The Different Ecosystems/Biomes Flashcards
Name the 7 main ecosystems/biomes
1) Tropical Rain Forest
2) Tropical Grassland
3) Hot Dessert
4) Temperate Grasslands
5) Temperate Forests
6) Boreal Forest
7) Tundra
What are the climate characteristics of a Tropical Rain Forest
Hot all year (27-30ᵒC). Wet all year (average annual precipitation 2000-3000mm).
What are the climate characteristics of a Tropical Grassland
Hot all year (25-35ᵒC), 500-1000 mm of rainfall a year but always has a dry season.
What are the climate characteristics of a hot desert
Very hot all year (above 30ᵒC), very low and unpredictable rainfall (less than 250mm annual average). Great temperature differences between day and night (-18ᵒC and 45ᵒC).
What are the climate characteristics of a temperate grassland
Hot in summer (25ᵒC), very cold in winter (as low as -40ᵒC), 500-900 mm of rainfall, most in late spring and summer.
What are the climate characteristics of a temperate forest
Warm summers (around 18ᵒC), cool winters (around 5ᵒC), precipitation all year (1000mm).
What are the climate characteristics of a Boreal forest
Warm summers (16-30ᵒC), very cold winters (well below 0ᵒC), low precipitation (less than 500 mm) mainly in summer.
What are the climate characteristics of a tundra
Temperature below 0ᵒC for most of the year, and only reaching around 10ᵒC in summer, low precipitation (often less than 250mm).
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the tropical rain forest
- Poor quality soil; nutrients washed through the soil due to the amount of rainfall.
- Vegetation is in four layers: emergent, canopy, under-canopy, shrub/forest floor.
- A huge variety of broadleaved plants to increase photosynthesis in the darker layers.
- Lianas wind their way up the trees for sunlight.
- Epiphytes grow on the trees to be nearer the sunlight.
- The forest is evergreen.
- Animals such as Sloths and Howler Monkeys.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Tropical Grasslands
- Tall grasses with scattered, drought –adapted trees and shrubs. E.g. the acacia tree, which survives due to its thick trunk which holds water.
- Grasses grow very tall in the wet season, up to 2m high, but die off during the dry season.
- Animals such as giraffes reproduce in the wet season when there is plentiful food and water.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Hot Dessert
- Sand or very coarse soils with good drainage.
- Plants have water storing features, spines instead of leaves and extensive root systems.
- The plants are short-shrubs such as the prickly pear cactus, which stores water in its spongy tissue.
- Animals such as camels store fat in their humps which they can change into water when it is needed.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Temperate Grasslands
- Trees are generally not found in these areas.
- Grasses such as purple needlegrass and buffalo grass grow in these areas.
- The temperate grasslands in North America, known as the Prairies, have been converted into farmland.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Temperate Forest
- Deciduous trees, which drop their leaves in autumn in order to reduce transpiration.
- Vegetation is in four layers – canopy, sub-canopy, herb and ground.
- Animals such as rabbits and deer.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Boreal Forest
- Coniferous trees with needles instead of leaves to survive cold and reduce transpiration.
- Trees have a thick bark to protect them from the cold.
- Evergreen trees which allows growth to start when the weather warms up.
- Shallow root system because of shallow soil and frozen ground.
- Trees such as pine and fir.
- Animals such as red foxes and black bears.
Give 3 facts for the Soil, Vegetation and Animals found in the Tundra
- Very few plants can live here, mostly lichens and mosses. Trees are and stunted (short in height).
- Short growing season of about 60 days.
- Permafrost – permanently frozen ground.
- Very poor surface drainage.
- Plants have very shallow root systems and are low to the ground to cope with the harsh climate. They have a small leaf structure so they can repel the cold temperatures.
- Animals have adapted in different ways. Brown bears eat in the summer and then store the food in thick layers of insulating fat which they live off while they are hibernating in the winter.
