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The chaparral biome is found in a little bit of most of the continents - the west coast of the United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, the western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean.

Lay of the land: The chaparral biome has many different types of terrain. Some examples are flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes. It is sometimes used in movies for the "Wild West".

Chaparral is characterized as being very hot and dry. As for the temperature, the winter is very mild and is usually about 10 °C. Then there is the summer. It is so hot and dry at 40 °C that fires and droughts are very common.

Fortunately, the plants and animals are adapted to these conditions. Most of the plants have small, hard leaves which hold moisture. Some of these plants are poison oak, scrub oak, Yucca Wiple and other shrubs, trees and cacti.

The animals are all mainly grassland and desert types adapted to hot, dry weather. A few examples: coyotes, jack rabbits, mule deer, alligator lizards, horned toads, praying mantis, honey bee and ladybugs.

So, if you ever go somewhere that is like chaparral, make sure to bring some sunscreen and lots of water!

by Lucy M. 2000
Bibliography:
"Biomes". The World Book Encyclopedia. 1994 ed.

Ricciuti, Edward. Chaparral. Marshal Cavendish Corporation. 1996.

"Research/Project Results for Chaparral Biome", http://ncboard.ncboard.edu.on.ca/biome/chaparral.htm, (3 June 2000)

"Biomes of the World - Chaparral", http://www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/chap.htm, (3 June 2000)

Silvia, Ben. "Summary of the Chaparral Biome", http://knight.noble-hs.sad60.k12.me.us/benbob/chaparral/summary.html, (3 June 2000)

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The chaparral biome is found in a little bit of most of the continents - the west coast of the United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, the western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean.

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Chaparral, vegetation composed of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, bushes, and small trees usually less than 2.5 m (about 8 feet) tall; together they often form dense thickets. Chaparral is found in regions with a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean area, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The name chaparral is applied primarily to the coastal and inland mountain vegetation of southwestern North America; sometimes it takes the place of a more general term, Mediterranean vegetation, which denotes areas of similar vegetation around the Mediterranean Sea, at the southern tip of Africa, in southwestern Australia, and in central South America.

Sages and evergreen oaks are the dominant plants in North American chaparral areas that have an average yearly rainfall of about 500 to 750 mm (20 to 30 inches). Areas with less rainfall or poorer soil have fewer, more drought-resistant shrubs such as chamise and manzanita. Chaparral vegetation becomes extremely dry by late summer. The fires that commonly occur during this period are necessary for the germination of many shrub seeds and also serve to clear away dense ground cover, thus maintaining the shrubby growth form of the vegetation by preventing the spread of trees. Chaparral returns to its prefire density within about 10 years but may become grassland by too frequent burning.

Deer and birds usually inhabit chaparral only during the wet season (the growth period for most chaparral plants), and move northward or to a higher altitude as food becomes scarce during the dry season. Small, dull-coloured animals such as lizards, rabbits, chipmunks, and quail are year-round residents. New chaparral growth provides good grazing for domestic livestock, and chaparral vegetation also is valuable for watershed protection in areas with steep, easily eroded slopes.

Learn More in these related Britannica articles:

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Chaparral, vegetation composed of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, bushes, and small trees usually less than 2.5 m (about 8 feet) tall; together they often form dense thickets. Chaparral is found in regions with a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean area, characterized by hot, dry summers

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Chaparral Biome Facts

The chaparral biome is a part of each continent and consists of various types of terrain including mountains and plains. It is often confused with the desert biome because they share many similarities such as both being hot and dry. The chaparral biome receives more rainfall per year than the desert biome.

Parts of the chaparral biome exist in California, Oregon, South Africa, and Australia.

This biome is characterized by having both forests and grassland.

The summer season is very dry and can lasts up to five months.

The dry summer makes the chaparral biome sensitive to fires.

Occasional fires in the chaparral biome are helpful because they help balance out the living organisms and nonliving organisms.

The plants in the chaparral biome contain flammable material yet their barks resist fire.

Some plants have adapted to the summer fires in such a way that their seeds lie dormant until they are touched by fire.

The average rainfall is 10 to 17 inches a year.

During the winter, the temperature can get as low as 30° F and the summers can get up to 100° F.

The average temperature in the chaparral biome is 64° F.

Majority of the animals are nocturnal, sleeping during the day then coming out at night.

Animals living in the chaparral biome have to be able to survive on very little water. During the summer months there is usually a drought.

Many of the plants found in the chaparral biome are also found in the desert biome. This is because a chaparral biome normally borders a desert biome.

Some common animals of the chaparral biome are coyotes, mule deer, praying mantis, and ladybugs.

Shrubs are plentiful in the chaparral biome because they are able to survive on very little water. Chaparral comes from a Spanish word meaning shrub oak.

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The chaparral biome is a part of each continent and consists of various types of terrain including mountains and plains. It is often confused with the desert biome because they share many similarities such as both being hot and dry. The chaparral biome receives more rainfall per year than the desert biome.

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The Chaparral Biome is an interesting biome because it is sometimes mixed up with the desert biome. This biome has many plains and many mountains, and it is also very dry and very hot. What sets apart the chaparral biome and the desert biome is that the chaparral biome gets more rainfall than the desert biome.

Where is the Chaparral Biome Located?

The chaparral biome can be found in all of the different continents. It is found in the United States, in South Africa, in Australia, Europe and in many other areas.

Some of the areas that the chaparral biome is located include South America, Cape Town, which is located in South Africa, and in Chile. In the United States, you can find the Chaparral Biome in California and in Oregon.

What is Another Name for the Chaparral Biome?

The Chaparral Biome can also be called the woodland, forest and even the Scrub biome.

What is the Weather of the Chaparral Biome?

The Chaparral Biome has very hot and very dry weather. In the winter, the weather is usually cooler and can get as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the summer, the Chaparral Biome can get really, really hot, even reaching temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Kind of Plants Grow in the Chaparral Biome?

There are may different plants that grow in the Chaparral Biome, but because the weather is so hot and dry, most of the plants have large leaves that are hard. These plants grow in this biome because they have adapted to having little water and they hold a lot of water in their roots and their leaves.

The plants that grow in the Chaparral Biome have a different type of root system than other plants so that they can get as much water as they can. The roots are not as deep as other plants, but they spread out so that they can catch water that lands on the ground after it rains.

Most of the plants in the Chaparral Biome get their water from the soil. They have taproots which go into the soil and they can catch the water as it flows into the soil.

Some of the plants found in these areas include poison oak, yucca, shrubs, scrub oak and more.

Animals of the Chaparral Biome

The animals that are found in the Chaparral Biome are animals that are able to adapt to the dry and hot weather. Most of the animals are desert and grassland types of animals.

Some of the animals in this biome are deer, coyotes, alligators, toads, goats, horses, rabbits, vultures, jack rabbits, boar, lynx and even eagles.

There are other animals that are small animals such as small reptiles, mammals and insects.

What Are Some Characteristics of the Chaparral Biome?

The Chaparral Biome has characteristics of both a grassland and of a forest. It has dry summers and it has plants and animals that have adapted to the hot temperatures.

One interesting thing about the Chaparral Biome is that it sometimes has fires because the biome is so hot and dry. When the fires happen, they sometimes kill the plants and animals that are in the area.

Because of the fires, some of the plants have learned to adapt to fires and they have material that can resist the fire. Other plants adapted so that their seeds do not grow until after they have been touched by the fire.

More Facts About the Chaparral Biome:

The Chaparral Biome gets around 10-20 inches of water each year.

The average temperature in the Chaparral Biome is 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the summer months, the weather is so hot that the biome normally has a drought.

Animals have adapted to live on very little water in this biome.

There are many shrubs that grow in the Chaparral Biome because they need only a very small amount of water.

The word Chaparral means shrub oak in Spanish.

Some of the insects in the Chaparral Biome include butterflies, ladybugs and praying mantis.

Most of the animals are nocturnal.

Nocturnal means that the animals sleep during the day and they are active at nighttime.

Many people live in the Chaparral Biome.

The biggest concern for people living in the Chaparral Biomes is the fires.

What Did You Learn?

What is the Chaparral Biome? The Chaparral Biome is a mixture between a desert biome and a grassland biome, but it is more like a desert biome.

Why does the Chaparral Biome and the Desert Biome get mixed up? The Chaparral is a lot like the Desert Biome because it has very hot temperatures and is very dry.

Why are fires a concern for the Chaparral Biome? Fires are a concern in the Chaparral Biomes because the weather is usually hot and dry, and they get very little rainfall.

Do animals and people live in the Chaparral Biome? Many different kinds of animals live in the Chaparral Biome. Some areas have a large population of people that live in this biome.

What does it mean when an animal is nocturnal? An animal that is nocturnal sleeps during the day and is active at nighttime.

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The Chaparral Biome is an interesting biome because it is sometimes mixed up with the desert biome. This biome has many plains and many mountains, and it is also very dry and very hot. What sets apart the chaparral biome and the desert biome is that the chaparral biome gets more rainfall than the desert biome.

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Home | Online exhibits | The world’s biomes

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Temperature

Precipitation

This biome sees 150 to 250 millimeters (6 to 10 inches) of rain per year.

Vegetation

Almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost; lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs

Location

Regions south of the ice caps of the Arctic and extending across North America, Europe, and Siberia (high mountain tops)

Other

Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning "treeless plain"; it is the coldest of the biomes

Example: Aklavik, Canada
Monthly Temperature and Precipitation from 1970 - 2000

Month

Average Monthly Precipitation (mm)

Average Monthly Temperature (°C)

Download the Data (csv)

Description

The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America, to Europe, and Siberia in Asia. Much of Alaska and about half of Canada are in the tundra biome. Tundra is also found at the tops of very high mountains elsewhere in the world. Temperatures are frequently extremely cold, but can get warm in the summers.

Tundra winters are long, dark, and cold, with mean temperatures below 0°C for six to 10 months of the year. The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost. This permafrost is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome. In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation.

Precipitation in the tundra totals 150 to 250 mm a year, including melted snow. That's less than most of the world's greatest deserts! Still, the tundra is usually a wet place because the low temperatures cause evaporation of water to be slow. Much of the arctic has rain and fog in the summers, and water gathers in bogs and ponds.

Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the cold and the short growing season. Mosses, sedges, and lichens are common, while few trees grow in the tundra. The trees that do manage to grow stay close to the ground so they are insulated by snow during the cold winters.

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Temperature Precipitation This biome sees 150 to 250 millimeters (6 to 10 inches) of rain per year.

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For most of the year, the tundra biome is a cold, frozen landscape. This biome has a short growing season, followed by harsh conditions that the plants and animals in the region need special adaptations to survive.

Tundra form in two distinct cold and dry regions. Arctic tundra are found on high-latitude landmasses, above the Arctic Circle-in Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and Scandinavia, for example-or on far southern regions, like Antarctica. Alpine tundra are located at very high elevations atop mountains, where overnight temperatures fall below freezing.

Tundra regions typically get less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation annually, which means these areas are also considered deserts. They have long, cold winters with high winds and average temperatures below freezing for six to ten months of the year. On average, only six to ten weeks of the year have sufficiently warm temperatures and long days for plant growth. The soil in the Arctic is largely permafrost or soil that remains frozen year-round, leaving only a thin surface layer of thawed soil in summer for plant roots to grow in. Tundra soil is also scarce in many of the nutrients that plants need to grow.

These conditions lead to one of the tundra biome's most distinct features: They are largely treeless. (The word "tundra" derives from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning barren or treeless hill.) Instead, the tundra has patchy, low-to-ground vegetation consisting of small shrubs, grasses, mosses, sedges, and lichens, all of which are better adapted to withstand tundra conditions.

Animals in the tundra are also adapted to extreme conditions, and they take advantage of the temporary explosion of plant and insect life in the short growing season. Tundra wildlife includes small mammals-such as Norway lemmings ( Lemmus lemmus), arctic hares ( Lepis arcticus), and arctic ground squirrels ( Spermophilus parryii)-and large mammals, such as caribou ( Rangifer tarandus). These animals build up stores of fat to sustain and insulate them through the winter. They also have thick coats of fur for further insulation. Some save energy by hibernating during the long winter months. Others migrate to warmer climes during winter. Many birds also migrate into the tundra during the growing season to feed, mate, and nest.

Atop the food chain are tundra carnivores, such as arctic foxes ( Vulpes lagopus), arctic wolves ( Canis lupus), snowy owls ( Bubo scandiaca), and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus), which move into the tundra during the summer when prey is plentiful and their usual hunting grounds on sea ice diminish. Many animals, both predator and prey, develop white fur or feathers in the winter months for camouflage in ice and snow.

Tundra insects have also developed adaptations for the cold; mosquitoes ( Aedes nigripes), for example, have a chemical compound that acts as antifreeze, lowering the freezing temperature in their bodily fluids.

Though the tundra is remote, it is increasingly threatened as people encroach on it to build or drill for oil, for example. Perhaps the greatest danger, however, comes from climate change. Warming temperatures could disrupt the cold tundra biome and the life in it, as well as thaw its underlying permafrost, releasing greenhouse gases that would further accelerate global warming.

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Tundras are cold, harsh environments with distinctive biodiversity adapted to these conditions.

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Kids learn about the tundra grasslands biome. This cold and dry ecosystem is located far to the north.

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In this article we will take a look at Chaparral biomes that have been found in locations across the world. We will pay particular attention to those found in the US, South America, South Africa and a few other parts of the world. We will discuss these different biomes and help you better understand what they mean to the world as a whole.

