot and Dry Deserts.

Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth's land surface. Most Hot and Dry Deserts are near the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn. Cold Deserts are near the Arctic part of the world.

Hot and Dry Deserts temperature ranges from 20 to 25° C. The extreme maximum temperature for Hot Desert ranges from 43.5 to 49° C. Cold Deserts temperature in winter ranges from -2 to 4° C and in the summer 21 to 26° C a year

The precipitation in Hot and Dry Deserts and the precipitation in Cold Deserts is different. Hot and Dry Deserts usually have very little rainfall and/or concentrated rainfall in short periods between long rainless periods. This averages out to under 15 cm a year. Cold Deserts usually have lots of snow. They also have rain around spring. This averages out to 15 - 26 cm a year.

Hot and Dry Deserts are warm throughout the fall and spring seasons and very hot during the summer. the winters usually have very little if any rainfall. Cold Deserts have quite a bit of snow during winter. The summer and the beginning of the spring are barely warm enough for a few lichens, grasses and mosses to grow.

Hot and Dry Deserts vegetation is very rare. Plants are almost all ground-hugging shrubs and short woody trees. All of the leaves are replete (packed with nutrients). Some examples of these kinds of plant are Turpentine Bush, Prickly Pears, and Brittle Bush. For all of these plants to survive they have to have adaptations. Some of the adaptations in this case are the ability to store water for long periods of time and the ability to stand the hot weather.

Cold Desert's plants are scattered. In areas with little shade,about 10 percent of the ground is covered with plants. In some areas of sagebrush it reaches 85 percent. The height of scrub varies from 15 cm to 122 cm. All plants are either deciduous and more or less contain spiny leaves.

Hot and Dry Deserts animals include small nocturnal (only active at night) carnivores. There are also insects, arachnids, reptiles, and birds. Some examples of these animals are Borrowers, Mourning Wheatears, and Horned Vipers. Cold Deserts have animals like Antelope, Ground Squirrels, Jack Rabbits, and Kangaroo Rats.

Stetson N. 2000
Bibliography:
Lambert, Wayne, "Deserts", The World Book Encyclopedia, 1994 ed.

Critchfield, Howard J., "Deserts", The New Book of Knowledge, 1998 ed.

"Deserts". http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/deserts.html, (5/30/00)

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In this report you will learn about Hot and Dry Deserts and Cold Deserts. I hope you enjoy! A Hot and Dry Desert is, as you can tell from the name, hot and dry. Most Hot and Dry Deserts don't have very many plants. They do have some low down plants though.

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Rainforest

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon. Other temperate rainforests are found along the coast of Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and S. Australia. Tropical rainforests are generally found between 30°N and 30°S latitudes, covering 6 - 7% of the Earth's land surface. Tropical rainforests can be found around the world: In Central and South America; in Western Africa, eastern Madagascar, and the Zaire basin; and in Indo-Malaysia along the west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland, Australia.

WEATHER: Rainforests are important because they help maintain global weather patterns and rain. Water that evaporates from trees falls in other areas as rain.

Tropical rainforests are lush and warm all year long! Temperatures don't even change much between night and day. The average temperature in tropical rainforests ranges from 70 to 85°F (21 to 30°C). The environment is pretty wet in tropical rainforests, maintaining a high humidity of 77% to 88% year-round. The yearly rainfall ranges from 80 to 400 inches (200 to 1000 cm), and it can rain hard. It can downpour as much as 2 inches (5 cm) in an hour!

Temperate rainforests are also wet, but not as rainy as tropical rainforests. It rains about from 60 - 200 inches (150 - 500 cm) each year, while the other moisture comes from the coastal fog that lingers on the trees. The fog provides about 7 - 12 inches (18 - 30°C) of rain each year. Temperate rainforests are a lot cooler than tropical rainforests, but the temperatures are still mild. They often have two distinct seasons: one long wet winter, and a short drier summer.

PLANTS: One type of plant often found in a rainforest is an epiphyte. Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of other plants, especially the trunks and branches. They often grow on trees to take advantage of sunlight in the canopy. In temperate rainforests common epiphytes are mosses and ferns, while in tropical rainforests there are many kinds of epiphytes, including orchids and bromeliads. There are more than 20,000 varieties of orchids found in the rainforest.

There are about 10 -2 0 species of trees in temperate rainforests that are mostly coniferous, meaning they have needles. Trees in temperate rainforests can live much longer than humans, some live for up to 1000 years! Tropical rainforests have a bigger variety of trees, hundreds of species in fact! These trees are mostly broadleaf trees and have a shorter lifespan. They usually live for 50 - 100 years.

