| BIOME | LOCATION (Refer to latitudes) | FLORA (Vegetation) CHARACTERISTICS & SPECIFIC EXAMPLES | CLIMATE REGION & CLIMATE CHARACTERISTICS (avg. rainfall/temp range) | SOIL CHARACTERISTICS & NAMES | FAUNA (Animal) CHARACTERISTICS & SPECIFIC EXAMPLES (inc. adaptations) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Rainforests | 15-25˚ north and south of the equator | Because the top soil is so nutrient-devoid, the trees develop buttress roots to grab decomposing material and turn it into nutrients as soon as possible | Humidity 77-88%. 125-660 cm of rainfall per year. Characterised by very hot temperatures and high average annual rainfall | Top soil not fertile and is thin | Most animals have adapted to a life in the treetops. For example, spider monkey’s tails have muscles which allow them to hang from their tails |
| Temperate Forests | 25-50˚ north and south of the equator | Warm temperate forest plants have adapted into broad leafed evergreen trees in response to the plentiful and evenly distributed rainfall | A warm temperate forest biome occurs in mid-latitude regions experiencing hot summers, cool to mild winters and moist conditions all year round. Cool temperate forest biomes occur mainly in the mid to high latitude regions of the northern hemisphere. These regions have high rainfall with very cold winters. The average temperature is 10˚ C | The soil here is extremely fertile. Due to this, most of this climate has been destroyed for farms | Most are herbivores/omnivores. They hibernate during the winter. E.g. squirrels hibernate during the winter and are herbivores |
| Taiga Forests | Occurs between 50 and 60 degrees latitude in the northern hemisphere | Mostly lichen and coniferous trees. Trees have thin, waxy needles to prevent them from the cold and drying out. Trees also keep their needles all year long so that they start photosynthesis when the weather gets warm | Summers moderately warm and wet with around 400-1000 mm of precipitation per year. Winters long, cold and dry. | Soils are thin, nutrient poor and acidic | Most animals are carnivores and hibernate during the winter. Some birds come to the taiga to breed, and then leave once the season is over, but seed-eaters and omnivores stay all year long. E.g., bobcats are carnivores and hibernate during the winter |
| Woodlands | 40-60˚ north and south of the equator | Plants are generally adapted to periods of seasonal drought. They developed waxy, leathery leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration and have thick, rough barks to insulate themselves against the heat and protect them from fires. Some species have wide spreading roots to gather as much water as possible when rain falls, while others have thick, strong tap roots which enable the to penetrate through the rock and access the water table. | Mediterranean woodlands are found in regions between 30 and 40 degrees north/south of the equator, characterised by warm-hot dry summers and cool-mild wet winters. Savanna woodlands are found in tropical regions characterised by hot, wet summers and warm, dry winters. Open canopy woodlands have evolved in parts of the world characterised by moderate and often seasonal rainfall | Woodland soil is often acidic, due to the breakdown of organic matter, mainly fallen leaves | Some birds migrate to warmer places to find food easily for the autumn and winter. They return back in spring. An example of this would be nightingales |
| Savanna Grasslands | 8-20˚ north and south of the equator | Plants have long tap roots that can reach the deep water, thick bark to resist fires, trunks that can hold water and they drop off leaves during the winter to conserve water. Different savannahs support different grasses depending o n the amount of rainfall received and soil conditions | Always found in climates with relatively hot, wet summers and warm, dry winters where the annual rainfall ranges from about 500-100 mm per year | The soil of the savanna grasslands is porous with rapid drainage of water | Most animals have long legs or wings to be ready to migrate. Some animals burrow into the ground to avoid the heat. Most don’t sweat to lose body heat, so they lose it by panting or exposure to large patches of skin. E.g., elephants lose moisture due to their ears |
| Temperate Grasslands | 25-55˚ north and south of the equator | Amount of rainfall received influences height of grassland vegetation, with taller grasses in wetter regions and short grasses in drier regions | Characterised by hot summers and cold winters with moderate seasonal rainfall. The annual precipitation is 25-75 cm of rainfall | Soil of temperate grasslands is deep and dark, with fertile upper layers | Herbivores’ teeth are more suited to eating grass. Animals have front legs and paws that let them burrow in the ground to escape any predators. For example, prairie dogs can burrow into the ground to escape predators |
| Desert | 30-50˚ north and south of the equator | Some plants store water inside them, while other plants have nutrients packed within their leaves. Drought evaders are only short lived with life cycles of approximately 2-6 weeks. Drought escapers are plants that are able to find alternative water supplies to rainfall. Drought resisters are plants which have adapted by reducing the amount of water lost through transpiration. Water conservers are plants which store water to use during very dry periods | Deserts are usually characterised as receiving less than 250 mm of rainfall per year. While daytime deserts are very high, night temperatures are relatively low. | The soils are poorly developed, as it is sandy and rocky there and mostly devoid of moisture. | Most carnivores are nocturnal to avoid the heat during the day, as it is cooler during the night and water drifts in as vapor from the sea. E.g. rattlesnakes are nocturnal during the summer months |
| Tundra | 60-75˚ north of the equator | No deep root systems in vegetation of arctic tundra. All of the plants are adapted to strong winds, group together to resist the cold temperatures and can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities | Extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. Temperatures range from -70 to 16˚ C. Annual precipitation ranges from 25-37.5 cm of snow. The growing season is 50-60 days. | Soil is formed slowly and consists of a layer of permanently frozen sub soil called permafrost. It is low in nutrients and materials, except for animal droppings which fertilize the soil | Most animals are warm-blooded, and hibernate during the winter. They insulate their bodies with fat to adapt to the cold. Most animals also have shorter legs, tails and ears to reduce loss of heat. E.g., snowshoe hares are warm-blooded and have short legs to reduce heat loss |
| Alpine | Located at high altitudes on mountains just below the snowline | Plants protect themselves by hugging the ground to make sure that they don’t get swept off by the wind or are affected by the cold | Temperatures vary according to latitude, altitude and aspect but in general, are below freezing in the winter and rise to about 15 degrees during the summer, making them too cold to support trees. | When plants die they don’t decompose very quickly because of cold. This makes for thin, sandy and rocky soil conditions which the plants have also adapted to | Most animals are warm-blooded, and hibernate during the winter. They insulate their bodies with fat to adapt to the cold. Most animals also have shorter legs, tails and ears to reduce loss of heat. They also have larger lungs, more blood cells and hemoglobin due to the lack of oxygen and increase in pressure. E.g. mountain goats, have short legs and are warm-blooded to reduce heat loss |