Location

Small increments of the Chaparral biome can be found spread across all of the different continents and consists of various types of terrain including mountains and plains. This includes

US West Coast

South America's West Coast

South Africa's Cape Town

Australia's Western tip

Coast of the Mediterranean.

Some areas are more noticeable for the biome than others. You'll find a wide variety of terrain in the chaparral biome, including rocky hills, flat plains, and mountain slopes. A sample of the type of terrain is what you might see in the background of many movies set in the old west. Located from 30° to 50° N and 30° to 40° S latitudes, US residents may be most familiar with the chaparral climate of the central and southern coasts of California, which will be discussed later.

Chaparral biomes lay in mid-latitude climates in a belt of westerly winds, hence their location of the western end of the continents. There is an instrument known as Köppen's climate classification system. Under this system, chaparral biomes are classified as Cs. "C" refers to warm temperature climates - climates where the average temperature during the coldest month is 64° F. The "s" represent the dry season in the summer of the hemisphere where the biome is located.

Climate

The climate of the chaparral biome is very hot and dry.

Winters there tend to be very mild, with temperatures of about 50 °F. The winter climate is also known as the Mediterranean climate, which while not very rainy, is typically mild and moist.

Most of the precipitation occurring in the Biome occurs during the winter months. Summers, which tend to be hot and dry, run about 104 °F, but can range from 30° and 120° F.

Summers are unique in the biome because while it can get very hot, temperatures can also quickly dip down to nearly freezing. Fires and droughts in the chaparral are very common in the summer. Rain totals in the biome average between 10-17 inches for the year, with most of that occurring during the winter. It receives more rainfall per year than the desert biome.

The weather found in the biome is constantly changing. Conditions can change vastly from day to night, and the animals and plants that live in these areas must learn how to quickly adapt to these constant changes.

Plants of Chaparral Biome

Plants and animals found in the chaparral biome are uniquely adapted for this environment.

Many of the over 2,000 plant varieties are marked by their characteristic hard, small leaves that have an ability to hold significant amounts of moisture.

Some plants also have leaves with a hairy texture, also designed to hold onto and efficiently use water. Plants in chaparral biome have root systems designed to get as much water as possible.

Interestingly, plants in this biome have leaves that are made from highly flammable materials. Some plants in the biome have adapted to even withstand the intense heat of fires and then bloom. These plants have seeds which lay dormant during normal conditions, but in the event of a fire, their seed casing crack open and begin to sprout.

Common plants in the biome include poison oak, Yucca Wiple, shrubs, toyon, chamise, trees, and cacti. Oak trees, pines and mahogany trees also do well in the biome. The chaparral biome of Australia consists mainly of dwarf eucalyptus trees.

Animals of Chaparral Biome

The animals and over 100 types of birds are typically native to grassland and desert type environments, having adapted to hot, dry climates, and doing so very well. These animals survive with the use of very little water. The hot temperatures have become normal for them, so they've also learned how to adapt to the sometimes extreme temperatures. These animals are found active during the night as it is too hot for them to search for their prey during the day. Some examples of birds and animals that thrive in the challenging chaparral biome conditions include:

In Europe, one may findrabbits, vultures, sheep, cattle, mouflon, horses, lynx, wild boar and eagles.

Photo credit: USFWS

The Chaparral Biome of California

In further looking at the US chaparral biome in California, also known as the woodlands and grasslands of California, you'll find the biome in a section of the Sierra Nevada. The coastal range lays at 53° to 65º latitude on the coast and 32° to 60º North in the mountain range. The chaparral peaks at about 5,000 feet above sea level amidst steeply sloped mountains. Valleys and streams are widely spaced from one another, but will run very narrow.

In California's portion of the chaparral biome, temperatures usually range at temperatures of 53° to 65° F on the coast and 32° to 60° F in the mountain ranges.

It typically rains 12 to 40 inches per year in these areas, mostly in during the cold winter months, but some in the Fall and Spring as well.

Precipitation is usually higher at the higher elevations. There's little snow, and what does occur tends to melt quickly.

You'll find all four seasons in the biome, even though they are not marked by as significant temperatures swings as are found in some regions.

In this region, animals including Acorn Woodpeckers and Sonoma Chipmunk call the area home. Mahoganies, pines, and oak represent the type of plants that you will find in this very hot and humid area. Both the animals and the plants in the area have adapted to the higher than normal temperatures, and the many wildfires occurring in the state each year have also become quiet the norm. In fact, many of the lifeforms found in the area depend upon those fires to help with the regeneration process. Plants survive with little water needed. They use waxy leaves to conserve water.

Human interference in California's chaparral has been a mixed blessing. While birds and animals have been harmed by the harvesting of trees, some areas of the biome have been helped by the repairing of water sources and other areas that have been destroyed by animals and the diversion of water. It seems that so often humans come along, and while they feel they are helping, actually destroy the flow of things, the adaptations that have been made to survive in these areas.

Human interference prohibits the balance of the way of life. Just the fact that people build homes in these areas causes a threat to the population of animals and plants. Santa Barbara, CA, is a Biome area that is also a very popular place to call home.

People choose Biome areas because of their grandeur and beauty, unaware that they are affecting anything at all. This is just one area in California that has seen interference due to human contact.

Also a huge threat is the pollution in these areas. California is one of the worst places for air pollution. Pollution occurs in many different ways, including the growth of the industrial pollution, emissions from vehicles, and more.

Hunting is a final cause of trouble in the biome areas. When animals are hunted it definitely causes strain on the population of this particular type of species. Animal shortage hurts in many ways. In addition to hunting, some animals have also ventured out to areas other than their natural habitats. Some never return, also causing threats to the biome area.

Final Thoughts
The Chaparral biomes are closer to home than what you may have realized before. These areas are easy to identify due to their irregular temperatures that often bring hot and humid summers and wet winters. The California area biome is probably one that is most familiar to most of us. Every single day we have an up close and personal look at human interference with the biome, and the after effects of that interference. The Chaparral biomes found all across the continents provide us with a different outlook and a different atmosphere to enjoy.

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Chaparral Biome: Location, Climate, Plants and Animals - Conserve Energy Future

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In this article we will take a look at Chaparral biomes that have been found in locations across the world. We will pay particular attention to those found in the US, South America, South Africa and a few other parts of the world.

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Location and distribution:

California's chaparral can been delineated as three types: 1) Chamise-Redshank Chaparral (4.1 million ha, 10.1 million acres), 2) Coastal Scrub (0.65 million ha, 1.6 million acres) and 3) Mixed Chaparral (1.3 million ha, 3.1 million acres), and Montane Chaparral (0.2 million ha, 0.5 million acres) for a total of about 6 million ha (15.3 million acres). Chamise-redshank chaparral occurs below 1200 m. (4000') elevation, primarily in the Peninsular and Transverse Ranges, with extensive stands from the Tehachapi Mountains south to San Diego County. This cover type consists of greater than 50% chamise ( Adenostema fasciculatum) or redshank ( A. sparsifolium) or a mixture of both. Mixed chaparral occurs below 1500 m (5000') elevation on steep dry slopes in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills, and extensively throughout the Transverse, Peninsular and Tehachapi Mountains. It is characterized by co-dominance of several shrubby species. Mountain Chaparral grows in close association with conifers from San Diego to Siskiyou County at elevations of 900 to 3000 m (3000 to 10,000'). Coast scrub occurs from sea level to 900 m (3000 ft.) in a discontinuous narrow band along the coast, usually within 32 km (20 mi) of the ocean. It runs nearly the full length of the state.

Physical characteristics:

Climate
California's chaparral shrub communities occur in a Mediterranean-type climate. Mediterranean climates can be found along the west side of continents in mid-latitudes from 30° to 50° N and 30° to 40° S, commonly in a belt of prevailing westerly winds. In Chile and Spain these Mediterranean shrub communities are called matorral, in France it is called maquis and in Italy, macchia. In South Africa it is known as fynbos and in southwest Australia kwongan. These Mediterranean shrublands are classified under Köeppen's climate classification system as "Cs". The "C" stands for warm temperature climates, where the average temperature of the coldest months is 64° F. The "s" stands for a dry season in the summer.

The winter Mediterranean climate is mild and moist. During the summer it is very hot and dry. The annual temperature range is between -1° and 38° C (30° and 100° F). Most of this biome only gets about 25-43 cm (10-17") but in California rainfall amounts of 100 cm (40") may occur at northern and high elevation locations. Most rain comes in the winter. Because of the long period of summer, only plants with hard leaves, such as scrub oaks and chamise shrubs, can survive.
Topography and Soils
Most chaparral vegetation occurs on steep hills and mountains below 1500 m (5000') elevation. Only mountain chaparral occurs above this range. Chaparral soils range from deep, weakly developed soils to shallow, rocky soils. Generally chaparral is thought to occur upon thin, porous, and rocky soils that are relatively low in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. While chaparral and other Mediterranean-type vegetation changes over time (depending on fire and disturbance regimes), chaparral is likely to be the edaphic climax vegetation on well-drained rocky soils with or without the influence of fire. Due to their coarse grain size and their high content of weatherable minerals, these soils are susceptible to erosion, and on steeper slopes, to landslides.

Soils under chamise may exhibit hydrophobicity, repelling water on the soil surface. However, when water does penetrate the soil surface, it drains rapidly through the coarse soil textures, offering little water-holding capacity. Fire can cause some soils to become water repellent or hydrophobic. The mechanism of hydrophobic soil formation has been explained and identified as important to post-fire sediment yields.

Current Plant Communities
Chaparral is composed largely of evergreen, sclerophyllous shrub species that range from 1 to 4 m in height. Other growth forms including soft-leaved subshrubs, perennial herbs, geophytes (bulbs and corms), and annual herbs, are less abundant in mature chaparral but can be present in abundance in early and late successional stands of chaparral. Depending on the species composition and underlying topography and soil, the structure of chaparral can range from low, monotonous, smooth-textured vegetation to more heterogeneous stands approaching the vertical structure of woodlands.

Chaparral generally is thought to be a fire-dependent system, based on the many adaptations of its characteristic species, and its resilience in form and species composition to periodic burning. Most of the characteristic shrub species in chaparral can be organized into three adaptive strategies related to fire: (1) shrubs that have stems that regenerate following fire from below ground burls (resprouters); (2) shrubs that produce large amounts of dormant seed that persist for long periods of time and germinate by heat or chemical processes initiated by fire (obligate seeders); and (3) plants that apply both strategies.

The species composition of a particular chaparral stand is largely influenced by fire. Chaparral generally returns to pre-fire structure and composition within a normal fire regime; however, considerable research has documented various effects of fire regime on species mortality. Frequency of fire has been shown to affect chaparral species composition, where short fire intervals may eliminate obligate seeding species in favor of resprouters.
Major Plants
The most common and widespread species in "true" or "hard" chaparral is chamise ( Adenostema fasciculatum). Other common shrub species include manzanita ( Arctostaphylos spp.), ceanothus ( Ceanothus spp.), oak ( Quercus spp.), poison oak ( Toxicodendron diversilobum), mountain mahogany ( Cercocarpus betuloides), and toyon ( Heteromeles arbutifolia).

In the coastal sage scrub or "soft" chaparral common species include coyote bush ( Baccharis pilularis), Bush lupine ( Lupinus spp.), California buckwheat ( Eriogonum fasciculatum), sages ( Salvia spp.), California sagebrush ( Artemisia californica), deerweed ( Lotus scoparius), and monkeyflower ( Mimulus spp.).

Arthur W. Sampson, an early ecologist, separated the California chaparral association into five ecological regions on the basis of climatic variation and differences in floristic composition. The regions are 1) North Coastal Region, 2) Central Coastal Region, 3) South Coastal Region, 4) North Sierran Region and 5) South Sierran Region. Each of these regions has the same dominant growth forms in common but there are differences in topography and to some extent distinctive species.

The North Coastal Region extends from San Francisco Bay to Trinity and Shasta Counties.

NORTH COAST CHAPARRAL SPECIES

CENTRAL COAST CHAPARRAL SPECIES

NORTH SIERRAN CHAPARRAL SPECIES

SOUTH SIERRAN CHAPARRAL SPECIES

Animals
The abundance and diversity of wildlife in California's chaparral is not commonly recognized. The iconic, but now extinct, California grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos californicus) and the majestic California condor ( Gymnogyps californianus), which nearly became extinct and remains endangered, are the chaparral's most famous animal residents. Chaparral habitat supports nearly 50 species of mammals, but none live exclusively in chaparral. Some are found primarily in mature chaparral and others in young chaparral and along ecotones between chaparral and other plant communities. Several prefer riparian areas in and near chaparral. Predators in California's chaparral include mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes. These predators prey on blacktail deer, rabbits and ground squirrels (Quinn 1990).

California Condor

Although many bird species travel over and through the chaparral, only a few reside year-round (California Chaparral Institute 2012). Common birds in chaparral ecosystems include the wrentit ( Chamaea fasciata, observed mostly by call),Western Scrub Jay ( Aphelocoma californica), California towhee, ( Melozone crissalis), spotted towhee ( Pipilo maculatus) and California thrasher ( Toxostoma redivivum). Birds especially common in chaparral for several years after a fire include Costa's hummingbird ( Calypte costae, especially spring and summer), sage sparrow ( Artemisiospiza belli, mostly winter), rufous-crowned sparrow ( Aimophila ruficeps), lazuli bunting ( Passerina amoena, April through September), Lawrence's goldfinch ( Carduelis lawrencei), and black-chinned sparrow ( Spizella atrogularis, April through summer months).

