Objective: Understand the plants, animals and climate that characterize each biome of the world. Site: http://mbgnet.mobot.

org/ Missouri Botanical Gardens

Browse each biome and fill out the chart below and answer the questions below about each individual biome Terrestrial Biome Rainforest Common Plant/Animals Gorilla, Peacock plant Interesting Features There are two types of rainforest: Temperate and Tropical Permanent ice layer Long winters and short, wet summers Little precipitation Weather/Climate Temperate: Cold Tropical: Warm-HOT

Tundra Taiga Desert

Caribou, Lichen Moose, Evergreen Trees Coyote, Cactus

Temperate

Hares, Tall and short Grass

Season changes.

Grasslands

Lion, wildflowers

These are called prairies in the United States

Subfreezing or freezing temperature Winters: cold Summers: warm HOT during day, and temperature decreases during nighttime Moderate temperature depending on the season HOT, dry summers and cold snowy winters

Rainforests 1: What are the two types of rainforests? In the United States, where are our rainforests located? (Be specific). What percentage of our original rainforests does this represent? The two types of rainforests are temperate and tropical. In the United States, the rainforests are located in the Pacific Northwest and there are only 25% of our original rainforest left. Tundra 2: Where is the Tundra Biome located? What is permafrost? What percentage of the Earths surface is covered by Tundra?

 The tundra biome is located near the North Pole. Permafrost means that a layer of ground is permanently frozen. 20% of the Earths surface is covered by Tundra. Taiga 3: Where is the Taiga Biome located? What is the soil like in the Taiga- why? The Taiga biome is located in many parts of Canada, Europe, and Asia. The soils in the Taiga are thin and lack nutrients due to slow decomposition. Desert 4: How much rainfall is characteristic of deserts? Explain where most deserts are located and the RAINSHADOW Effect. The average amount of rain in deserts is 10 inches. Most deserts are located in the midlatitude. The rainshadow effect occurs when air travels up the windward side of a mountain range causing it to expand and the temperature decreases due to pressure. Then when it sinks on the leeward side of the mountains, the air begins to compress causing the air to heat up. Temperate Deciduous Forest 5: What is special about this biome? Deciduous trees have special leaves that are adapted to the biome- explain. This biome has all four seasons. Deciduous trees have special leaves that are adapted to the biome because during the autumn, the leaves falls off, then it regrows during springtime. Grasslands 6: Grasslands are found on every continent except for one- which? How much rainfall do grasslands get- why is this important? What are the 3 types of grasslands that are found in North America? What are grasslands called in other places in the world? Grasslands are found on every continent except for Antarctica. It usually receives 10 to 30 inches of rainfall per year. It is important that this biome only receive that much amount of rain because if there is too much amount of it, then it will be a forest and too little amount of it, then it will be a desert. Tall Grass Prairie, Mixed Grass Prairie and Short Grass Prairie are the three types of grasslands found in North America. Grasslands are called Savannas in Africa and Steppes in Europe.

Rivers & Streams 7: How much water on Earth does running water represent? What is a watershed? What are the two main processes that happen to surface water? What is the longest river in the world? What is the longest river in the United States? What is a hydroelectric dam? Running water represents .3% of all water on earth. A watershed is an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all drains into a single larger body of water. Surface runoff and infiltration are the two main processes that happen to surface water. The Nile River is the longest river in the world. The Mississippi-Missouri River is the longest river in the United States. A hydroelectric dam is a dam that takes water and converts it to hydroelectric power. Ponds & Lakes 8: What is the difference between a pond and lake? Name the four stages of succession of a pond. Explain how an Oxbow Lake is formed. What is the largest lake in the world? What is the largest lake in the United States? What is the deepest lake in the world? What is Lake Effect Snow? Explain. What is the cause of summerkill in some lakes? A lake is larger than a pond and lakes are big enough to produce waves. The largest lake in the world is the Caspian Sea. The largest lake in the United States is Lake Superior. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. Lake Effect Snow occurs when moisture from warm lakes gets picked up by cold winds and cooled down as it travels up. Eventually, the moisture will condense and precipitate as snow. Too much amount of sunlight is the cause of summerkill in some lakes. Four stages of succession of a pond: o Seeds are dropped by pond pioneers, birds and land animals that inhabits the area around the pond o As the debris increases, vegetation also increases o Emergent then appears o As time advances, the bottom is close enough to the pond floor allowing emergent to grow across the pond floor, which eventually becomes a marsh.

Wetlands 9: What are the types of freshwater wetlands- name and define them. Explain why wetlands are so important. What is happening to our wetlands? Types of freshwater wetlands: o Marshes- an inland area with one to six feet of water o Swamp- slow moving streams o Bog- a wetland that accumulates peat o Prairie Pothole- shallow depressions of water o Riparian Marsh- marshes along rivers Wetlands are important because it prevents floods by acting as a sponge and purifies water. The wetlands are disappearing at a rapid rate of 300,000 acres annually in the United States. Shorelines 10: What kind of lifeforms will you find in the intertidal zone? What is a barrier island? What is an estuary? What is life like in an estuary? What is a salt marsh? What is the Mangrove Forest? How are the trees specially adapted to living in that environment? Why are they important? Seashells and clams are usually found in intertidal zones. A barrier island is formed from multiple islands separate by a main body of water, sizes may vary. An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where seawater is mixed with freshwater from the land. Life in an estuary contains of many diverse organisms from sea and land. A salt marsh is when land approaches the sea. Mangrove forests are where river deltas provide a lot of sediments near the mouth of large rivers. Trees adapted to living in that environment by having aerial roots and salt tapping roots. They are important because those trees protect the coastline and prevent erosion. Temperate Ocean Zones 11: Name and describe the different zones of the ocean and how they are divided. Describe the different photic zones of the ocean. What are kelp forests? Where are they

found? Zones of the ocean: o Benthic- bottom of the ocean o Pelagic zone- water o Neritic zone- extends from high and low tides o Oceanic- water thats deeper than 600 feet o Sunlit zone- the top layer of the ocean o Twilight zone- the zone that gets only small amounts of sunlight o Midnight zone- the zone that contains no light for 90% of the time Kelp forest is an abundance of kelp that grows up to 125 feet. They are usually found in the Atlantic Coast and Pacific waters. Tropical Ocean Zones 12: What is coral made of? Explain. Where are most coral reefs located? Where is the largest coral reef? Coral is made of polyp. Polyp attaches itself to the floor of the reef and is column shaped. Most coral reefs are located near the equator in tropical oceans. The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef.