Biomes of the World.ppt

Biomes of the World What is a biome? How are biomes formed? How many biomes are there? How many biomes are there? Tropical Rainforest Tropical Savanna Desert Chaparral Grassland Temperate Deciduous Forest Temperate Boreal Forest Tundra Tropical Rainforest Typically found near the equator Receives more than 200 cm of rain annually Temperatures typically fall between 20oC and 25oC for the entire year As many as 50% of all the world’s animal species may be found here Tropical Savanna Grasslands with a few scattered trees Experience a wet and dry season Hot temperatures Annual rainfall is between 50 and 127 cm More species of grazing mammals than any other biome Desert Typically found between 25o and 40o latitude Receives less than 25 cm of rain each year Temperatures typically range between 20oC and 25oC but some extreme deserts can reach temperatures higher than 38oC and lower than –15oC Chaparral Found between 32o and 40o latitude on the west coast of continents Receives between 35 and 70 cm of rain, usually in the winter Extremely resistant to drought and weather events Grassland Because of the dry climate, trees are found only near water sources such as streams Usually receives between 50 and 90 cm of rainfall each year Summer temperatures can reach up to 38oC, and winter temperatures can fall to –40oC Temperate Deciduous Forest Moderate climate Most trees will lose their leaves in the winter Temperatures range between –30oC and 30oC Averages from 75 to 150 cm of precipitation Well developed understory Temperate Boreal Forest Also known as Taiga Typically found between 45o and 60o North latitude Cold climate with summer rains Very few reptiles Limited understory Snow is primary form of precipitation (40 – 100 cm annually) Tundra Means 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 Winter temperatures average –34oC while summer temperatures u