The document discusses the major biomes of the world. It defines climate as long-term weather patterns in a large region, while a biome describes the community of living and non-living things in an area including the climate, plants, animals, soil and more. The five main biomes described are aquatic, desert, grassland, forest, and tundra. Each biome has a unique climate and supports distinct plant and animal life adapted to that environment.

1. World Climates & Biomes Where the world's "spheres" come together.

2. Weather vs. Climate Weather describes the condition of the atmosphere (temperature, precipitation, wind, etc.) covers a specific time and place (i.e. Boston, MA) very short-term (changes daily/hourly) Climate describes the condition of the atmosphere (temperature, precipitation) covers large regions of the Earth (i.e. Northern Africa) long-term weather patterns (over years of time)

3. Latitude Affects Climate Globe/Flashlight Demonstration

4. Areas around the globe within the tropics are warm & wet Areas within 23.5 o N and S of the Equator are called the tropics

5. Surface features affect temperature and precipitation Coastal areas (near water) are milder and wetter Higher elevations are colder and wet Topography Affects Climate Where are the highs & lows?

6. Other Factors Affecting Climate Ocean Currents warm & cold directional Prevailing Winds high pressure low pressure

7. World Climate - Overview

8. Climate vs. Biome Climate describes condition of the atmosphere covers large regions of the Earth long-term weather patterns Biome describes a community of living (biotic) and non-living things includes plants, animals, soil, water and atmosphere regions contain distinctive living species adapted to the climate

9. Five World Biomes Aquatic Salt & fresh Forests Wet Deserts Dry Tundra Cold Grasslands Moderate Each has it's own unique climate (atmosphere) water supply (hydrosphere) soil type (lithosphere) plant and animal life (biosphere)

10. Aquatic Biomes - cover 75% of our planet

11. Marine Biomes Oceans & saltwater lakes Shorelines Coral reefs Open water Estuaries Water holds heat (insulator) Oceans feed water cycle Soil ranges from solid rock to every grain size of sand to powdery silt on shorelines and ocean floors Deep ocean vents spew molten lava and hot gasses that infuse surrounding water with nutrients Indonesian Coral Reef Video Clip

12. Marine Life Millions of plants & animal species Microscopic plankton to huge whales Algae provide most of Earth's O 2 absorb large amounts of CO 2 Coral (plantanimals) Polyps feed on zooplankton (microscopic animals) Algae (zooxanthellae) live within coral Living coral reefs take 100+ years to grow just 3 cm

14. Freshwater Biomes Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams & wetlands shoreline open water wetlands Soil can be sandy, muddy, rocky or spongy (boggy) Experience more drastic temperature changes than oceans

15. Freshwater Organisms Shore Birds, reptiles, insects, crustaceans, amphibians Reeds/grasses, trees and shrubs Open water Fish, insects, crayfish, mammals such as otters, Algae, phytoplankton, floating weeds Wetlands Reeds/grass, sedges and pond lilies, trees reptiles, to mammals, to amphibians and birds, to hundreds of insects

17. Desert Biomes - cover 20% of land surfaces

18. Arid Deserts Hot all year Dry (< 25 cm/yr rain) Extreme day/night temps. 100+ 0 F to 40 0 F in 24 hours Lower latitudes Sandy, course, rocky soil Examples Sahara (Northern Africa) Kalahari (S. Africa) Arabian (Middle East) Australian Mohave (Southwestern US)

19. Temperate Deserts Hot Summers, cold winters Most precipitation falls as snow in the winter Inland (inner continental) soil is heavy & alkaline (salty) Examples Great Basin (Eastern OR/NV/UT) Patagonia (Argentina) Kara-Kum (Uzbekistan) Gobi (China/Mongolia)

20. Desert Wildlife - adapted to conserve water Plants Sparse & widely dispersed Spines for protection Thick hair & waxy coatings Extra water storage in stem Roots dive deep down spread networks along surface Animals Long bodies & slender limbs Waxy skin, efficient kidneys Most are nocturnal Burrow underground or hide beneath rocks Eye protection (long lashes, deep-set eyes)

22. Grassland Biomes - cover 25% of land Savannas Closer to equator Warm all year Seasonal fires Prairies Trees only near streams Cold winters Steppes (in Eurasia) Pampas (S. America) All have rich, fertile soil (black hummus)

23. Savanna Species Plants Grass, reeds & sedges Short, widely spaced trees Adaptations store water in trunks dormant periods Animals Mutualistic relationships Migratory patterns Congregate in communities Camouflage

24. Prairie Flora & Fauna Plants Tall grass variety depends on location Trees few, if any for miles around near streams, at edges Broadleaf plants flowers, sedges Animals Small burrowing mammals Larger grazers Fast-running predators Insects, birds, snakes

25. Forests - cover 30% of Earth's surface

26. Taiga, Boreal or Coniferous Forest Largest of land biomes, mostly in far Northern Hemisphere Short, moist summers and long, dark, cold winters Soil is thin and lacking in nutrients decomposition is slow due to cold temperatures

27. Taiga Life (Coniferous/Boreal Forest Plants & Animals) Plants Dense tree canopy Thin forest floor vegetation Mostly conifers Evergreen, needle-leaves Cone-bearing Easily shed snow Animals Lots of insects Migration, hibernation, camouflage Birds & mammals

28. Temperate Deciduous Forest Four distinct seasons (temperature & precipitation vary in each) Trees lose their leaves every fall Soil is rich (thick layers of dead leaves decay for nutrients)

29. Deciduous Forest Wildlife Plants Great variety Broadleaf trees Shrubs Wildflowers Trees have thick bark Animals Some still burrow, hibernate & migrate Warm enough for some cold-blooded animals

30. Tropical Rainforest Home to half the Earth's variety of plant & animal species! Very warm all year & lots of rainfall (with a &quot;dry&quot; season) Located near equator (12 hours of daylight all year long) between tropics of Cancer & Capricorn Soil is poor because constant rains wash away nutrients

31. Rainforest Plants Competition for light & nutrients Incredible diversity Trees Tall with shallow roots Buttresses or prop & stilt roots Thin, smooth bark Palms, evergreens, mangroves Vines (lianas) extend up to canopy for sunlight Orchids Ferns, mosses epiphytes Bromeliads most live on tree branches leaves form tank to hold water organisms live within &quot;tanks&quot; Grasses Shrubs & other plants drip tips to shed rain quickly

32. Rainforest Animals Fierce competition for food Camouflage, interdependence Incredible diversity Mammals Reptiles & amphibians Rodents, bats Birds Insects

33. Tundra - covers 20% of Earth's land

34. Tundra - at the top of the world Arctic Tundra Far northern Hemisphere Very little rainfall Soil is poor in nutrients Permafrost Very cold 50 0 F to -60 0 F in winter Icy rivers & temporary ponds Alpine Tundra High elevation, any latitude Rocky mountaintops Otherwise same as above

35. Life in the Tundra Biome Plants short growing season shallow roots low-growing plants shrubs, grass, moss lichen (fungi & algae) Animals Fish, insects, birds Grazing mammals Adaptations: Thick fur, extra fat Hibernation Migration

37. Overview of World Biomes

38. Sources http://www.worldbiomes.com/default.htm http://old-packerpedia.wiki.packer.edu/Bio+Biome+Project http://www.mbgnet.net/index.html http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/biome_main.htm