Biomes There are 2 types:

Terrestrial Biomes (on land)

Aquatic Biomes (in the water)

Terrestrial Biomes

Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes:

Savanna

Temperate grassland

Chaparral

Desert

Tundra

Chapter 6 Section 3 Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes

Objectives

Describe the difference between tropical and temperate grasslands.

Describe the climate in a chaparral biome.

Describe two desert animals and the adaptations that help them survive.

Describe one threat to the tundra biome.

Chapter 6 Section 2 Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes

Key Terms

Savanna

Temperate grassland

Chaparral

Desert

Tundra

Permafrost

Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes

Climates with less rainfall

As precipitation decreases, species diversity decreases

Biomes of the World

Insects swarm over the Madagascar savanna. Grasslands in different regions have different names: Africa has savannas; Asia has steppes; South America has pampas; and North America has prairies.

Savanna Tropical and subtropical grasslands found in

Africa, western India, northern Australia, and South America

Found near equator between tropical rain forest and desert biomes

Grasses with a few scattered trees, shrubs, many with thorns

Savanna Hot temperatures with wet and dry seasons

Annual rainfall is between 50 and 127 cm

Plants and animals most active during wet season

Large variety of grazing animals and predators

More species of grazing mammals than any other biome

Savanna

Grass fires are common during the dry season

Fires help return nutrients to the soil

Temperate Grasslands

Temperate Grasslands

Found north of the Tropic of Cancer or south of the Tropic of Capricorn

Cold winters and hot summers

Cover 25% of the land on Earth

Characterized by tall perennial grasses and lack of trees

Prairie dogs live in temperate grasslands. Prairie

dogs live in colonies and burrow in the ground to

build mounds, holes, and tunnels.

Temperate Grasslands Because of the dry climate, trees

are found only near water sources such as streams

Usually receive between 50 and 90 cm of rainfall each year

Summer temperatures can reach up to 38oC, and winter temperatures can fall to –40oC

Chaparral Found between 32o and 40o

latitude on the west coast of continents

Receive between 35 and 70 cm of rain, usually in the winter

Vegetation is extremely resistant to drought and weather events

Chaparral Biomes

Chaparral Grows between forest and grassland, or

between desert and grassland biomes

Many plants and trees have leathery leaves, gnarled bark, and intimidating thorns

Often called “scrub”

Chaparral

Temperate woodlands are usually too dry to support a forest,

but they receive sufficient precipitation to support vegetation

that grows in bunches, such as the piñon and juniper trees

shown here.

Desert

Desert Typically found between 25o and

40o latitude

Temperatures typically range between 20oC and 25oC but some extreme deserts can reach temperatures higher than 38oC and lower than –15oC

Desert Driest places on earth

Receive less than 25 cm of rain each year

Often located on the dry side of mountain ranges

Little or no vegetation

Desert

Desert

Tundra Treeless or marshy plain

Characterized by permafrost – permanently frozen soil starting as high as a few centimeters below the surface – which severely limits plant growth

Tundra

Tundra

Winter temperatures average –34oC while summer temperatures usually average below 10oC

Low precipitation (15–25 cm per year) but ground is usually wet because of low evaporation

Tundra with Alaska pipeline in the distance

Tundra Arctic tundra can be found in Antarctica and

the North Pole, North of the Arctic Circle

Grass, lichen and herbs

Very short warm season that is also very wet

Many insects during warm season

Tundra

During its brief summer, the Alaskan tundra is covered by

flowering plants and lichens.