Untitled Prezi

BY

NOOR NADER

B I O M S

Plants :

Chaparral vegetation looks strikingly similar in different areas of the world, even though the indi vidual species are not the same. Chaparral usually has a dense growth of evergreen shrubs but may contain short, drought- resistant pine or scrub oak trees that grow 1 to 3 m 3 3 to 98 ft) tall . During the rainy winter season, the envi- ronment is lush and green, but the plants lie dormant during the summer. Trees and shrubs often have hard, small, leathery leaves that resist water loss. Many plants are also fire-adapted and grow best in the months following a fire. Such growth is possible because fire releases nutrient minerals from aerial parts of the plants that burned. Fire does not kill the underground parts and seeds of many plants, and with the new availability o evergreen shrubs and small trees es st rn es te in ed. ss parts and seeds of many plants, and with the new availability of essential nutrient minerals, the plants sprout vigoro as essential nutrient minerals, the plants sprout vigorously duri ing winter rains

Precipitation:

750 to 1,500 mm of rain per year

Temperature:

-30°C to 30°C, yearly average is 10°C, hot summers, cold winters

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Staunton, Virginia, United States

Shrubland

Middelburg, South Africa

Temperature:

Hot and dry in the summer, cool and moist in the winter

Precipitation:

200 to 1,000 mm of rain per year

humans & Abiotic impacts :

The fires that occur in California chaparral are quite costly to humans when they consume expensive homes built on the hilly chaparral landscape. Unfortunately, efforts to prevent the naturally occurring fires sometimes backfire. Denser, thicker th ss- naturally occurring fires sometimes backfire. Demser, thieker vegetation tends to accumulate over several years, then, when fire does occur, it is much more severe Removing the chapar roe l vegetation, whose roots hold the soil in place, causes or yroblems; witness the mudslides that sometimes occur during winter rains in these areas

Animals :

Temperate deciduous forests originally contained a veraity of large mammals , such as puma , wolves , and bison , which are now absent , plus deer , bears , and many small mammals and birds In Europe and North America .

location and temperature Description:

Temperate deciduous forests are located in the mid-latitude areas which means that they are found between the polar regions and the tropics. The deciduous forest regions are exposed to warm and cold air masses, which cause this area to have four seasons. The temperature varies widely from season to season with cold winters and hot, wet summers. The average yearly temperature is about 10°C. The areas in which deciduous forests are located get about 750 to 1,500 mm of precipitation spread fairly evenly throughout the year.

Location:

West coastal regions between 30° and 40° North and South latitude

temperta deciduous forests

c h a p a r r a l

location and temperature Description:

Shrublands include regions such as chaparral, woodland and savanna. Shrublands are the areas that are located in west coastal regions between 30° and 40° North and South latitude. Some of the places would include southern California, Chile, Mexico, areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and southwest parts of Africa and Australia. These regions are usually found surrounding deserts and grasslands.

Shrublands usually get more rain than deserts and grasslands but less than forested areas. Shrublands typically receive between 200 to 1,000 millimeters of rain a year. This rain is unpredictable, varying from month to month. There is a noticeable dry season and wet season.

Animals :

Mule deer, wood rats, chipmunks, lizards, and many species of birds are common animals of the chaparral

Location:

Eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan

Plants :

The trees of the temperate deciduous forest form a dense canopy that overlies saplings and shrubs . Broad - leaved hardwood trees , such as oak , hickory , maple , and beech , dominate temper- ate deciduous forests of the northeastern and midea stern United States . These trees lose their foliage annually . in the southern areas of the temperate deciduous forest , the number of broad - leaved evergreen trees , such as magnolia

Human & abiotic impacts :

Worldwide , deciduous forests were among the first biomes converted to agricultural use . In Europe and Asia , many soils that originally supported deciduous forests have been cultivated by traditional agricultural methods for thousands ofyears with out a substantial loss in fertility . During the 20th century , inten e agricultural practices were widely adopted , these , along with overgrazing and deforestation , have contributed tothe degrada- cultural lands . Most damage to farmland has ned since the end of World War II

Plants :

Three types of plants usually live in rivers and streams: algae, mosses and submerged plants. Calmer rivers or streams may have emergent plants, or plants that are grounded to the waterway’s bed, but their stems, flowers and reach extend above the water line. Emergent plants include cattails, flowering rush and bulrushes. Algae are free-floating plants without any true stems, leaves or roots. Stonewort, plankton algae and chara can be found in many rivers and streams. Mosses grow in clumps and have only simple leaves. Mosses usually are found growing on rocks within the bodies of water. Submerged plants grow completely beneath the water, attaching to the bed of the river or stream. These plants can be found in nearly any section of the river, and they can grow in clumps or individually. Examples of submerged plants include pondweeds, coontails, wild celery and waterweed.

Human & abiotic impacts:

Human activities have several adverse impacts on rivers is and streams. Pollution alters the physical environment and changes the biotic component downstream from the pollution b source. Uncontrolled pollution threatens not only wildlife hab- itat but also our water supply and commercial and recreationalfisheries. A dam causes water to back up, flooding large areas of land and forming a reservoir, which destroys terrestrial habi- water prevents emmon to a relative trickle, which alters water temperature, sediment transport, and delta replenishment and prevents fish migra- tions.

animals :

Animals that do not possess a backbone are known as invertebrates. These include all types of crustaceans, worms, snails and insects. Crustaceans such as crayfish, shrimp, some types of lobster and certain crab species live in streams and rivers. Insect larvae, including the mayfly, caddisfly and stonefly, gestate in streams. Beetles can be found in streams that are extremely clean and have plenty of rocks for the insects to stand on.

Flowing-Water

Description:

Flowing water ecosystems often originate in mountains or hills. A flowing water ecosystem is any type of water that has a constant flow over top of land. Some examples are waterfalls, creeks, streams, and rivers. A prime example of a flowing water system is a Hydropower. Hydropower is a power derived from a force of energy of moving water. The water at the source is very turbulent in which plants can not survive there. If there are no plants, the area can not support living species in the water. Farther down the stream there are sediments for the plants to root their selves in as the water slows. This is where animals such as otters, beavers, and turtles, make their homes at.

location :

every were around the earth especially close to the ocean excep desert.

Description:

The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean or a lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. Organisms living in this zone are collectively called the benthos. the benthic invertebrate community, including crustaceans and polychaetes. The organisms generally live in close relationship with the substrate bottom and many are permanently attached to the bottom. The superficial layer of the soil lining the given body of water, the benthic boundary layer, is an integral part of the benthic zone, as it greatly influences the biological activity that takes place there. Examples of contact soil layers include sand bottoms, rocky outcrops, coral, and bay mud.

location:

Plants :

Plants Bottom-dwelling plants receive very little sunlight, but are able to convert this energy into plant tissue that will be consumed by other organisms. Algae is a common example of Benthic Zone plants. Other plants in this biome include water lillies, mangroves, and marsh plants

Intertidal zone

B e n t h i c

E n v i r o n m e n t

plants:

This turbulent area is covered and uncovered twice a day with salt water from the tides. Organisms in this area include anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, green algae, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea lettuce, sea palms, sea stars, snails, sponges, and whelks. Low Tide Zone: Also called the Lower Littoral Zone.

F r e s h w a t e r

E c o s y s t e m

humans and aibbiotic imapcts:

• pollution from coastal runoff.
• overfishing.
• fishing with dynamite or cyanide.
• coral bleaching.
• oil spills .
• boats groundings.
• ocean dumping.
• anchor dragging .
• acidification of the ocean water.
• increase in carbon dioxide due to the climate change.

location

north europe & asia

north USA & canada

LOcaion :

the south of the tundra biome boreal forest are found.

on the north of the globle

Animals:

Macrobenthos comprises the larger, more visible, benthic organisms that are greater than 1 mm in size. Some examples are polychaete worms, bivalves, echinoderms, sea anemones, corals, sponges, sea squirts, turbellarians and larger crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and cumacean

Humans & aibiotic impacts:

• pollution from coastal runoff.
• overfishing.
• fishing with dynamite or cyanide.
• coral bleaching.
• oil spills .
• boats groundings.
• ocean dumping.
• anchor dragging .
• acidification of the ocean water.
• increase in carbon dioxide due to the climate change.

descrption:

The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore and seashore and sometimes referred to as the littoral zone, is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide (in other words, the area between tide marks). This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals, such as starfish, sea urchins, and numerous species of coral. The well-known area also includes steep rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, or wetlands (e.g., vast mudflats). The area can be a narrow strip, as in Pacific islands that have only a narrow tidal range, or can include many meters of shoreline where shallow beach slopes interact with high tidal excursion.

animals:

High Tide Zone: Also called the Upper Mid-littoral Zone and the high intertidal zone. This area is flooded only during high tide. Organisms in this area include anemones, barnacles, brittle stars, chitons, crabs, green algae, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea stars, snails, whelks and some marine vegetation

Coniferous Forest

Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada

Temperature

-40°C to 20°C,

average summer

temperature is 10°C

Precipitation

300 to 900 millimeters of rain per year

plants & trees in the boeal forests biome :

Black and white spruces, balsam fir, eastern larch other conifers dominate the boreal forest, although deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves in autumn), such as aspen an birch, may form striking stands. Conifers have many drought resistant adaptations, such as needlelike leaves with a minimal surface area for water loss. Such an adaptation lets conifers withstand the northern winter months when roots cannot absorb water because the ground is frozen



Savanna animals:

Most of the animals on the savanna have long legs or wings to be able to go on long migrations. Many burrow under ground to avoid the heat or raise their young. The savanna is a perfect place for birds of prey like hawks and buzzards. The wide, open plain provides them with a clear view of their prey, hot air updrafts keep them soaring, and there is the occasional tree to rest on or nest in. Animals don't sweat to lose body heat, so they lose it through panting or through large areas of exposed skin, or ears, like those of the elephant.

Plants :

Plants of the savannas are highly specialized to grow in this environment of long periods of drought. They have long tap roots that can reach the deep water table, thick bark to resist annual fires, trunks that can store water, and leaves that drop of during the winter to conserve water. The savanna is covered by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass, lemon grass, and some shrubs.. There are various types of trees that will grow in particular areas of a savanna biome. They include pine trees, palm trees, and acacia trees..

Description:

Any water in a sea or lake that is neither close to the bottom nor near the shore can be said to be in the pelagic zone. The word "pelagic" is derived from Greek (pélagos), meaning "open sea". The pelagic zone can be thought of in terms of an imaginary cylinder or water column that goes from the surface of the sea almost to the bottom. Conditions differ deeper in the water column such that as pressure increases with depth, the temperature drops and less light penetrates. Depending on the depth, the water column, rather like the Earth's atmosphere, may be divided into different layers.

location:

Africa,South America and North Austrlia.

s a v a n n a

P e l a g i c

e n v i r o n m e n t

Description:

A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland grassland ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasse

climate:

Savanna's climate is classified as tropical. In winter, there is much less rainfall than in summer. This climate is considered to be Aw according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. The average temperature in Savanna is 23.6 °C. Precipitation is the lowest in October, with an average of 36 mm. Most precipitation falls in March, with an average of 239 mm.

boreal forests

Description boreal forests location:

Between the tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south lies the large area of coniferous forest. One type of coniferous forest, the northern boreal forest, is found in 50° to 60°N latitudes. Another type, temperate coniferous forests, grows in lower latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia, in the high elevations of mountains.

Yakutsk, Russia

Humans & abiotic impact s:

Precipitation

150 to 250 mm of rain per year

Temperature

-40°C to 18°C

Savannas are rapidly being converted into rangeland for cattle and other domesticated animals , which are replacing the big herds of wild animals . Half of the Cerrado ( savanna ) in central Brazil has been converted to cropland and pastures since 1970. The problem is more acute in Africa because it has the most rapidly growing human population of any continent . someplace , severe overgrazing and harvesting of trees for firewood have converted savanna to desert , a process called desertification

Tundra Location

description:

Tropical rainforests are an incredibly diverse and fascinating biome of planet earth; there are many different regions of these rainforests however, they only cover approximately 6% of the earths surface. These rainforests are estimated to be the location where more than half of all the plants and animals in the world reside. These areas are all situated on or near the equator where the heat is the most consistent in the planet. Located in: South & Central America, Africa, Austraiasia & Oceana there are eight major different rainforests in these regions. 57% of the world’s tropical rainforests are found in Latin america, the largest rainforests of the world are in: Brazil South America, Zaire Africa and Indonesia South East Asia.

trophical rain forest

There are many different types of animals that live in the temperate rainforest biome. A few examples are, mountain lions (also known as cougars or pumas, above left), Roosevelt elks (above left center), varied thrush (above right center), and pacific tree frog (above right).

Animals :

plants :

There are many different types of plants that live in the temperate rainforest biome. A few examples are the coastal redwood (above left), fireweed (above center), and western skunk cabbage (above right).

location:

near the equatorSouth & Central America, Africa, Austraiasia & Oceana

humans & abiotic impacts :

As human population grows the need for agriculture, energy and development space increases with it. Tropical rainforests cover a massive amount of the world’s tree surface, each year over 90,000 square miles of the forests are harvested for human use. This deforestation has worried environmentalists because of the release of carbon from the machinery and the vegetation. It is believed that deforestation may accelerate the effects of global warming and transform the rainforest climate. Tropical Rainforests harbor 50% of world’s biodiversity, the massive deforestation of the forest has caused the total land mass to go 15 million km squared to about 8 million km squared.

Coniferous Forest

Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada

carbon is used in the process known as photosynthesis, in the case of the tropical rainforest; plants are a major component of the biome. When a plant respires, dies, or burns the carbon within the plants is released back into the environment. The Carbon gets released into the ground where it is stored as sediments underneath river, ocean and lake beds. The sediment eventually becomes fossil fules over millions of years if humans harvest the rainforest ground for it. This carbon also can be absorbed by the bodies of animals when they eat the remains of the plant, the carbon from this process is transferred from the producers (i.e: the strangler fig) to primary consumers such as the monkey, and then to secondary consumers such as iguanas,

Human & Abiotic impacts:

precipitation:

18-30 cm (7-12 in) of precipitation each summer.

Most of the boreal forest is not well suited to agri because of its short growing season and mineral-poor soil. However, the boreal forest yields lumber, pulpwood for paper products, animal furs, and other forest produees. current br- real forest is the world's primary source of industrial wood and wood fiber, and extensive logging of certain boreal foress has occurred. Mining, drilling for gas and oil, and faming have al- orontributed to loss of boreal forest.

temperature description :

temperature :

freezing (0°C and 32°F)

higheest 27°C and 80°F, t

Temperate rainforests have two distinct seasons. One is long and wet, and the other is a short, dry and foggy summer. During the long wet season the temperature rarely drops below freezing (0°C and 32°F) and during the short, dry, foggy season the temperature rarely goes above 27°C and 80°F, this tells us why this biome is called a temperate rainforest. Even in the summer, when it is dry, the weather is cool, the fog supplies enough moisture to sustain the rainforest. The fog actually yields 18-30 cm (7-12 in) of precipitation each summe

plants :

Pelagic Plants The primary plant in the pelagic zone is phytoplankton, a microalgae, fuelled by photosynthesis. Other plant types are: Diatoms, single-celled phytoplankton. Dinoflagellates, microscopic, single-celled algae.

Animals :

As a result of this, the epipelagic zone is also where most pelagic animals are found, and they are often big. Tunas, sharks and large marine mammals such as whales and dolphins travel in these waters. We also find planktonic jellyfish and comb jellies.

LOCATION

humnas & aibiotic impacts:

• pollution from coastal runoff.
• overfishing.
• fishing with dynamite or cyanide.
• coral bleaching.
• oil spills .
• boats groundings.
• ocean dumping.
• anchor dragging .
• acidification of the ocean water.
• increase in carbon dioxide due to the climate change.

Tundra regenerates slowly after it has been disturbed . Even hikers can cause damage . Oil and natural gas exploration and military use have caused long - lasting injury , likely to persist for hundreds of years , to large portions of the arctic tundraClimate change is beginning to affect the arctic tundra . As the permafrost melts , conifer trees ( cone - bearing evergreens ) are replacing tundra vegetation 、 The trees have a lower albedo ( reflectivity ) than ditional warming , an example of a positive feedback mechanism snow , ice , or tundra vegetation

Human & Abiotic impacts:

Tundra Animals:

The year-round animal life of the tundra includes lemmings, voles, weasels, arctic foxes, snowshoe hares, ptarmigan, snowy owls, and musk oxen. These animals are adapted to the extreme cold, with coats of thick fur. Lemmings, voles, hares, and musk oxen consume plant material throughout the winter, whereas weasels, foxes, ptarmigan, and owls are efficient preda- tors the lemmings and other small herbivores. In the sum mer, caribou migrate north to the tundra to graze on sedges, grasses, and dwarf willow. Dozens of bird species migrate north in summer to nest and feed on abundant insects. Mosquitoes, blackflies, and deerflies occur in great numbers during summer.

Plant Life and vegetation in the boreal forests biome:

Coniferous forests consist mostly of conifers, trees that grow needles instead of leaves, and cones instead of flowers. Conifers tend to be evergreen, that is, they bear needles all year long. These adaptations help conifers survive in areas that are very cold or dry. Some of the more common conifers are spruces, pines, and firs.

The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America, to Europe, and Siberia in Asia. Much of Alaska and about half of Canada are in the tundra biome. Tundra is also found at the tops of very high mountains elsewhere in the world. Temperatures are frequently extremely cold, but can get warm in the summers.