Vegetation change in chaparral is largely the result of recurring fires. Compared to fire, Drought and grazing have limited influence on vegetation dynamics.
Long-Term Trends
Chaparral has been described as "autosuccessional," undergoing a rapid succession from largely herbaceous flora immediately after fire to relatively dense woody vegetation in a short time period, with minimal loss of species. Immediately after a fire the grasses and forbs initially dominate because of their sheer numbers and showy flowers. Within 2 - 5 years the seedlings of chaparral plants, and the shrubs resprouting from their crown or germinating in response to fire, take over. Their more aggressive root systems exploit deeper water reserves and they will eventually shade out the forbs and grasses and replace them. The shrub phase of succession starts from crown sprouts and seedlings the first year after a fire, and by the fifth year plants are tall enough to shade out the shorter herbs and approach a climax community.

Inhibition of seed germination between fires has been related to chemicals produced by some of the chaparral shrubs. This is termed allelopathy. For example, chamise leaves have a water-soluble compound that washes to the soil and stops germination of numerous herbs. This in part explains the bare soil appearance beneath mature chamise. Manzanita shrubs in all parts--leaves, stems, roots, and old leaf litter--contain chemicals which inhibit seed germination of itself and other plant species. Even upon removal of manzanita stems and leaves, the chemical compounds in the soil continue to inhibit seed germination for some years. Fire is important in burning the compound out of the soil so that seed germination can take place.
Yearly and Seasonal Variation
Biological activity in chaparral increases sharply with the first fall rains. At this time seeds of grasses and forbs germinate, grow through the mild winter, and flower by mid-spring. Next season's seed matures by late spring or early summer when the dry season and high temperatures begin. The shrubs and trees do most of their annual growth at the start of the fall rains in October and November. Many are in flower as early as December and January. By flowering this early, there is adequate moisture available for seed maturation before the summer drought begins.
Disturbance Factors Fire
The dominant driving force in chaparral is fire. The majority of chaparral species are either adapted to occasional fire or are able to persist in fire prone ecological regimes. The distribution and species composition of chaparral, at the landscape-scale, is largely influenced by varying interactions between fire regime (frequency, seasonal timing, size, and intensity) and physical environment. The primary source of wildfires prior to human alteration of the "natural" fire regime was lightning. Although lightning-caused fires remain, fire regimes have changed due to increased human ignitions and fire suppression.

Volatilization of nitrogen and to a lesser degree potassium are important fire associated nutrient losses. Some nitrogen is recovered or replaced by nitrogen fixing legumes such as lupine ( Lupinus spp.) and deerweed ( Lotus spp.), and non-leguminous plants such as California lilac ( Ceanothus spp.). The interrelationships among soil microorganisms, heating rates associated with wildfires or prescribed burns, soil moisture at the time of a fire, and various nitrogen-fixing plant species have been studied, but much remains to be learned about the dynamics of nutrients in chaparral systems. Soil erosion following fire results in large losses of all nutrients.
Drought
Chaparral vegetation is adapted to drought. Thus, drought is not really a disturbance in these ecosystems.
Grazing
Grazing by domestic livestock is largly limited to early herbaceous stages of succession which last for only a few years. Grazing in coastal sage scrub may suppress succession back to a shrub-dominated community.

Management Issues
Fire is a normal part of chaparral communities and thus represents a major fire hazard that threatens public safety. Most management is directed at reducing fire hazard without adversely changing watershed function, water quality, biodiversity and habitat.
Following is a brief introduction to some chaparral issues and practices.
Prescribed Burning
Prescribed burning is an issue because of the air pollution generated by fires and because most urban residents fear fire. California ranchers have been burning for range improvement under permit from the California Department of Forestry since 1945. Burning for human benefit has a much longer history in California, but records do not include how early fires were planned. While many recognize the potential value of fire for achieving resource objectives related to fire hazard reduction, range improvement, sediment and flood management, and wildlife habitat, liability issues are a big deterrent to prescribed burning.
Erosion
Erosion on steep chaparral slopes is best described as an episodic process strongly influenced by complex internal thresholds. Because of experience on agricultural lands where topsoil is a valuable resource, all erosion is considered undesirable. But on steep, naturally unstable chaparral slopes, ecosystems have developed mechanisms for adequately replacing or foregoing lost nutrients. In the chaparral ecosystem, erosion is natural, and in the long term unpreventable. The real management issues created by erosion are flooding and sedimentation that occur in populated valleys below.
Invasive Species
Within the Mediterranean-climate region of California and adjacent regions, invasive plants are largely concentrated in the lower elevation valleys and foothills. Fire has historically been an important part of the ecology of many of these ecosystems; however, anthropogenic disruptions of natural fire regimes have contributed to the widespread invasion of certain communities. Throughout the Coast Ranges and foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades, high fire frequency has contributed to the type-conversion of shrublands and closed woodlands to annual grasslands dominated by alien grasses and forbs of Mediterranean Basin origin.
Water Quality
Most impacts on the physical characteristics of fire-impacted streams are evidenced by changes in sediment load. Increased sediment flows following a fire can impact both ecological health and drinking water operations. The large quantities of post-fire sediment can overwhelm the biological habitat available for aquatic organisms such as fish, as well as organisms that depend on water for some life stage, such as amphibians and insects.

Large post-fire sediment fluxes impact drinking water systems two ways. First and perhaps foremost is the danger that reservoirs, infiltration basins, and treatment works will be filled, damaged, or otherwise disrupted by sediment. Second, high sediment load is likely to increase pre-treatment processing needs (and costs) for suspended sediment removal. These impacts are highest in areas immediately adjacent to fires but may extend a 100 miles downstream.

The impacts of wildfire and prescribed burns on chemical composition of streams are not well-documented, but studies suggest that nutrient loads, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, increase after fires, and that the effect may be greater from wildfires than from prescribed burns. Nitrogen is exported primarily as nitrate, and post-fire concentrations can exceed the federal drinking water standard of 10 milligrams per liter.
Urbanization/Suburbanization
Urban development into chaparral ecosystems has resulted in frequent loss of life and property. The brushland fire-flood-erosion sequence is particularly well known in chaparral areas of southern California. Urban encroachment accelerates the cycle and adds the potential for tragedy. Unless adequate measures are taken in new developments, fire protection and flood control agencies are hard pressed to safeguard life and property. When hazardous conditions come about through improper land use or lack of planning, they are extremely difficult to correct by either private or public action.
Climate Change
According to studies by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (U.S. Department of Energy), climate change may lead to dramatic increases in both the annual area burned by California wildfires and the number of potentially catastrophic fires - doubling these losses in some regions. These changes would occur despite deployment of fire suppression resources at the highest current levels, implying that climatic change could precipitate an increase in both fire suppression costs and economic losses due to wildfires.

Management Practices and Uses
A variety of methods including fire, mechanical and chemical controls have been used to manage chaparral and the fuel it represents. Reseeding has been used following brush control to convert brushlands to productive grazing land.
Prescribed Burning
Prescribed burning has a long history of use in California. In some locations Native Americans set fires to remove brush and stimulate the growth of desired food and fiber plants. Starting in the 1800s ranchers set fires to reduce brush and increase grass. From the 1920s through the 1970s prescribed burning was used not only by ranchers but also by agencies to reduce fuel loads and increase forage. Starting in the 1960s suburban development in the state's wildlands began to increase the liability of controlled burning. By the late 1900s the use of fire to control brush had declined due to liability issues, air pollution regulations and the public's general fear of fire.
Mechanical Control
A variety of mechanical methods have been used to control shrubs in chaparral, including crushing and piling with bulldozers and blades, brush rakes, chains and ball, and chains. Brush can also be successfully chopped or shredded using brushland disks, roller choppers and brush shredders. Hand clearing has also been used successfully. All of these methods are expensive because of the equipment, fuel and/or labor involved.
Chemical Control
From the 1950s to the 1970s 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T (also known as Agent Orange during the Vietnam War) were used to kill brush in chaparral and other woody plant communities. These highly toxic chemicals were frequently very effective but in 1970, the United States Department of Agriculture halted the use of 2,4,5-T. Replacement herbicides have been less successful and expensive. In California pesticides are strictly regulated and this has further reduced the use of chemicals to control brush.
Goats
Brush removal methods involving heavy machinery, chemicals or fire are expensive and require great care. Properly managed goat grazing can reduce the cost of brush control. Goats are particularly effective at controlling light stands or brush or brush that regrows following a fire. Goats should not be expected to control tall, mature brush, but they provide a promising alternative to herbicides for controlling brush regrowth. Goats pose specific problems in chaparral: the need for roads, fencing or herding, water, and supplemental feeding. They must also be protected from predators, disease, and poisonous plants. Because of some of these problems and their limited availability, goat grazing has not received widespread use.
Type Conversions
Often fire, mechanical and chemical methods have been used to remove brush, followed by reseeding with grasses and legumes and follow-up control of brush regrowth. These methods have been very successful at increasing forage production on chaparral lands. They have also been used to create fire breaks to slow the progress of wildfires. Type conversions are expensive and have resulted in loss of ecosystem services. There have been instances where erosion increased and there have been losses of native biodiversity due to seeding with introduced species. Consequently type conversions are infrequent in the early 21st century.

California Chaparral Weblinks

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Location and distribution: California's chaparral can been delineated as three types: 1) Chamise-Redshank Chaparral (4.1 million ha, 10.1 million acres), 2) Coastal Scrub (0.65 million ha, 1.6 million acres) and 3) Mixed Chaparral (1.3 million ha, 3.1 million acres), and Montane Chaparral (0.2 million ha, 0.5 million acres) for a total of about 6 million ha (15.3 million acres).

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What Are Freshwater Biomes?

Freshwater biomes are large communities of plants and animals centered around waters with less than 1% salt concentration. They are very important to survival on Earth. Types of freshwater biomes include ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and even some wetlands. (Wetlands are not always considered freshwater biomes because they usually have too high of a salt content.)

Lakes and ponds are considered still water since they do not move very fast. Rivers and streams move water from one area to another and are known as moving waters. Both still waters and moving waters offer a home to many different types of plants and animals. Many of these organisms are structured to live in a specific type of freshwater habitat. For example, some plants thrive in the nice calm waters of a lake but don't survive in rivers and streams, unless they have a specific structure or can hold onto objects like rocks.

Estuaries are the areas between the moving and still waters. They also offer a habitat to many different plants and animals, including types of coral reefs, fish, shellfish, and birds. Some of the animals in estuaries have a very unique ability to survive in both fresh water and salt water.

Different areas of freshwater biomes have different structures and resources. For example, a headwater, or the source of a river or stream, has water that is clearer and higher in oxygen levels than the middle of the river or the end, the mouth of the river. Examples of headwaters include springs, snowmelt, or even lakes. In the headwaters, you will find trout and heterotrophs. In the middle there is much more diversity in species. In the mouth, it is murky with all of the sediment the water picked up on the way. Less oxygen and light leads to a lot less diversity of species in the mouth or end of the river.

Climate

Freshwater biomes are found all around the world. They have many seasons. A single pond during the summer season could be up to 39 degrees Fahrenheit on the bottom and 72 degrees Fahrenheit on the top. This same pond could be 39 degrees Fahrenheit on the bottom and 32 degrees Fahrenheit on top in the winter season. The climates usually average 39 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Locations

Did you know that 75% of the world is actually covered in water? There is a lot of water on Earth. However, 97% of water is actually salt water, and 2% of all the water is freshwater that is locked up in the glaciers. This leaves only 1% of freshwater found around the Earth.

Still, freshwater biomes are found all around the world. Lake Victoria in South Central Africa, as well as the Great Lakes of the Midwest U.S. and Canada, are very well known freshwater areas. Lake Baikal in Southern Siberia is the largest freshwater lake in the world. The Nile in Africa is the longest freshwater river on Earth.

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plants & animals - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Freshwater Biomes: Climate, Locations, Plants & Animals - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Freshwater biomes are large communities of plants and animals centered around waters with less than 1% salt concentration. They are very important to survival on Earth. Types of freshwater biomes include ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and even some wetlands. (Wetlands are not always considered freshwater biomes because they usually have too high of a salt content.)

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The freshwater biome is made up of any of body of water that is made of freshwater such as lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. They cover roughly 20% of the Earth and are in various locations spread out all over the world. Most freshwater biomes consist of moving water and contain many types of fish.

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An ecosystem is made up of all of the living and nonliving things in an area. This includes all of the plants, animals, and other living things that make up the communities...

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Ecosystems can be a difficult topic to wrap your head around, since they are found all across the world, with each one being a little bit different than another.

However, all ecosystems share common traits that you should know and understand so that you can examine each type more closely.

Which, lucky for you, is exactly what we'll do here. Ready? Alright then, here we go!

What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem is all of the living things, which includes plants and animals that are living within a certain area.

It also includes how these plants and animals interact with each other and the world around them (environment).

A healthy ecosystem is an indicator of a healthy area.

In an ecosystem, every plant or animal has their own role to play, and each organism's role affects all of the others.

It is a delicate balance, which can be thrown off very easily by any sort of external factor or change.

If a new organism is introduced, or something is removed from the ecosystem, it can cause drastic changes to that ecosystem.

Different Traits

All different ecosystems share similar traits. This can be broken down into two categories living things and the environment around them.

These two categories are dependent upon the others, and any change to either category will have some sort of consequence for the other.

Living Things - The term "living things" is broad in its scope. It involves everything living within an ecosystem, from the smallest bacteria, up the top predatory animal.

How these animals and organisms live and thrive off of each other is commonly referred to as the food chain.

Environment - Environmental factors that play a part in the ecosystem include the temperature, weather events (snow, wind, rain, sleet...etc.), and the amount of light the area receives.

Ecosystem Scale

Ecosystems come in all kinds of sizes. It can either be gigantic, or itty bitty teen tiny. These sizes can be broken down into three basic categories.

Micro - These are the smallest kinds of ecosystems. An example of micro ecosystem would be a tree trunk or under a rotten log.

Messo - This is the middle size for ecosystems, such as a forest or pond.

Biome - This is the largest type of ecosystem. This would be something like a whole Rainforest.

Different Types

Ecosystems don't have solid boundaries like states or townships. They are not marked by any rigid lines.

Often, different ecosystems begin and end due to some sort to geographic barrier, such as lakes, mountains, rivers, or deserts. Ecosystems can be broken down into two different categories.

Aquatic Ecosystem - If an ecosystem occurs in any type of water, whether it be a puddle or the ocean, then it is an aquatic ecosystem.

Terrestrial Ecosystems - Any ecosystem that exists outside of water are called terrestrial ecosystems.

These include deserts, mountains, forests, and the tundra.

Ecosystem Organization

An ecosystem can be separated into various levels, with each level consisting of more organisms and environmental factors.

Individual - An individual is any living organism within an ecosystem.

Population - A group of individuals of the same species that all live within the ecosystem make up the population.

Community - A community is all of the various populations of different organisms living with an area.

Ecosystem - As described above, an ecosystem describes how all of the living things in a given area interact with each other and their environment.

Biome - This is a collection of ecosystems that are similar in their basic makeup and characteristics.

Biosphere - A biosphere is all of the different ecosystems and biomes on the entire planet.

Biomes are, again, a collection of ecosystems that have similar characteristics.

Deserts can be hot and dry, sem-arid, or cold.

Aquatic biomes can be separated into either freshwater (lakes, streams, rivers and ponds) or saltwater (oceans, seas, or coral reefs) biomes.

Forest - This type can be broken down into Tropical Rainforests, Boreal, and Temporal Forests.

Grassland - There are two distinct types of grasslands, which include Savanna Grasslands and Temperate Grasslands.

Tundra - Tundra is the coldest type of biome. It can be broken down into two categories, which include the Arctic Tundra and the Alpine Tundra.

Ecosystems - How Living Things Interact with their Environment

Ecosystems are, in their simplest form, a complex system that describes how animals, plants, and organisms interact with their environment.

Even the slightest change to any of these different factors can greatly change the ecosystem.
Earth Science

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Fun Ecosystem Facts For Kids in [year] (Must Read)

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Ecosystems can be a difficult topic to wrap your head around, since they are found all across the world, with each one being a little bit different than another. However, all ecosystems share common traits that you should know and understand so that you can examine each type more closely.

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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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An ecosystem is a community of interacting organisms and their environment. Living things interact with each other and also with non-living things like soil, water and air. Ecosystems often contain many living things and can be as small as your backyard or as large as the ocean.
To learn how the different types of ecosystems work...

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN!

An ecosystem is a community of interacting organisms and their environment.

Many people only think of animals when they learn of ecosystems, but in reality, an ecosystem has animals, plants, and NON-living things too. Animals need to hide inside rocks and dead trees. Water is needed to drink and some animals live in the water. Air is a non-living part of an eocsystem as well - all animals need air.

Some ecosystems provide special services for the entire world. For example, even though rainforests only cover 6% of Earth, they produce about 40% of the oxygen in the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Other ecosystems produce food, medicine, and helpful materials like rubber and lumber.

Organisms only survive in an ecosystem when their specific needs are met.

All organisms have needs, such as food, water, and air. If the needs of the organisms in the ecosystem are not met, they cannot survive.

Animals usually need food, water, and shelter. For example: if deer need to eat grass and the place they live in (their ecosystem) no longer has grass, they have to move somewhere else or risk not surviving.

A healthy ecosystem has many different kinds of organisms.

When you think of an ecosystem, such as a forest, there are many organisms that are important. Trees, deer, plants, birds, squirrels, and insects are prominent members of the ecosystem. There are many more organisms that live in an ecosystem that are not as noticeable.

We often forget about all the bacteria, fungus, and tiny insects that are equally important. Ecosystems depend on many organisms to keep them in balance.

When that balance is disrupted organisms cannot thrive, and some may even die. Possible disruptions caused by humans include pollution, deforestation, land development, or removing too many resources like water. Making wise choices to protect ecosystems will help all the living things continue to live and thrive. It's important to remember that not all disruptions are caused by humans, some happen naturally.

Newly introduced organisms can throw off the balance of an ecosystem.

Another way humans impact ecosystems is by introducing invasive species. Invasive species are living things not naturally found in that ecosystem.

They upset the natural balance. Wild pigs were introduced to the United States centuries ago. Each year they cause billions of dollars of damage to crops. Wild pigs eat turkey eggs and other animals. Since they are no longer in their native environment, wild pigs do not have any natural predators, so their population is difficult to control.

In nature, an ecosystem is balanced with predator-prey relationships that keep populations from getting too high.

When invasive species are introduced three possible things can happen to existing animals. (1) The animals can adapt and stay in that ecosystem. (2) The existing animals die or (3) the animals can move somewhere else to find a new home.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPE OF ECOSYSTEMS

ECOSYSTEMS VOCABULARY

Anything that doesn't grow and reproduce such as rocks, soil, air or water.

A living thing similar to a plant that is usually found growing in water. They produce their own food through photosynthesis like plants do, but algae have no leaves, stems or roots.

A closed container of plants and other living things that shows you how an ecosystem works.

Tiny living things that are everywhere around us. We can only see them with a very powerful microscope. They come in different shapes such as rods, spirals, and spheres. Bacteria are important in an ecosystem to break down dead and decaying matter.

ECOSYSTEMS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

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Ecosystems | Science Lesson For Kids | Grades 3-5

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Do you want to learn about the different types of ecosystems? Watch this fun ecosystems video for kids in your 3rd, 4th or 5th grade class!

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An Introduction to Biomes | Kids Discover Online

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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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BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Lepus americanus, snowshoe hare: INFORMATION

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BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species

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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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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes. A biome is a community of plants and animals living together in a certain kind of climate. Scientists have classified regions of the world into different biomes.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to investigate biomes, then test your knowledge about the biomes by completing each mission.

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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A biome is a large region of Earth that has a certain climate and certain types of living things. Major biomes include tundra, forests, grasslands, and deserts. The plants...

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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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Learn new things about living things all over the planet.

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Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site.

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The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome.

Some of the biomes on Earth include:

Desert - very dry, either hot or cold

Tundra - cool, treeless, and dry

Chaparral or scrub - coastal area with hot, dry summers and mild, cool, rainy winters

Taiga or Coniferous Forest - cool and dry, with coniferous trees

Temperate Deciduous Forest - cool and rainy, with deciduous trees

Grassland - Windy, partly dry sea of grass with few trees, including tropical savanna, prairie, steppe, pampas, etc.

Mountain biomes: there are a lot of different mountainous biomes, from grasslands at low altitudes, taiga (coniferous forests) below the treeline, and alpine (the same as tundra)

Temperate Rain Forest - cool and wet

Tropical Rain Forest - warm and very wet

Land Cave - cool and dark

Wetlands - there are many types of wetlands, including swamps, marshes, moors, bogs, fens, sloughs, etc.

Freshwater Marsh - a wetland located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes

Temperate ponds

Marine (ocean or sea) - including

euphotic (sunlit) zone

littoral or intertidal zones

coral reef (warm shallow salt-water environments based on coral formations)

estuarine biomes (where rivers meet oceans)

pelagic biomes (open seas near the surface)

disphotic (twilight) zone

midnight (aphotic) zone

benthic biomes (bottom)

sea trenches

sea Caves

And many more.

Some Land (Terrestrial) Biomes:

In this worksheet, write the definition of a word, what part of speech it is, and use it in a sentence. Words: biome, wetland, tropical, temperate, prairie, chaparral, intertidal zone, rainforest, tundra, taiga. Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf of the questions and answers (subscribers only).

In this worksheet, the student is given a series of short answers using biome-related words. For each answer, the student writes a short question.

A list of words related to biomes and ecosystems.

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biome habitat ecosystem ecology niche taiga animal printouts

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tundra desert tropical rain forest rainforest forests firest deciduous conifer chaparal chapparal animal coloring pages taigas cold forest boreal forest cold climate forest northern coniferous forest

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Habitat Animal Printouts. The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome.

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Ocean Biome Description

A common belief is that the ocean biome was the first one to exist. More than 3 million years ago the first life forms were able to derive from here. While that is still a debated fact, you can't help but recognize the importance of the ocean biome. While the water is refreshing to look at and enjoyable to be around, there is so much activity going on within it.

We tend to fail to realize all that lives in the ocean biome though. That is because most of the plants and animals live in the areas of it where we don't spend our time. Even if you go out in to the ocean to where your feet can't touch, you are no where near the depths of what really exists out there. It is fascinating, and as you learn more you will be in awe of the ocean biomes.

Approximately 70% of the Earth's surface is covered in water from oceans. There are five ocean biomes in the world - Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. They also branch off into some of the major seas. This includes the Mediterranean Sea, the South China Sea, and the Caribbean Sea.

Have you ever wondered just how much salt is in there? It is estimated that there is one cup of salt for every gallon of water. The deepest part of any ocean biome in the world is the Mariana Trench. It is 36,200 feet deep. It is amazing to think that the deepest point in the water is longer than the tallest point we have on land!

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of all ocean biomes in the world. It is 64 million square miles. The ocean biome at the greatest risk of problems for plant and animal life is the Atlantic Ocean. It is half the size of the Pacific Ocean but it is the one that has the most traffic. Cargo ships carry imports and exports between Africa, America, and Europe.

Ocean Biome Characteristics

There are three layers to recognize in any ocean biome. The top layer is the euphotic and this is where the water is very shallow. Light is able to reach from the top of the water to the bottom of it for this particular layer. In the middle is the disphotic layer and it allows some light to get to the bottom of it. The appearance from the bottom looking up would be similar to how twilight appears.

The deepest layer of the ocean biome is the apotic layer. It is very deep and light is not able to reach the bottom of it. The water is dark and murky in that area. The temperature of the water will also vary based on the layer that you are talking about within the ocean biome. What is also very interesting is that more than half of all the rainfall that occurs in the world is right there over these various ocean biomes.

The average temperature of any ocean biome is 39 degrees. However, that can change based on the depth of the water, the wind, and if the sun is shining or not. In many areas of the Artic Ocean, it is covered with thick layers of ice for most of the year. The water in an ocean biome is always moving. The warm water is moving from the tropics and the cool water is moving from the poles.

The tide of every ocean biome will be altered twice a day. It is really an interesting phenomenon. It can affect the movement patterns and eating habits of the animals that live in such a biome. The pull of the sun and the moon will affect the times of the tide changes as well as the severity of them.

Ocean Biome Flora and Fauna

The types of life that live in the ocean biome are extremely diverse. It is believed that this is the biome where live actually began. There are tons of types of fish found in the ocean biome. They include Angelfish, Blowfish, whales, and an assortment of sharks. You will find Octopus and crab living here.

For many of the large animals that live in the ocean biome, they help to keep it balanced for all of them. They consume many of the smaller animals so that they don't get over populated. Since the temperatures in any ocean biome can be very cold, they have been able to adapt. For example whales have thick layers of fat known as blubber. This helps them to keep their body temperature where it should be.

The Blue Whale is the largest mammal in the world, and belongs to the ocean biome. Due to the enormous size of such an environment though these animals have plenty of room to move around and thrive. There are millions of types of aquatic life found in the ocean biome. It is amazing to compare some of the single cell microorganisms there to the size of the Blue Whale.

The corral is very active in the ocean biome. may be found as well as lobster and . What you will find really depends on the area of the ocean biome. Some of these living things are close to the surface. Others remain deep down in the murky waters so they are rarely seen. There are animals in the ocean biome that live close to shore and those that are many miles from land.

Ocean Biome: Importance and Threats

Due to the enormous size of the corral reef within the ocean biome, it has been classified as its own specific biome. It may surprise you to discover that there is a great deal of variety in the corral habitats. They are a very important entity though to any ocean biome.

If you don't think the ocean biome is extremely important you need to pay close attention. Oxygen is essential for all living things including humans. Without it, we wouldn't be able to survive in any given biome in the world. The ocean biome is home to kelp and phytoplankton. They offer 50% of the oxygen that all living things in the world depend on!

Problems including the recent BP oil spill though continue to threaten the future for many plants and animals in the ocean biome. The long term effects of such damages from that oil spill won't be known until well into the future. Even with all the efforts that have been implemented for rescue and clean up, the damages to what lives in the ocean there has already occurred on many levels.

Scientists have identified and categorized more than 1 million different types of plants and algae in the ocean biomes. It is believed that thousands more of them are out there that haven't been identified yet. Most of them are believed to be in the apotic layer. How is it possible that we can't identify them all yet?

It can be very risky for humans to be at that depth of water. This is due to the changes in the environment and pressure. It is also very dark down there which can make it dangerous. Plus, with various types of creatures including sharks it can be too big of a risk. There are also volcanoes, mountains, and trenches in the depths of the oceans that make it hard to find what is living in them.

