Biomes Flashcards
Temperate deciduous forests
are found at midlatitudes and have relatively even precipitation throughout the year.
Winters are frozen, causing the trees to drop their leaves.
Spring is warm and summer is hot.
Tropical dry forests
have wet and dry seasons that each occupy about half of the year.
Temperature is consistently warm.
Leaves are shed during the dry season.
Lots of rain around winter. The temperatures are warm in winter months.
Savannas
are tropical grasslands interspersed with acacias or other trees.
Found in dry tropical areas, including parts of Africa, Australia, and India
Distinct wet and dry seasons
Lots of perception around Winter months. Temperature stays around 20C in winter months.
Deserts
are the driest biome, receiving less than 25 cm of rain per year.
Soils have high mineral and low organic matter content.
Animals and plants must adapt to minimize water loss.
Tundras
are also very dry but are cold all year.
Underground soil is permanently frozen, called permafrost.
Tundras are unoccupied by humans but are the most directly impacted by air pollution and climate change. Barely any perciption.
Boreal forests,
also called taiga, are also cold, but receive more precipitation than tundras.
They are dominated by few species of evergreen trees.
Soils are acidic and nutrient-poor.
Chaparral
is found in only a few small patches throughout the world.
Covered by a dense thicket of evergreen shrubs
Mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers
Fires are frequent.
Climate is influenced by nearby oceans.
biome
A regional complex of similar communities.
Biomes are classified primarily by dominant plant type and vegetation structure, which in turn is the result of climate.
Temperature and precipitation are highly correlated with ____, creating global patterns of biomes.
latitude
Mountains also affect climate through the ___.
rainshadow effect. When moist air moves up a steep slope, it cools and condenses, releasing precipitation.
Climate diagrams, also called _____, depict seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation and help to tell the story of a biome.
climatographs
Temperature differences between winter and summer are more extreme and rainfall diminishes in _____.
These biomes are also known as prairie or steppe.
temperate grasslands.
Low perception and high temperatures around summer.
Temperate rainforests
are rich in rainfall, but still found in midlatitudes.
Mostly contain coniferous trees.
Soils are fertile, but susceptible to erosion if the forests are cleared.
Lots of perception around summer and spring. The temperature gets higher around summer.
Tropical rainforests
have dark, damp interiors, lush vegetation, and highly diverse communities.
High numbers of tree species intermixed at low densities
Acidic soils that are low in organic matter
Lots of perception. The temperature remains evenly warm throughout the year.