Most trees in tropical rainforests have thin, smooth bark. They don't need thick bark to keep them from drying out because the rainforest is so wet. Also, smooth bark makes it difficult for other plants, such as epiphytes, to grow on the tree surface. Trees often have buttresses, large branching ridges near the base, for support because their roots are often shallow and they grow tall to reach the sunlight. Prop roots also help support trees in shallow soils. Many plants in the rainforests have adapted leaf shapes that help water drip off the plant to avoid too much moisture, which might make bacteria and fungus grow.

Tropical rainforests are so big that they are divided into four zones. The top layer of the rainforest is called the emergent layer. Giant trees grow here that are much taller than the trees below. The next layer is the canopy. It contains trees standing 60 to 150 feet (18 to 45 meters) tall. Their branches form a canopy, like a big beach umbrella that shades the forest floor. Thick, woody vines are found in the canopy. Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Some vines, called lianas, are sometimes as big around as a person! They climb the trees in the canopy to reach for sunlight. The next layer, the understory, is a dark, cool area below the canopy, but above the ground. The understory is shaded from much of the sunlight by the canopy. The forest floor is the bottom layer of the rainforest. This is the area where fallen, decomposing plants and trees lay on the ground. Many insects live here. Temperate rainforests have all of these zones except the emergent layer. The tallest trees in the temperate rainforest canopy grow to be about 300 feet (90 meters) tall.

ANIMALS: Tropical rainforests are home to half the plant and animal species on Earth. Scientists believe that there is such a great diversity of animals in tropical rainforests because they are one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. Some forests in Southeast Asia have been around for at least 100 million years, ever since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Animals in the tropical rainforest are specially adapted to live in this unique environment. A common characteristic found among mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, is an adaptation to living in trees. One example is New World monkeys that have prehensile tails that curl around branches allowing the monkey to hold onto the tree with its tail! Other animals are brightly colored, sharply patterned, have loud vocalizations, and like to eat lots of fruit. Most of the animals in the tropical rainforest live in the canopy. There is so much food available up there that some animals never go down to explore the forest floor! Birds are important to rainforests because they like to eat seeds and fruit. Their droppings grow into new plants and help rainforests to survive. In turn, tropical rainforests are important to birds because they provide winter grounds as migratory destination. Parrots are not the only type of birds you will see in the rainforest. In fact, about 27% of the bird species in the world live in tropical rainforests. Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in tropical forests. They include bright beautiful butterflies, menacing mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and colossal colonies of ants.

In temperate rainforests you'll find a different set of amazing animals. Most of these animals live on, or near the forest floor where they are protected from the wind and rain by the trees above. Many birds and small mammals, such as chipmunks, like to eat seeds that fall on the forest floor. Lots of insects live in the temperate rainforest. Most of them live in tree bark, decomposing dead plant matter, or mossy areas. Birds and amphibians like to eat these insects. Some mammals in the temperate rainforest include deer and bobcats. Cougars and bobcats are the top predators in this biome.

PEOPLE AND THE RAINFOREST: Tropical rainforests are important because they provide oxygen, take in carbon dioxide, and are a huge source of biodiversity and cultural diversity. However, people also rely on tropical rainforests for food, medicine, timber, travel, and more. Rainforests around the world provide people with food and spices, for example, allspice, vanilla, cacao, cassava, ginger, bananas, black pepper, sugar cane, nutmeg and more. Many people are also moving from crowded cities where they cannot find jobs into the rainforest where they are becoming small-scale farmers. With all of this use, we need to be concerned about the stress we are putting on rainforests. Thirty acres of trees are cut in tropical rainforests every minute! Some scientists estimate that rainforests the size of Pennsylvania are lost each year. There are many causes of deforestation. People are logging for firewood, charcoal, building materials and other uses. Trees are being removed for commercial agriculture, which may cause permanent damage. Converting rainforests to pasture land for cattle ranching has destroyed many rainforests. Mining for gold, bauxite, and other minerals can destroy the land, and make it vulnerable to erosion.

What can you do to help our world's rainforests? One way to start helping is to learn more about the plants, animals and people, as well as the issues surrounding rainforests and deforestation. When you learn about new issues, write letters to governmental officials and the newspaper suggesting ways to help solve the problem. Practice conservation at home. This will help reduce the use of rainforests, as well as ecosystems all over the world. Bauxite is a mineral used to make aluminum. By recycling, you will reduce the need for bauxite, which is mined in tropical rainforests. Pets from other countries may have been taken from the wild or imported illegally from tropical countries. If you buy pets that are captively bred in the United States, you will be sure that they didn't come from the rainforest, or another unique environment. Investigate the source of the wood for your furniture to see where it comes from, and if it was harvested sustainably. All of these actions will help protect rainforests all over the world.
LINKS: Rainforest Education Cool Planet: Tropical Rain Forest Rainforest Species Profiles Explore Africa's Rainforest National Geographic: Rainforests at Night Mongabay.com Geography for Kids: Tropical Rain Forests Tropical Rainforests: What's it Like Where You Live?

