APU INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

NOVEMBER, 2016

What is BIOME ?
What is biome

- A complex of terrestrial communities that

covers a large area.
- Biome is characterized by:
+ Certain soil
+ Climate conditions
+ Particular assemblages of plants &
animals
- Species vary in their adaptions to different
conditions.

Biomes
and
Climate
What is biome

- Each species is adapted to certain

conditions, the climate of a region is an
important factor in determining which
organisms can survive there.
- Climate in a small area that differs from
the climate around it is called
Microclimate.
- 2 main components of climate:
temperature and precipitation.

The Major Biomes

What is biome

At least 9 different biomes:

1) Tropical rain forest
2) Tropical dry forest
3) Tropical savanna
4) Temperate grassland
5) Dessert
6) Temperate woodland & shrubland
7) Temperate forest
8) Northwestern coniferous forest
9) Boreal forest (Taiga) Tundra

Tropical Rain Forest

What is biome

Are home of more species than all other biomes combined.

Leafy tops of tall trees (50-80 meters above the forest floor) form a
dense covering called Canopy. Shorter trees and vines form
Understory.
Abiotic factors: hot and wet year-round; thin, nutrient-poor
soils.
Dominant plants: ferns; large woody vines & climbing plants;
orchids & bromeliads.
Dominant wildlife: sloths, tapirs, jaguars, monkeys, toucans,
parrots, butterflies, piranhas, anacondas, etc.
Geographic distribution: South and central America, Southeast
Asia, Africa, southern India, northeastern Australia.

What is biome

Tropical Dry Forest

What isbiome
Grow in places where rainfall is highly seasonal rather than
year-round.
All the trees drop their leaves to conserve water.
A tree that sheds its leaves during a particular season each
year is called Deciduous.
Abiotic factors: warm year-round, alternating wet and dry
seasons, rich soils subject to erosion.
Dominant plants: tall, deciduous trees that form a dense
canopy during the wet season; drought-tolerant orchids;
aloes & other succulents, etc.
Dominant wildlife: tigers, monkeys, elephants, spot-billed
pelicans, snakes, monitor lizards, etc.
Geographic distribution: part of Africa, South and central
America, Mexico, India, Australia, tropical islands.

What is biome

Tropical Savanna
What isbiome
Covered of grasses
Savannas are spotted with isolated trees, & small groves of trees &
shrubs.
Compact soils, fairly frequent fires, and the action of large animals
prevent some savanna areas from turning into dry forest.
Abiotic factors: Warm temperatures, seasonal rainfall, compact
soil, frequent fire set by lighning.
Dominant plants: tall, perennial grasses; fire-resistant trees;
shrubs.
Dominant wildlife: lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebra,
eagles, storks, termites.
Geographic distribution: large part of Africa, southern Brazil,
northern Australia.

What is biome

Desert

What is biome
Defined as having annual precipitation of less than 25
centimeters.
Many undergo extreme temperature changes during the
course of a day (hot -> cold).
Organisms can tolerate the extreme conditions.
Abiotic factors: low precipitation, variable temperatures,
soils rich in minerals but poor in organic material.
Dominant plants: cacti, other succulents, creosote bush,
short growth cycles plants, etc.
Dominant wildlife: mountain lions, grey foxes, deer,
kangaroos, bats, owls, hawks, tortoises, lizards, etc.
Geographic distribution: Africa, Asia, the Middle East,
United States, Mexico, South America, Australia.

What is biome

Temperate Grassland
What isbiome
Characterized by a rich mix of grasses & underlaid by fertile
soils.
Cover vast areas of the midwestern & central United States.
Abiotic factors: warm summer, cold winter; moderate,
seasonal precipitation.
Dominant plants: lush, perennial grasses & herbs.
Dominant wildlife: coyotes, badgers, rabbits, prairie
chickens.
Geographic distribution: North America, central Europe.

What is biome

TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND

SHRUBLAND
The biome is characterized by a semiarid climate and a
mix of shrub communities and open woodland.
Communities that are dominated by shrubs are also
known as chaparral.
The growth of dense, low plants that contain flammable
oils makes fires a constant threat.
Abiotic factors: hot, dry summer; cool winter.
Dominant plants: woody evergreen shrubs, fragrant,
oily herbs, etc.
Dominant wildlife: coyotes, squirrels, songbirds, snake,
etc.
Geographic distribution: western coasts North and
South America, South Africa.

TEMPERATE FOREST

Containing a mixture deciduous and coniferous trees.

Most leaves are shaped like needles
Cold winter that half plant grown for several months
Soils of temperate forests are often rich in humus, a
material formed from decaying leaves and other organic
matter that makes soils fertile.
Abiotic factors: moderate winters, warm summer.
Plants: broadleaf deciduous trees, conifers, etc.
Wildlife: black bear, songbirds, turkeys, etc.
Geographic distribution: eastern United States

NORTHWESTERN CONIFEROUS
FOREST
Mild, moist air from the Pacific Ocean provides
abundant rainfall to this biome
Made up of a variety of conifers, ranging from giant
redwoods.
The northwestern coniferous forest is sometimes called
a temperate rain forest
Abiotic factors: mild temperatures, abundant
precipitation.
Plants: Sitka spruce, western hemlock, redwood, etc.
Wildlife: bears, beavers, owls, etc.
Geographic distribution: Pacific coast of
northwestern America.

Boreal Forest

Also known as Taiga.

Winters are bitterly cold, but mild summer.
Abiotic factors: long, cold winter; short, mild
summer, moderate precipitation, nutrient-poor
soils.
Plants: spruce, fir, etc.
Wildlife: lynxes, wolves, moose, beavers,
songbirds, etc.
Geographic distribution: North America, Asia,
northern Europe.

Tundra

Characterized by permafrost, a layer of permanently

frozen subsoil.
In summer, the ground becomes wet. In winter, the
topsoil freezes again.
Abiotic factors: strong winds, low precipitation;
short and soggy summers; long, cold and dark
winters.
Plants: mosses, lichens, sedges, short grasses, etc.
Wildlife: waterfowl, shore birds, musk ox,
lemmings, other small rodents, etc.
Geographic distribution: northern North America,
Asia, Europe.