Ocean Biome Related Information

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A common belief is that the ocean biome was the first one to exist. More than 3 million years ago the first life forms were able to derive from here. While that is still a debated fact, you can't help but recognize the importance of the ocean biome.

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Alpine biomes are found on the great mountain ranges around the world including the Andes, Alps and Rocky Mountains. Alpine biomes are usually at an altitude of around 10,000 feet high or more and lie just below the snow lines of mountains. The general climate of an Alpine biome is very cold, icy, snowy and windy.

During the summertime, temperatures in Alpine biomes reach around 40 to 60 degrees fahrenheit, however, come winter, temperatures are well below freezing and as the altitude increases, it can get much colder.

Alpine temperatures are dynamic and can change from warm to cold in one day. Winter seasons last from October to May and summer from June to September. The average rainfall on an Alpine biome is around 12 inches per year. The Latin word for 'Alpine' is 'Alps' meaning 'high mountain', this is where the word comes from. Alpine and Arctic biomes cover around 16% of the earth's surface.

Animals that live in the Alpine Biome

Animals that live in the Alpine regions have to adapt to two different problems. Firstly, the very cold temperature and secondly ultraviolet wavelengths from the sun. Because the Alpine biome is very high, there is less atmosphere to filter the sun's UV rays. Alpine animals hibernate and migrate to warmer areas of the mountains when temperatures become extremely cold. Some animals insulate their bodies with extra layers of fat and fur. There are only warm blooded animals in the Alpine biome and some species of insects.

Alpine animals are naturally aided to adapt to Alpine climates by having shorter limbs such as legs, ears and tails. This helps to reduce heat loss. Alpine animals also have larger lung capacities, more blood cells and haemoglobin because of the increase of pressure and lack of oxygen at higher altitudes.

Despite the challenging landscape and harsh climate, here is a list of animals and birds that live in the Alpine Biome. These animals and birds are featured in our World Wildlife section.

Animal:

Country/Continent: Chickaree North America Chinchilla South America Elk North America/East Asia Ibex North Africa/East Africa/Eurasia Kea Parrot New Zealand Markhor Asia Mountain Goat North America Snow Leopard Central Asia Snowshoe Hare Alaska/Canada/North America

Other animals living high in the mountains are: alpine versions of geckos and skunks, spiders, dragonflies, cockroaches, wētā, grasshoppers, cicadas, flies, moths, flatworms and giant snail.

Terrestrial Biomes:

Alpine Boreal or Taiga Forests Chaparral or Scrub Desert Grassland (Savanna) Temperate Forests Tropical Rainforests Tundra Other Biomes

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Alpine Biomes | Facts, Information & Pictures of Alpine Biomes

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Alpine biomes are found on the great mountain ranges around the world including the Andes, Alps and Rocky Mountains. Alpine biomes are usually at an altitude of around 10,000 feet high or more and lie just below the snow lines of mountains. The general climate of an Alpine biome is very cold, icy, snowy and ...

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Alpine Biome: Climate, Location, Plants and Animals | Earth Eclipse

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Alpine biome describes an ecosystem that doesn’t contain trees due to its high altitude. These biomes are found in mountainous regions across the globe. Their elevation normally ranges between 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) and the area where a mountain’s snow line begins.

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Cold, snowy, windy. When you hear those words they make you think of mountains. The Alpine biome is like winter is to people in New England; snow, high winds, ice, all the typical winter things. In Latin the word for 'high mountain' is 'alpes'. That is where today's word alpine comes from.

Alpine biomes are found in the mountain regions all around the world. They are usually at an altitude of about 10,000 feet or more. The Alpine biome lies just below the snow line of a mountain. As you go up a mountain, you will travel through many biomes. In the North American Rocky Mountains you begin in a desert biome. As you climb you go through a deciduous forest biome, grassland biome, steppe biome, and taiga biome before you reach the cold Alpine biome.

In the summer average temperatures range from 10 to 15° C . In the winter the temperatures are below freezing. The winter season can last from October to May. The summer season may last from June to September. The temperatures in the Alpine biome can also change from warm to freezing in one day.

Because the severe climate of the Alpine biome, plants and animals have developed adaptations to those conditions. There are only about 200 species of Alpine plants. At high altitudes there is very little CO2, which plants need to carry on photosynthesis. Because of the cold and wind, most plants are small perennial groundcover plants which grow and reproduce slowly. They protect themselves from the cold and wind by hugging the ground. Taller plants or trees would soon get blown over and freeze. When plants die they don't decompose very quickly because of the cold. This makes for poor soil conditions. Most Alpine plants can grow in sandy and rocky soil. Plants have also adapted to the dry conditions of the Alpine biome. Plant books and catalogs warn you about over watering Alpine plants.

Alpine animals have to deal with two types of problems: the cold and too much high UV wavelengths. This is because there is less atmosphere to filter UV rays from the sun. There are only warm blooded animals in the Alpine biome, although there are insects. Alpine animals adapt to the cold by hibernating, migrating to lower, warmer areas, or insulating their bodies with layers of fat. Animals will also tend to have shorter legs, tails, and ears, in order to reduce heat loss. Alpine animals also have larger lungs, more blood cells and hemoglobin because of the increase of pressure and lack of oxygen at higher altitudes. This is also true for people who have lived on mountains for a long time, like the Indians of the Andes Mountains in South America and the Sherpas of the Himalayas in Asia.
Bibliography:
"Himalayas", http://encarta.msn.com/find/, (June 2000).

"General Ecology, EEOB 404", http://www.tulane.edu/~eeob/Courses/Ecology_Materials/arctic_alpine_99f.html, (June 2000).

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Cold, snowy, windy. When you hear those words they make you think of mountains. The Alpine biome is like winter is to people in New England; snow, high winds, ice, all the typical winter things. In Latin the word for 'high mountain' is 'alpes'. That is where today's word alpine comes from.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

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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.

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Desert Biome Description

The desert biome is one that is very hot and dry. They are found at the lower latitudes, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Light winds occur often which evaporates any type of moisture that is typically going to develop in them. The heat is very dry and that makes it hard for too many types of plants or animals to be able to survive in such biomes. Approximately 20% of the Earth falls into this category.

Some of the desert biomes are extremely large. For example the Sahara desert in Africa is more than 3.5 million square miles in size. Others are extremely dry. For example the Atacama desert in Chile is a place that gets about ½ an inch of precipitation annually. It never rains there - the precipitation comes from the fog.

The desert biome has two extremes that make it difficult to survive. First, it is extremely hot and second, it is extremely dry. Most people don't realize though that it can be come cold as the sun goes down in the desert. This is because there are very few trees or other elements there to retain any heat. The changes in the temperatures can be very harsh for a human which is why it can be so dangerous to be exploring in the desert on your own.

One of the famous desert biomes out there is called Death Valley. It is located in the Mojave Desert which is in the United States. It spans through three states - Arizona, Nevada, and California. It is 25,000 square miles of sand as far as the eyes can see.

That says it all when most people consider what this particular area is going to be like. Many desert biomes can go several years at a time without any rainfall at all. It will depend though on the exact location as there is quite a bit of difference when you consider the conditions on these environments.

Desert Biome Characteristics

A desert biome is one that receives less than 10 inches of annual precipitation. What some people don't realize is that a desert can be extremely hot during the day but then very cool at night. The extreme changes in temperature from day to night can make it very hard for living things to successfully thrive in such an environment.

Many desert biomes are formed in areas not too far from mountain locations. Scientists believe that this is the result of a rain shadow. The process involves air moving up and over the mountain range. As it moves though it gets cooler which means it is harder for it to retain any moisture. That is when it will rain or even snow if the temperatures are cool enough.

However, the opposite is going to occur as the air is moving down the other side of the mountain. It is going to get warmer as it moves downward. This warm air though is going to hold on to the moisture in it. When you are talking about temperatures that easily exceed 100 degrees in many desert biomes, that is why it hardly ever is going to rain in these locations.

Desert Biome Fauna

There is very limited types of plant and animal life that are able to live in the desert biome. Those that do live in the desert biome have learned to adapt to the temperatures. They have also learned to survive with very little water and very little food. The majority of the animals living in the desert biome are nocturnal. This means they sleep during the heat of the day and they are active at night when the sun goes down.

Desert animals don't need to feed very often which is why almost all of them are very small. They also don't need to find water independently. They get the water they need from their sources of food. Ants are quite plentiful in the desert biome. They create underground tunnels where they are able to stay out of the heat.

A variety of rodents including mice and the shrew live in these conditions as well. The desert biome is also where you will find the tarantula. These spiders are very dangerous and they don't seem to mind the harsh conditions either. Medium sized animals found living in the desert biome include rabbits, rattlesnakes, and porcupines.

Of course there are larger animals in the desert biome as they are able to feed on the small ones. Don't be surprised if you find the puma, bobcat or dingo around. In various areas of the desert biome there are deer living there that they will find upon. In certain desert locations you will also find camels.

One of the living creatures in the desert biome that thrives with these harsh conditions is the Gila Monster. It is a very aggressive type of retile. It feeds on eggs and on small mammals. This creature needs the heat for its body to stay regulated. It can be active both during the day and the night. They are very dangerous to humans due to the toxic venom that is produced when they bite.

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Desert Biome Flora

In order for any plants to survive in the desert biome, they have to be able to collect and store what water is present. They also have to be able to reduce the water evaporating from them. The cactus is the number one plant you will find living in a desert biome. The design of this plant makes it possible for them to hold onto the moisture they have.

The hard leaves make it possible for them to handle the extreme changes in temperature from day to night that occur in a desert biome. The cactus also has a hairy texture that helps the plants to reflect the heat from the sun. This is why they are able to withstand that high level of heat without suffering.

In the Canary Islands you will find the Dragon Tree living. That is the only desert biome where it grows. It has a long truck and then wide leaves that are very hard. It can create a sap that is very dark red in color. The aloe plant is also found in the desert biome. Aloe has always been a very important type of natural healing medicine. It helps to soothe burns and to promote healing.

Global Warming

The future for the desert biome is one that many worry about. Issues including global warming continue to cause changes to the natural pattern of weather behaviors. The desert is already extremely dry and hot. Should those temperatures continue to increase then there could be problems for the plants and animals that live there.

When you combine that with the possibility of additional heat is going to reduce the already low amount of rainfall, it could spell out disaster. These plants and animals are already surviving with so little. It would be next to impossible for them to be able to continue to thrive in such an environment with even less. There are all ready projections that claim the diversity of plants and animals in the desert biome will decrease by at least 15% over the next 50 years.

Desert Biome Related Information

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The desert biome is one that is very hot and dry. They are found at the lower latitudes, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Light winds occur often which evaporates any type of moisture that is typically going to develop in them.

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Alpine Biome: Climate, Location, Plants and Animals | Earth Eclipse

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Alpine biome describes an ecosystem that doesn’t contain trees due to its high altitude. These biomes are found in mountainous regions across the globe. Their elevation normally ranges between 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) and the area where a mountain’s snow line begins.

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Snowshoe Hare

The Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is also called the 'Varying Hare'. The snowshoe hare is found in alpine regions of North America, Alaska and Canada.

The population of the snowshoe hare fluctuates tremendously on a roughly 10 year cycle, due to the availability of food and predator interactions.

Snowshoe Hare Description

The snowshoe hare has a body length of 36 - 52 centimetres and a tail length of 2.5 - 5.5 centimetres. It is larger than other hares and weighs around 3 to 4 pounds as an adult. The snowshoe hare is appropriately named because it has very large back feet. It looks as if it is wearing large shoes made for walking in the snow. These large feet prevent the hare from sinking into the deep snow as it hops and walks, as the toes can spread out to act like snowshoes. Their feet also have fur on the bottom, which protects them from the cold and gives them traction in the snow.

During the winter, the snowshoe hares fur turns white in colour to help it camouflage from predators. During summer, its fur turns a rusty/brown colour. Throughout the year, however, its flanks remain white and there are distinguishable black tufts of fur on the edge of its ears.

Snowshoe Hare Habitat

The snowshoe hare lives in forest areas where the ground is covered with undergrowth, swamps and thickets.

Snowshoe Hare Diet

Snowshoe hares are herbivores. Their diet consists of plants such as grass, ferns and leaves in the summer and twigs, buds and bark in the winter. The snowshoe hare either feeds alone or in small groups.

Snowshoe Hare Behaviour

The snowshoe hare is nocturnal, mainly active at night and does not hibernate. The Snowshoe hare can run up to 27 miles per hour and jump 10 feet in one hop. It is an expert at escaping predators like the wolf, bobcat or lynx. When a predator chases it, the hare will quickly change direction. Snowshoe hares are also very good swimmers and will jump in the water to make an escape.

Snowshoe Hare Reproduction

Breeding begins in March. A female snowshoe hare may have up to 4 litters per year which average 2 - 4 young which are born well furred, with their eyes open. During breeding season males will compete for females and females may breed with several males.

Snowshoe Hare Conservation Status

The Snowshoe hare is classed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN.

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Snowshoe Hare - Facts, Diet & Habitat Information

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Snowshoe Hare The Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is also called the 'Varying Hare'. The snowshoe hare is found in alpine regions of North America, Alaska and Canada. The population of the snowshoe hare fluctuates tremendously on a roughly 10 year cycle, due to the availability of food and predator interactions.

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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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Tropical Rainforest Description

Tropical rainforest biomes are found in the lower latitudes. The temperature is generally around 80 degrees. There is very high humidity too - from 77% to 88%. There isn't a big change in seasons like there are with many other biomes. Instead, this is what you can expect day after day. It will rain just about every day due to the high humidity. That humidity mixes with the heat to create cumulus clouds. For millions of years it has been this way in this particular biome.

In a tropical rainforest, they are very dense and very wet all the time. In fact, it is typical for it to rain every single day. The amount of rain per day though can vary. The location of the tropical rainforest is around the equator. They are primarily found within the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. You will find tropical rainforest biomes in Australia, the Southeast of Asia, the Southern portion if India, and South America.

You may not be aware that a tropical rainforest can be found in many different types of terrain. This includes mountains, plains, and river valleys. The amount of rainfall that each gets as well as the temperatures there are the main differences. There is also a big difference regarding the types of plants and animals that live there. The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon Rainforest found in South America.

Tropical Rainforest Biome Characteristics

In a tropical rainforest biome, there are several characteristics that have been identified. They have rainfall that can occur all year long, and often in heavy volume. It is common for them to get at least 100 inches per year. Some areas get up to 400 inches of rain annually. This means from 9 feet to 30 feet of rain may be in any one area of the tropical rainforest biome annually.

You may not be aware though that the rainfall is often recycled in the tropical rainforest biome. The heat during the day causes the water to start evaporating from the environment. As it is in the air clouds form above the canopy. These clouds will then release the water once again in the form of rain.

Due to the enormous sizes of tropical rainforest biomes, scientists have broken it down into four zones. You will find them in all of the various tropical rainforest biomes out there. At the bottom you have the floor of the forest. This is where you will find various types of insects. Large animals that roam the tropical rainforest biome are also found in this location. The next zone is the understory which is very dark and cool. This is located on the ground, under the vast amount of leaves.

The canopy zone is under the trees. The braches can span out so far that the offer a huge canopy that covers the tropical rainforest biome. Here you will find insects, reptiles, birds, and various types of mammals living. Trees that are higher up than the canopy are called emergents. Here you will also find tons of species and insects living.

Tropical Rainforest Biome Fauna

The climate in the tropical rainforest biome is perfect for millions of types of animals and plants to live there. At least 15 million different ones have been identified successfully. It is believed that there are many more though that haven't been identified yet. This is why it is so very important to protect them. The specific types of animals that will be living in a tropical rainforest depend on the location.

Small insects including the Monarch Butterfly and beetles live here. Beetles are very dominant as are termites. There are plenty of ants and spiders found around this biome as well. They can range in size from extremely small to larger ones. These are important parts of the biome even though they aren't as big as other living creatures found in it.

The mammals include a variety of different types of animals. You may find monkeys, bats, possums, kangaroos, tigers, or fox to name a handful of them. Reptiles including a variety of snakes reside here. Many of them are extremely large and they live in the trees of the tropical rainforest biome. Amphibians including the frog and salamander reside in this biome.

Some of the popular birds found living here include the African Gray Parrot, the Australian King Parrot, Eagles, and Hummingbirds. In the water of the tropical rainforest biome you will find various fish. They can include eels or piranhas. This is also home to plenty of species of amphibians which includes numerous frog species.

There are a variety of animals that live in every single layer of the tropical rainforest biome. Some of them stay in only one layer such as in the higher trees. Others though live both in the trees and on land. They will go where they can find food and shelter. They also strive to avoid various predators that share their biome.

Tropical Rainforest Biome Flora

There are thousands of types of flowering plants found in the tropical rainforest biome. What is interesting about them is that the roots aren't in the soil. Instead, they are in the water that comes from the rainfall. These air plants are very important as thousands of types of insects in this biome feed on them.

The flowers that blossom as well as the fruit also provide sources of food for other animals that live in the tropical rainforest biome. The flowers also offer nectar that hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are able to consume. Another valuable plant in this biome is the bromeliads. They have leaves that look similar to those of pineapples. That design collects water in the center of it. Frogs, lizards, and insects live in that area of water.

Both vines and ferns grow all over the tropical rainforest biome. They help to connect the various layers found in the biome. For example there are herbs and mushrooms that grow on the floor. Various types of fruits and nuts grow on the plants and in the trees. Bananas grow on the vines in this particular biome as well.

Due to the heat and the moisture of the tropical rainforest biome, the plants and animals that die in this location rot quickly. The decay though offers plenty of rich nutrients for other plants to grow from. Many of the plants that grow in the rainforest biome offer us ingredients that are used in a variety of medications.

Due to the high humidity in the tropical rainforest biome, there is an abundance of microorganisms. They are able to decompose anything on the forest floor very rapidly. Plants and trees are able to grow fast from the nutrients found in this soil. However, the nutrients are going to remain in the trees and plants. The high level of acid can be very harsh in some areas of the tropical rainforest biome. It can cause erosion to occur.

Greenhouse Effect

The tropical rainforest biome is more important for Earth than most people realize. Scientists have provided us with information that the destruction of these biomes can increase the temperature of Earth. Known as the Greenhouse Effect, which results in less rain. In many biomes the lack of rain can severely create problems for the future of both plants and animals that live in it.

Tropical Rainforest Biome Related Information

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Tropical rainforest biomes are found in the lower latitudes. The temperature is generally around 80 degrees. There is very high humidity too - from 77% to 88%. There isn't a big change in seasons like there are with many other biomes. Instead, this is what you can expect day after day.

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The Alpine Biome is found in mountain ranges all over the world. This biome is usually above 10,000 ft. The Alpine has unique seasons, with its "winter" lasting about 7 months. Average Temperature in Summer: 54.5°F Average Temperature in Winter: <32°F Average Annual Rainfall: 11.7 in.

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Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Facts

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Description

In the polar front zone you will find the deciduous forest biome. The battle rages on between the tropical air masses and the polar air masses. The temperatures can drastically change from one day to the next. They can also change rapidly on the same day. There are distinct seasons where the summers are warmer than in the winters.

The taiga biomes are usually North of the temperate deciduous forest biomes. However, with the changes in environment due to human issues including global warming, they often overlap. In fact, many people often confuse the two biomes on a regular basis. They certainly do have characteristics during the year that can make that mistake very easy to make.

The temperate deciduous forest biome is an area that is very cool and rainy most of the time. In the fall the leaves will fall off of the trees. The following spring they will emerge again. During the summer months the temperature will range from 75 to 86 degrees. For those temperate deciduous forest biomes high up in the mountains, they will be at the cooler side of temperatures. The average temperature is about 50 degrees.

It can also snow during the winter in this particular biome. The average precipitation is from 30 to 60 inches per year. The humidity is also a factor in this type of biome. It ranges from 60% to 80% all the time. The largest temperate deciduous forest biome is found in the Northern part of Russian and into Scandinavia. Here you will find 3 ½ million square miles of land covered in trees!

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Characteristics

The temperate deciduous forest biome receives a large amount of rain annually. In the summer the polar air masses cause it. In the winter, it is the result of the polar and arctic masses that are moving south. The soil is very rich with nutrients in the temperature deciduous forest biome. This is often due to the falling leaves and twigs that turn to natural fertilizer on the ground.

There are five layers found in the temperature deciduous forest biome. The ground layer is home to moss and to lichens. The herb layer allows for short plants to grow. At the shrub layer you will find huckleberries and many other products. The small tree layer is where the saplings are found. The top layer is the tree stratum where you will find them growing from 60 feet to 100 feet tall. They include maple and oak trees.

The long growing seasons in the temperature deciduous forest biomes make them prime locations for lots of agriculture. The soil tends to be extremely fertile and plants and food resources need lots of nutrients to successfully grow. In the spring there is new life for many plants and trees found in this particular biome.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Flora and Fauna

There are plenty of animals and plants found living in the temperature deciduous forest biome. Birds are plentiful here because there are many insects for them to feed upon. Some of the types of birds you will find in this biome include the eagle and the cardinal. There are some extremely small living creatures including the scorpion, ant and earthworm.

You will also find quite a few larger animals living in the temperate deciduous forest biome. Many of them such as the deer and Black Bear eat grass and shrubs. Others including the fox though feed upon other animals that live in this biome. The winter can be very cold and result in a lack of food. Many birds and other animals migrate from this area during the winter months.

There are other animals living in the temperate deciduous forest biome that hibernate in the winter months. This includes the Black Bear. They eat heavily before hibernation and their coats thicken up to keep them warm. They will emerge from dens when it is spring time and food is more plentiful.

Chipmunks and squirrels living in this biome will store up food including nuts for the winter ahead. They work hard to transport them when they are plentiful so that they don't struggle to find enough food when they are scarce. The seeds and nuts they store don't rot due to the cold temperatures.

There are plenty of types of trees that grow in the temperate deciduous forest biome. They include maple and oak trees. In some areas you will find firs and spruce trees. There are also locations where evergreens are present in this particular biome. Many of these trees grow very tall. They create a type of canopy for the lower areas of the forest.

The tallest of all trees that grow in a temperate deciduous forest biome is the Sequoia. They can be up to 275 feet tall and more than 95 feet in circumference. They are found in areas of California in the United States.

However, the canopy is dense rather than thick like in a rainforest. Therefore, the sunlight is able to shine through it for other forms of trees and plants to benefit from. The moss and lichen attach to the trunks of the trees in order to offer additional sources of food for various life forms to consume.

The fact that most humans live in the temperate deciduous forest biome than any other is very important to note. The efforts of humans can be a detriment to the environment. It can result in plants and animals having to make very quick adaptations if they are going to continue to live there. Humans can also be a threat to the overall survival of many of these plants and animals if everyone doesn't take a careful look at their own actions.

Threats and Conservation

While there are approved hunting seasons such as for deer and elk in the temperate deciduous forest biome, there are also times when these animals are hunted illegally. Such efforts can significantly upset the overall balance within this particular biome. For example there are areas where both bison and elk are almost completely wiped out in the temperate deciduous forest biome.

The temperature deciduous forest biomes continue to be cut down. The trees from these areas are used for construction, firewood, and plenty of other materials that we use all the time. Many of these forest areas are also cleared away so that farmland can be used for growing foods. It is important for these biomes to be conserved though.

We rely on the oxygen from the trees in the temperate deciduous biome more than most people realize. We also need to leave these environments in tact. Otherwise, the animals and plants that are found here will die. There are some conservation efforts in place but the damage has already had a severe impact in many of these biome locations around the world.

A big part of such conservation efforts involves educating the public about what their actions cause. Too often humans take action but don't realize the ripple effect it will have on all living things in that biome. Even if they do know, they may think that as humans they are more important than these plants or animals. However, we must realize that without them we won't be able to survive either.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Related Information

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In the polar front zone you will find the deciduous forest biome. The battle rages on between the tropical air masses and the polar air masses. The temperatures can drastically change from one day to the next. They can also change rapidly on the same day.

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Savanna Biome Description

When we think of the Savanna Biome, it is understandable that we think of hot and dry areas. However, it may surprise you to learn that there is a very wet season and then a very dry season in the Savanna. They are found in the lower latitudes. This particular biome falls in between a grassland and a forest region. They often border the rainforests and can overlap with other types of biomes.

There are many areas out there where you will find the savanna biomes. They include Africa, Australia, Madagascar, India, South America, and the Southeast part of Asia. Sometimes the animals and plants living in the savanna biome are on the brink of death before they rainy season begins. They may not be able to make it any longer without water when suddenly it begins to pour from the sky.

The largest place where you will find the savanna biome is in Africa. In fact, 46% of the land there fits this particular profile. That is why it is very hard for them to sustain growing their own food in many locations. You often see that this is an underdeveloped country, and a big part of it is that the land they have to work with is very difficult for such survival.

Savanna Biome Characteristics

There are only a few scattered trees found in the savanna biome. There is both a dry and a rainy season that occur in the savannah biome. These each last for extended periods of time. As a result the supply of food can be very high at some times of the year. Then they are very low at others.

The plants and animals living in the savanna biome have had to adapt to such issues. Many of the animals have to migrate around the biome in order to find enough food and water for survival during these changing seasons. The annual rainfall in a savanna biome is 59 inches. During the dry season the average daily temperature is 93 degrees. During the rainy season it drops to a more comfortable average of 61 degrees.

Something that is very interesting in the savanna biomes is that the soil types are very diverse. Experts have found just about every type of soil in such biomes. There are many factors that will influence what the soil is in a given location. They include the climate, the terrain, and the amount of precipitation that the area receives annually.

Fire is very common in the savanna biome at various times of the year. However, the plants and animals here are adaptable to it. Even in areas that get severely burned, less than 10% of the plants will die from it. The stems and the roots of these plants seem to be able to thrive due to how thick they are. Some of the plants are made from materials that is highly flammable which is why a fire can spread so rapidly in these areas.

Savanna Biome Fauna

The Savanna biome may offer harsh conditions, but there are still plants and animals out there that are able to survive in them. When it comes to animals there are some very small creatures out there. There are quite a few invertebrates including beetles, grasshoppers, and termites.

There are also many larger animals that are found in the savanna biome. They include lions, leopards, deer, , , and the The meat eating animals depend on there being enough herds out there eating the grass and shrubs that they can all survive. There is a huge interdependence among animals and plants in the savanna biome.

The people of Africa that live in a savanna biome often try to raise cattle and goats for them to have food supplies. They rely on the grasses that grow here for those animals to be able to graze. They often lose some of their animals to various wild animals that happen to live in this biome. To help prevent that they may put out traps or even hunt those that they think will cause trouble in a particular habitat location.

Savanna Biome Flora

Wild grass is the biggest type of plant life that grows in the savanna biome. It is also one of the most important. It provides food for plenty of types of animals. Without it, they would starve. That would in turn make it very hard for larger meat eating animals to survive. That is because they hunt down those wild grass eating animals.

There are various types of trees that will grow in particular areas of a savanna biome. They include pine trees, palm trees, and acacia trees. They can grow in clumps and that offers some shade to the various animals that live in this type of environment.

You may not be aware of the fact that out of all the biomes in the world, the savanna has something unique. Here you will find the most diverse population of herbivores and large mammals. As you can see from the various examples here, without one the other would not be able to continue to survive here.

Savanna Threats

Due to the rainy and dry season of the savanna biome, that is what controls the structure there. Scientists worry that is global warming continues as it has been that will be a huge problem for what lives in this particular biome. The animals and plants would not be able to survive with more heat and less rain. Some of them would be able to adapt but overall the diversity of such areas won't be eliminated.

Tourism seems to be a huge economic boost for many savanna biomes, especially in Africa. However, the introduction of vehicles, humans, and their pollutants to such an environment can be very hazardous to both the plants and animals that live in such areas. Many people travel here to be taken on a safari. That allows them to be up close and personally see all of the plants and animals that live here.

There are also guided hunts in the savanna biome of Africa. Many of them are done illegally too such a those for lions or for elephants. However, there are experienced hunters from around the world that are after the ultimate thrill.. They want the power and the excitement of being able to hunt for something that is so exotic and over the top.

However, many of these animals are very low in numbers and by hunting them it jeopardizes the future of that savanna biome. There has to be a balance there of predators and animals for them to consume. Lions are top predators and when they are being wiped out of a region there can end up being too many deer, zebra, and other grass eating animals.

That is turn can result in overgrazing which makes it harder for the grasses to be replenished. It can also lead to many animals starving to death instead of the natural balance being part of what keeps the numbers regulated. The savanna biome is very important to us even if we often see it as just a dry place that we aren't accustomed to seeing other than in photos or on TV documentaries.

Savanna Biome Related Information

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When we think of the Savanna Biome, it is understandable that we think of hot and dry areas. However, it may surprise you to learn that there is a very wet season and then a very dry season in the Savanna. They are found in the lower latitudes.

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Grassland Biome Description

Along certain areas of North America and Eurasia you will find grassland biomes. There are mountain ranges in place that prevent the ocean air masses from affecting these areas. As a result the polar air can become dominant, giving way to some colder temperatures in the winter months. However, in the summer the continental air mass is dominant. As a result there is some rainfall during the summer.

However, there are also very long periods of drought. This can allow fires to break out in a grassland biome. The combination of drought and fires is what prevents this particular biome from becoming more forest like. Yet the fires won't destroy the grass as they grow from the bottom of the stems. Therefore they can continue to grow even if the tops of them have been singed by the fire.

You will find grassland biomes in the middle latitudes. Those that have oceans close by get more rain. They also have colder winters. However, there are those grassland biomes such as around Siberia that are extremely cold and windy. This is because they don't have the mountains around to help break the wind. They are found in North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa.

The temperatures can be from -40 degrees in the winter to about a comfortable 70 degrees in the summer. There are two seasons here - the growing season and the dormant season. During the dormant season nothing is able to grow due to the very cold temperatures. You may be surprised to learn that there can be 6 feet or more of snow on the ground during the winter months in the grassland biome.

The length of the growing season will depend on how long the rainy season it. When it is long so is the growing season. Approximately 25% of the Earth is a grassland biome. They can be further classified as either tropical or temperate grassland biomes. With the tropical scenario, it is hot all year long. There are several rainy periods throughout the year.

With the temperate grassland biomes, there is a hot summer and a cold winter. While it does rain often, the hot weather results in most of it evaporating. Therefore it doesn't get deep down into the soil. There is often quite a bit of wind that occurs in this particular biome as well. That can help with scattering the seeds of various types of plants and flowers.

Grassland Biome Characteristics

The grassland biome is considered to be a transitional location. They are found between the desert and the forest biomes. If there was more rain, they would be considered a forest biome. However, if there was less rain it would be a desert biome. This is why the issues of global warming are very serious for this particular biome. It is also why so many people often overlook this particular biome as being a separate entity.

The summer months are very hot in a grassland biome. They are also very cold in the winter months. The grassland biomes are very large areas. You will find them full of herbs, grass, and flowers. There can also be trees in small areas, but they will be spread out rather than close together like they are in most other biomes. The soil is very thin in this biome though so these aren't trees that are wide and tall. They are very thin and small.

There is enough precipitation in a grassland biome to support such living things. You may often hear it referred to as the prairie. There are two different climates found in a grassland biome. Some of them offer tall grass and the area is very wet. The grass in these areas can be up to 5 feet tall. There is also a great deal of humidity in this area. The second option is an area that offers short grass and it is dry. The grass may barely peak above the ground.

In many areas there can be an in between of both the tall and short grassland biome characteristics. This is typically referred to as the mixed grasslands. They tend to have grass that is about 2 or 3 feet tall. The terrain and climate in these different areas can affect how tall the grass will be. The amount of rainfall is also a contributing factor.

Grassland Biome Flora and Fauna

It is believed that there are at least 80 species of animals that live in the grassland biome. There are over 300 species of birds that either permanently live there or that migrate in and out of the area. There are hundreds of different types of plants that are known to grow in this particular type of biome. The animals that live here have learned how to adapt to the dry conditions and the wind.

There is quite a bit of diversity found among the animals living in the grassland biome. They include those that burrow under the ground, those that graze and eat the grass, and those that consume other animals that live in this biome. It is a cycle of life that is evident here for all to benefit from.

You will find lots of great hunters out there in the grassland biome. They include the , bobcats, and . There are also quite a few plant eating animals out there. They include the Bison, Prairie Chicken, and Crickets. There are also numerous birds such as Canadian Geese and Eagles.

Small creatures do very well in the grassland biome. They include grasshoppers and beetles. It is important to note that the terrain can be very different among the various grassland biomes out there. This is why there is such diversity with animals and plants living in one grassland biome but not others.

The most common types of plant life in the Grassland biome include Buffalo Grass, Crazy Weed, and Wild Indigos. Such plants offer plenty of food sources for various animals that live in this biome. There are also plenty of meat eating animals that live here too. They are going to consume those animals that are plant eaters.

There is a very delicate balance in the grassland biome between the plants and the animals. They all depend on each other for survival. During an extended drought season, plants and grass may not grow as plentiful as it should. That can result in many animals that depend on those food sources starving. That can also mean less prey for the meat eating animals that live in the grassland biome.

Threats and Conservation

In fact, many grassland biomes are quickly disappearing due to the efforts of humans. The wild lands have been taken over by people to use for a variety of needs that they have. In Africa , this habitat has become protected so that animals such as the lion and elephant won't become extinct. However, even with such conservation efforts in place their numbers remain drastically low.

There are also some excellent programs for conservation in many locations around the United States. Programs have been implemented to plant grass in areas that were cleared out. The hope is that such efforts will help us to be able to maintain the grassland biomes. It is also a means of helping the plants and animals here to have a way to survive.

Grassland Biome Related Information

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Along certain areas of North America and Eurasia you will find grassland biomes. There are mountain ranges in place that prevent the ocean air masses from affecting these areas. As a result the polar air can become dominant, giving way to some colder temperatures in the winter months.

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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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Tundra Biome Facts

Tundra Biome Description

The tundra biome is believed to be the youngest of all of them in the world. It was believed to have formed approximately 10,000 years ago. Approximately 20% or of the surface of the Earth falls into this category.

You will find the tundra biome along the coastal regions of the arctic. The combination of polar air and arctic air masses dominate in this particular biome. There is a very long winter and it is cold and harsh. The summer is short and mild, but most experts don't view it as a true summer season.

The tundra biome consists of wasteland that is extremely cold. There are lots of rocks too but not very much vegetation. There are almost no trees at all found in this particular biome. The area is very cold and often dry. Yet the temperatures don't warm up enough for the snow that is in place to melt completely. Muddy areas can develop when it does warm up though as some of the ice begins to melt.

Greenland is the number one place that people think of when they consider a tundra biome. They also think about areas of Alaska. However, there are also areas of Northern Canada and Northern Russia that are a tundra biome. The span of the tundra biome is mainly in areas where most people have never been. They would find such living conditions to be too harsh for them to thrive there.

Tundra Biome Characteristics

The temperatures are very low in the tundra biome. In the winter time they can be as low as -58 degrees F. In the summer it is rarely above 54 degrees F. It is usually very dark in the winter months. Even the summer doesn't offer much sunlight as it is often cloudy during those 6 to 8 weeks. There isn't much rainfall in such areas, less than 30 inches annually. The majority of the moisture though comes from the ice and the snow pack. Approximately ¾ of the tundra biome is permafrost.

Due to the balance of animals and plants not being equal in the tundra biome, it is one of the few places on Earth known as a carbon dioxide sink. This means more carbon dioxide is taken in than in released back out. It is believed that this has contributed to the growing global warming concerns for the tundra biome.

If such global warming continues, the temperatures will be higher than they have ever been in this biome. As a result, layers of permafrost can completely melt. That would completely transform the overall structure and balance among plants and animals that live in the tundra biome.

You would think that this biome would be one free of people, but it isn't. In fact, many people continue to move to them in order to get work on oil rigs and in the mines. As a result this has caused some additional stress for both plants and animals that live in this natural environment. The efforts of humans have brought with them additional problems. For example where they place roads can be destroying the natural habitat of living elements.

Another example is that there are huge masses of insects that live in the tundra biome. Humans have used large amounts of pesticides to help reduce problems they have had with them. However, birds that are migrating depend on those insects as a source of food. They have found there is less and less each year when they pass through.

Tundra Biome Fauna

The Arctic Fox is able to survive in the tundra biome. This is a fairly small animal with a very thick coat. It usually weighs about 6 pounds and is about 12 inches in length. They are solitary animals that will do very well in the tundra biome due to their adaptive nature. It is able to make burrows under ground to escape the severe cold temperatures found there.

They are scavengers so they are willing to consume anything they find in order to survive. It is typical of them to find remains that Polar Bears and other animals have left behind. Other food sources include berries, birds, eggs, insects, and fish. There are thousands of Arctic Fox that live in the tundra biome.

Caribou also live in the tundra biome. There are approximately 5 million of them that are known to reside in this type of climate. They are also referred to as Reindeer. This is the only species of deer where both sexes develop antlers. They have a body that works very well for the climate in the tundra biome.

They have very large hooves that allow them to get through the thick snow without using too much energy. These hooves also allow them to have the traction they need for walking through muddy marsh areas. They use their hooves and antlers to remove snow so that they can find sources of food. They consume lichens, shrubs, flowers, and mushrooms. When food sources are scarce in the tundra biome they are able to slow down their metabolism.

There are many other types of animals that are able to live in the tundra biome. They include Grizzly Bear, , Snowy Owl, and the magnificent Polar Bear. Each of these animals have their own roles to play in such a society in order for all to survive. There have been a total of 48 different species of animals living in the tundra biome.

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Tundra Biome Flora

There are also quite a few types of plants found in the tundra biome. They include Arctic Willow, Arctic Moss, Caribou Moss, and Tufted Saxifrage. In this particular biome, the bitter cold makes it hard for most types of plants to survive. The harsh winds can blow up to 100 miles per hour.

However, the Arctic Moss is still able to grow in spite of such conditions. It grows as the bottom of lake beds in the tundra biome. It grows extremely slow and that could be part of why it is able to survive in such harsh conditions. This type of moss is very useful in this biome though. It offers a source of food for birds and other animals that migrate.

In fact, all of the plants found in the tundra biome grow very slowly due to the cool temperatures. There are more than 2,000 types of plants that can grow there. Most of them are types of moss. However, you will also find shrubs, grass, and some willow out there as well. Approximately 400 different species of flowers have been identified in the tundra biome.

It is believed that there could be more plants and animals that live in the tundra biome. However, due to the fact that it is hard for researches to survive in this area it is hard to find out. The other factor is that spending time looking around could prove to be far too stressful and disruptive for those that live in this particular biome.

Tundra Threats

Due to the fact that living conditions can be harsh in the tundra biome, many fail to realize it is a very fragile environment. The contributions from pollution due to oil rigs, big trucks transporting materials, and factories are taking a toll on the plants and animals. It is also causing problems for aquatic life that lives in this area.

Tundra Biome Related Information

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The tundra biome is believed to be the youngest of all of them in the world. It was believed to have formed approximately 10,000 years ago. Approximately 20% or of the surface of the Earth falls into this category. You will find the tundra biome along the coastal regions of the arctic.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. It is also found at cool, high elevations in the more temperate latitudes, for example, in much of the mountainous western region of North America. Much of the taiga in North America was once covered with glaciers. As the glaciers receded, cuts and depressions were left in the landscape that have since filled with rain creating lakes and bogs.

WEATHER: Long, cold winters, and short, mild, wet summers are typical of this region. In the winter, chilly winds from the arctic cause bitterly cold weather in the taiga. The length of day also varies with the seasons. Winter days are short, while summer days are long because of the tilt of the earth on its axis. Fire is not uncommon in the taiga during the summer. Fires may seem destructive, but they actually help this biome by removing old sick trees, making room for new growth. Precipitation is relatively high in the taiga and falls as snow during the winter and rain during the summer. The total yearly precipitation in the taiga biome is 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm).

PLANTS: Compared to other biomes, the taiga has less diversity in plant life. The most common type of tree found in the taiga is the conifer, or cone-bearing tree. Conifers, also known as evergreens, include pines, spruces and firs. There may also occasionally be deciduous species present, such as oak, birch, willow, or alder, in a particularly wet or disturbed area. The soil in the taiga is thin, acidic and not very nutrient rich. It also is rocky. Due to these factors, plants in the taiga have different adaptations than the plants we find around Santa Barbara.

The< name, evergreen, describes an important adaptation of conifers. Just like Kermit, they are always green! Because they don't drop their leaves in the winter, they don't have to regrow them in the spring. This is good for trees in a tough environment because growing new leaves takes a lot of energy. Another adaptation of conifers to live in the taiga has to do with their needles. Although the taiga has moderately high precipitation, the frozen winter ground makes it difficult for trees to get water. Having thin needles with a waxy coating limits water loss of the conifer through transpiration. The dark color of the pine needles is also important. What happens when you where a dark T-shirt on a sunny day? You get hot, right? This is because your dark shirt is absorbing energy from the sun. Well, the dark needles do the same thing for the evergreen. They help the tree absorb the maximum amount of energy from the sun for photosynthesis. Conifers also have that pointy shape for a good reason. The winter snow slides right off of their branches. Without this shape the heavy snow might break or damage the conifer branches.

ANIMALS: The cold climate of the taiga makes it a difficult place for many animals to live. Many have thick coats of fur to insulate against the cold, and some hibernate. Others migrate to warmer areas in the chilly winters. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels and jays; small mammals like ermine and moles; and larger browsing animals such as deer, moose, elk, and snowshoe hare. The bogs and ponds in the taiga provide a great summertime breeding place for many different insects. Migratory birds often come to the taiga to nest and feed on all these insects. The typical predators for this area are grizzly bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines. These are pretty ferocious, so their prey must adapt to flourish. Some animals hide from predators by changing color to blend into the different summer and winter habitats. For example, the ermine is dark brown in the summer, but in the winter it turns white. What excellent camouflage!

PEOPLE AND THE TAIGA: There are a few large cities in the southern parts of the taiga, such as Moscow and Toronto, but most of it is relatively unpopulated. There are also a few native communities of people who still live indigenously in the taiga. The major industries of the taiga include logging, mining, and hydroelectric development. These activities have had negative impacts on areas of this biome and may continue to negatively affect it in the future. A majority of the logging in the taiga is done by clear-cutting, using heavy machinery to remove much of the surrounding forest. Hydroelectric development may seem beneficial because it uses water to generate power, but it has damaged the taiga by changing stream habitats and flow patterns, and flooding large areas and changing the landscape. Mining is a concern because it may result in pollution of surrounding soils and water, specifically acid rain. Regrowth of mature forests takes a long time because of the climate and soil conditions of the taiga. Many large vertebrates who live in the taiga are sensitive to human presence, habitat alteration, and pollution. Two simple things you can do to help the taiga are learn more about this biome, and use paper wisely making sure to recycle. This will help reduce the need for logging of trees for pulp used to make paper.
LINKS: The Taiga Taiga Topics Blue Planet Biomes: Taiga Taiga Rescue Network Earth Floor: Taiga Geography for Kids: Coniferous Forest Earth Observatory: Coniferous Forest
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra.

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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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Chaparral Biome Description

The chaparral biome is one that is found in areas of every single continent. However, many people don't realize it is the same. That is because there are several different types of terrain that this particular biome is associated with. In some areas they are flat plains but in other regions there are hills. Still yet, others consist of mountain terrain areas. They really are lovely areas with lots to offer.

A chaparral biome is created when cool water from an ocean merges with a landmass that is at a high temperature. You will find them about 30 to 40 degrees below and above the equator. They are found just beyond the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The major chaparral biomes are found along the coast of Baja and California. They are also found in various areas around the Mediterranean Sea.

Chaparral Biome Characteristics

With a chaparral biome you will find that there is a very wet winter and also a very dry summer. The climate changes often with the emergence of different seasons. They summers can be dry enough to create a drought. This dry period can extend for up to five months out of the year. These dry conditions make the risk of fires breaking out very high.

These fires are usually the result of lightning striking in the area. However, there are times when they are started by people being careless. Occasionally those fires may be set intentionally too. While it can be hard to get the fires under control, studies show they really are an essential part of controlling the balance of living things in this particular biome.

The fact that many homes have been built on the edges of these biomes such as in California, it can be a huge threat when such fires break out. Evacuations may be required and homes may be damaged or destroyed. Even so, many people love the beauty of the chaparral biome and want to be able to be surrounded by it.

What is interesting is that many of the plants found in the chaparral biome have leaves that are made from highly flammable materials. That is why the fires are able to spread so quickly rather than just from the dry conditions. What is also interesting though is that those are also the plants that have the ability to withstand the fires. They have heavy bark and deep roots so it isn't long after the fire that they are able to thrive again.

The temperatures in the chaparral biome is about 30 degrees in the winter time. It can be up to 100 degrees in the summer months. There is from 10 to 17 inches of rainfall annually in the chaparral biome. They are found in a mid latitude climate The average temperature in these areas is 64 degrees.

Most of the animals found in the chaparral biome are active at night. It is too hot for them to be very active during the day. There are some exceptions though such as the various lizards. Reptiles seem to do very well in the heat.

Chaparral Biome Flora and Fauna

The extreme conditions found in the chaparral biome are very different just like day and night. As a result, animals and plants that live here have to be highly adaptable. There are quite a few different types of animals that do very well in the conditions of the chaparral biome. They include the , Mule Deer, and .

There are smaller living creatures too including the Lady Bug and Praying Mantis. Honeybees are very popular in the chaparral biome. The animals that live in this biome are able to survive with very little water. They are also able to do well in the heat of the summer and the cooler winter temperatures. Some of them though including species of birds migrate during the winter months.

There are a couple of different types of plants that are able to do very well in a chaparral biome. Sclerophyll plants are often found in the woodland areas of such a biome. The eucalyptus are able to grow in the forests. This is very typical along the chaparral biome of Australia. Cactus is plentiful in the chaparral biome.

You will notice that many of the forms of plants that live in this particular biome have leaves that are small and hard. They are able to retain water due to the design. That helps them to survive in the very hot and dry summer conditions. Others have needle like leaves that allow them to draw moisture out of the air.

If that reminds you of plants you find in the desert biomes you are very right. In fact, the chaparral biome usually borders a desert biome. There is often a great deal of overlapping. In fact, this is why some people think that it does rain often in the desert - they are misinformed about the particular biome they are referring to.

While you will find some plants in this biome as well as the desert biome, they are usually going to be larger in this one. That is due to the additional amount of rainfall. There are plenty of shrubs that are found in this type of environment. There are trees too but many of them are considered dwarfs due to the small size of them. There are plenty of different types of grasses that can grow in the chaparral biome.

Even plants with seeds have become highly adaptive to the chaparral biome fires. Some of these plants only will spout after the dormant seeds have been touched by fire. This is a great example of how the living elements of a biome are able to fit very well with what they have to work with.

Cork oak trees grow in many chaparral biomes around Europe and the Northern part of Africa. They offer plenty of economic income from the oak being harvested. The process is very interesting as it involves the cork on the outer shell of the trees being removed. However, the roots and the entire tree remain upright.

Threats and Conservation

The introduction of tools, humans, and materials to be able to get the cork processing done faster and more efficiently continue to be a threat to the natural environment. It is interesting how such introductions can quickly become upsetting to the natural balance of things. However, many of the animals in these locations have been able to successfully adapt so far.

There is no denying that the chaparral biome is very lovely and inviting. However, development of this natural area happens to be the biggest threat to it. The view is great and the warm temperatures are inviting. The fact that many people want to live in California near the coast is also a draw to such regions. They don't want to be in the busy areas of California so they choose this location instead.

Another big threat to the chaparral biome is pollution, especially in the California area. With people building homes and even industry getting closer to them, the air pollution is a factor. There are also issues with animals being hunted or venturing into areas where their habitat overlaps with that of humans.

Chaparral Biome Information

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The chaparral biome is one that is found in areas of every single continent. However, many people don't realize it is the same. That is because there are several different types of terrain that this particular biome is associated with. In some areas they are flat plains but in other regions there are hills.

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Taiga Biome Description

The taiga biome is one that has very long and cold winters. They summers are short and they are cool in temperature. The cool air masses from the arctic can move in rapidly. The average temperature in the summer is from 64 degrees to 72 degrees. However, in the winter months it can be -14 degrees. Taiga biome makes up 29% of the world's forest cover.

There is heavy snowfall in the winter months. During the summer it is humid and rainy. The average annual rainfall is approximately 33 inches for the taiga biome. There is often no cloud cover in this biome so the temperatures can drop very fast at night. It does warm up enough in the spring though for flowers to melt and the ice to melt into the ponds.

The taiga biome is the home of the needle leaf forest regions. It is a lonely existence in this area. As a result many of the animals in this area often suffer from struggles to find enough food to survive. It may surprise you to discover that this particular biome is the largest one in the world. You will find it over various areas of North America and Eurasia. The largest taiga biomes are found in Russia and Canada.

Taiga Biome Characteristics

There isn't very much annual precipitation that occurs in the taiga biome. There is some though in the summer months. This tends to create problems due to the heavy bark found on the trees there. The outbreak of fires during the summer months in the taiga biome is very high. During the colder time of the year, there are extremely cool winds that make it hard to survive in such conditions.

The rich forest are of the taiga biome takes over where the tundra biome ends. During the longer parts of summer, there can be up to 20 hours of daylight given. The temperatures though can severely dip and rise over the course of any 24 hour period. Therefore, you must be ready for what this particular biome offers.

The quality of the soil found in the taiga biome is very poor. They lack the essential nutrients to support large trees. The soil is also very thin here due to the cold weather. The leaves that fall from the smaller trees though due offer a type of natural fertilizer that can be very beneficial to the soil. However, the needles from the evergreens have acid in them and that further result in the quality of the soil further deteriorating in those areas.

Taiga Biome Flora and Fauna

Due the fact that food sources are even more difficult during the winter, animals in the taiga biome have adapted to this. For example many of them migrate to warmer locations during the winter. They do so for shelter just as much as they do for the ability to find food. Other animals in the taiga biome remain there all winter. However, they hibernate so they don't need to forage for food during the winter months.

There isn't nearly as many plants or animals that live in the taiga biome as others. However, what you will find a huge abundance of are insects. Birds often come to the taiga biome to feed on these insects. They also will breed in this area before going back to their permanent location. It is believed that more than 32,000 species of insects live in this particular biome.

There are more than 300 species of birds found in the taiga biome. They nest in this area so that they can successfully feed on those insects. Studies show that only about 30 species of these birds remain there in the winter months. The rest migrate to warmer climates.

There are several types of animals that seem to do well in the taiga biome. Most of them are predatory animals that feed on other animals that also live in that biome. These animals include the, bobcat, and . They are able to eat a variety of foods including elk, deer, mouse, rabbits, and squirrels.

The American Black Bear is found in the taiga biome. It consumes a variety of different foods including twigs, leaves, and plants. Only about ¼ of what they eat is in the form of small prey and left over carcasses. They do hibernate in the winter time so that they don't have to forage for food during that difficult period of time in the taiga biome.

You will notice that many of the animals that live in the taiga biome are able to change their color based on the time of year. That helps them to remain camouflaged from predators. They also have thicker coats in the winter, and they will shed them in the summer months.

Coniferous trees are very common in the taiga biome. This is why it is often referred to as the boreal forest. These types of trees include Douglas Fir, White Spruce, and Hemlock. There are also lots of lichen and moss that grow in the taiga biome. They offer a great source of food for the insects that live in this environment.

The coniferous trees have long thin needles and they are known as evergreens. They have wax on the needles and that helps to offer them protection from the harsh winds of the taiga biome. These types of trees don't shed their leaves during the winter either. Instead, they remain part of the tree all year long. You will also find that they are close together in this region. That helps them to avoid damage from the wind too.

The Balsam Fir also is found in the taiga biome. They can grow to be up to 80 feet tall which is remarkable. They can also end up living for up to 200 years. Depending on the location, many of the lower branches can die. However, the rest of the tree is still strong and thriving. These particular trees feed the might moose throughout the winter months. Without them, those animals wouldn't be able to survive in the taiga biome.

Taiga Threats

Everything is in careful balance between the plants and animals that live in the taiga biome. That is the way that it should be. However, actions from humans such as heavy hunting of the American Black Bear or Moose can cause problems. The cutting down of coniferous trees in the taiga biome can also prevent these animals from being able to find enough food to survive there.

The Balsam Fir trees are often cut down to be used as lumber. They are used to make logs for cabins, pulpwood, and even Christmas trees for the holidays. However, if they are cut away in too large of numbers then the taiga biome isn't going to have that careful balance that it really needs for all living there to thrive.

Many regions of the taiga biome are threatened due to logging efforts. This is especially true in Russia and Canada. There are also issues with some of the insects living in these regions causing plagues among the trees. They can leave the trees brittle, prevent them from growing, and deplete them on the nutrients necessary for survival.

Taiga Biome Related Information

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The taiga biome is one that has very long and cold winters. They summers are short and they are cool in temperature. The cool air masses from the arctic can move in rapidly. The average temperature in the summer is from 64 degrees to 72 degrees.