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon.

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Marine

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

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Grasslands

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Collection of Websites for Research on Biomes

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, while the Sahara in Africa is the largest of the hot deserts. There are also deserts close to Santa Barbara, such as the Mojave the Colorado Desert which encompass parts of Southern California. In North America, there are four major hot, dry deserts, including the Mojave and the Great Basin. Outside the U.S. hot, dry deserts are found in the Southern Asian realm, South and Central America, Ethiopia and Australia.

Another type of desert is the coastal desert, for example, the Atacama Desert in Chile of South America. And then there are cold deserts. That sounds pretty silly! If deserts are supposed to be hot, how can there possibly be a cold desert? Well these deserts are in places like Antarctica and Greenland where vegetation is sparce, just like the more commonly known hot, dry deserts.

WEATHER: Weather is not the same in all deserts. The seasons in hot and dry deserts are usually very hot during the summer and warm during the rest of the year. During winter these deserts get little rainfall. Rain is often light, or in short concentrated bursts. Most of the time evaporation rates are faster than rainfall rates. Sometimes the rain evaporates before even hitting the ground. This is the reason for the dry characteristic of this type of desert. Coastal deserts are in moderately cool to warm areas. Coastal deserts usually have cool winters followed by fairly long, warm summers. The temperature in the winters is generally 41°F (5&degC) or below. In the summer the weather heats up to between 55° and 75°F (12 and 24&degC). Average rainfall is usually 3 - 5 inches (8 - 13 cm). The Atacama is the Earth's driest desert. In the Atacama 1 millimeter or more of rain falls every 5-20 years. Cold deserts have short, moist and moderately warm summers, and long cold winters like one could expect in Antarctica. The winter temperature ranges from -5°F to -110°F (-20.5 to -79&degC), and in the summer it can be a nice, balmy, 32°F (0&degC). The coldest day recorded in Antarctica was -113°F (-80.5&degC)!

PLANTS: Deserts plants have many adaptations to survive in such a dry environment. They are good at storing and finding water. Some plants have seeds that can stay dormant in the sand for a long time, until there is enough rain for them to grow. In hot deserts, you'll often find Cacti. Cacti are great at storing water. With their waxy coating, water can't escape and their spines protect them from being desert dinner. Their roots are shallow, and widely spread so that any rain can be absorbed immediately! Some other plants you might find in the hot desert are creosote bush, sagebrush, and ocotillo. Coastal deserts house a variety of plants. These plants must adapt to minimal rainfall by having extensive root systems that come up to the surface to absorb any possible rainfall, and go far down to absorb any water saturated in the ground. These plants also have very thick leaves that can absorb and store water whenever it is available. The plants that live in coastal deserts include salt bush, rice grass, black sage and chrysothamnus. Plants can even live in cold deserts, but you won't find as many here as in other types of deserts. Plants in cold deserts include algae, grasses, and plants with spiny thin leaves. Usually these plants grow only in the summer.

ANIMALS: Deserts are a very important biome. No, not because of all the sand! Mostly because of all the plants and animals that call the desert "home". Some animals that live in the hot desert are cold-blooded, like snakes, insects, and lizards. Mammals that live in the desert are usually small, such as the kangaroo rat and kit fox. Sometimes it's hard to survive in the desert. Some mice build their home out of fallen cactus spines to protect themselves from predators like coyotes and hawks. In the Eritrean coastal desert in Djibouti, Africa, animals like gazelles, skinks, geckos and dikdiks roam the desert. Fewer animals live in the cold desert. In Antarctica, most of the animals live near the ocean shore. Because of their ice home, seals, penguins, and other birds rely on fish, squid and other sea creatures for their food.

PEOPLE AND THE DESERT: People have a variety of uses for deserts. The desert is popular for tourism and recreation. Often people visit to see the beautiful sand colors and rock formations. Many people enjoy visiting the desert because it is a quiet place to get away from the business and noise of cities and spend time in the open land. The desert offers many types of recreation, for example, rock climbing, hiking and dirt biking. Mining, grazing, road building, and utility projects take place in the desert. Because of desert sensitivity, it is important that desert uses be managed properly to protect the wildlife and habitat.
LINKS: The Deserts in the American Southwest Deserts Environment Geography for Kids: Deserts Cool Planet: Deserts Biomes of the World: Desert
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts.