biomes

Question 1

what are the characteristics of tundras

Answer 1

long cold winters, short cool summers, low precipitation
layer of permanently frozen ground below surface (permafrost)

Question 2

what are the characteristics of taigas / boreal forests

Answer 2

long cold winters, short cool summers, low to moderate precipitation
more snow on ground preventing permafrost, trees that have cones (called coniferous, e.g. evergreens)

Question 3

what are the characteristics of temperate deserts

Answer 3

warm summers, cool winters, low precipitation
dry soil that can’t support trees, often result of mountain rain shadow or distance from oceans

Question 4

what are the characteristics of temperate grasslands (prairies, steppes, veldts, pampas)

Answer 4

warm summer, cool winters, low to moderate precipitation
enough rainfall for grasses but not enough for forests

Question 5

what are the characteristics of temperate forests (+ deciduous, evergreen, rain)

Answer 5

warm summers, cool winters, moderate to high precipitation
enough rain to support trees, usually shed leaves in winter (deciduous)

Question 6

what are the characteristics of chapparals (mediterranean, shurb)

Answer 6

warm dry summers, cool wet winters, low to moderate precipitation
plants adapted to fire due to frequent lightning strikes in hot dry summers, large diff between day and night

Question 7

what are the characteristics of tropical and subtropical deserts

Answer 7

warm all year, low precipitation
dry soil not enough for trees or grass

Question 8

what are the characteristics of tropical grasslands / savanna

Answer 8

warm all year with long dry winters and wet summers, low to moderate precipitation
some sparse trees
more rain than temperate grasslands due to warmer climate

Question 9

what are the characteristics of tropical forests (+evergreen, rain)

Answer 9

warm all year, high precipitation
wettest land and most biodiverse, soil has poor nutrients

Question 10

what are the characteristics of ice covered biomes

Answer 10

cold all year, covered in ice, no vegetation, high latitudes (greenland, antarctica)

Question 11

what is a biome

Answer 11

large areas with similar plant types based on climate

Question 12

what are the latitude ranges

Answer 12

0° - 7° equatorial
7° - 23.5° tropics
23.5° - 35° sub tropics
35° - 55° mid latitudes
55° - 66.5° sub arctic
66.5° - 90° arctic

35° - 66.5° is also called temperate