Description of tundra location:

the animals in the boreal biome:

The animal life of the boreal forest consists of some lar er species such as caribou, which migrate from the tundra to the boreal forest for winter; wolves; bears; and moose. Most mammals are medium-sized to small, including rodents, rab- bits, and fur-bearing predators such as lynx, sable, and mink Most species of birds are

abundant in the summer but migrate warmer climates for winter. Wildlife ecologists estimate that one of every three birds in the United States and Cana- da spends its breeding season in the boreal forests of North America. Insects are abundant, but few amphibians and reptiles occur except in the southern boreal forest.

Description of Boreal Forests temperature and precipitation:

Precipitation in coniferous forests varies from 300 to 900 mm annually, with some temperate coniferous forests receiving up to 2,000 mm. The amount of precipitation depends on the forest location. In the northern boreal forests, the winters are long, cold and dry, while the short summers are moderately warm and moist. In the lower latitudes, precipitation is more evenly distributed throughout the year.

T U N D R A

PLANTS IN THE TUNDRA BIOME:

Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the cold and the short growing season. Mosses, sedges, and lichens are common, while few trees grow in the tundra. The trees that do manage to grow stay close to the ground so they are insulated by snow during the cold winters

TUNDRA PLANTS:

Tundra has low species richness and low primary productivity. Few plant pieces occur, but individual species often exist in great number.Mosess , lichens(such as reindeer moss), grasses, and grasslike sedge dominate tundra. no readily recognizable trees or shrubs gro except in sheltered location, where dwarf willows, dwarf bitches, and other dwarf trees are common. as rule, tundra plants seldom grow taller than 30 cm.

animals :

A wide variety of animals live in lentic ecosystems:

Invertebrates e.g. molluscs, insects, worms Vertebrates like fish, etc.

human & abitotic impacts:

Human effects on lakes and ponds include eutrophication, which is nutrient enrichment of a body of water with inorganic plant and algal nutrients like nitrates and phosphates. Although eutrophication is a natural process, human activities often accel erate it. For example, nutrient levels increase due to the runoff of agricultural fertilizers and discharge of treated or untreated sewage. Soil erosion also increases nutrient loads in lakes and ponds. As eutrophication occurs, the number and kinds of aquatic organisms living in the lake change.

plants:

Perennial plants that tolerate standing water and flooded areas include:Waterhyssop.Pickerelweed.Cattail.Iris.Canna.Elephant's ear.swamp sunflower. Scarlet swamp hibiscus

descrption:

Lakes and ponds (also known as lentic systems) are a diverse set of inland freshwater habitats that exist across the globe and provide essential resources and habitats for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Although widely distributed and vital for many species, including humans, these habitats account for just over 3% of the Earth's surface (Downing et al. 2006). Importantly, these rare systems are increasingly threatened by the human demand for freshwater as well as human activity (Dudgeon et al. 2006). Recent evidence suggests that freshwater systems are more imperiled than marine and terrestrial ones (Sala et al. 2000, Dudgeon et al. 2006). Effective conservation and management of these systems relies on our ability to fulfill the growing human demand for freshwater while maintaining system integrity

lakes & ponds

Loctaion of the standing water

Description of tundra’s temperature and participation:

Tundra winters are long, dark, and cold, with mean temperatures below 0°C for six to 10 months of the year. The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost. This permafrost is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome. In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation.

Precipitation in the tundra totals 150 to 250 mm a year, including melted snow. That's less than most of the world's greatest deserts! Still, the tundra is usually a wet place because the low temperatures cause evaporation of water to be slow. Much of the arctic has rain and fog in the summers, and water gathers in bogs and ponds.

descrpetion:

The term "wetlands" encompasses a wide variety of aquatic habitats including swamps, marshes, bogs, prairie potholes, flood plains, and fen.

Natural wetlands are lands which, due to geological or ecological factors, have a natural supply of water—either from tidal flows, flooding rivers, connections with groundwater, or because they are perched above aquifers or potholes. Wetlands are covered or soaked for at least a part, and often all, of the year. This makes wetlands intermediaries between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They are neither one or the other, and yet they are both.

plants :

There is plant diversity in fresh water marshes. Some of these plants also grow at the upland margin of salt marshes where fresh water drains or collects.Arrow arum ,Pickerelweed ,Soft rush and Marsh hibiscus or rose mallow.

location

location

Regions south of the ice caps of the Arctic and extending across North America, Europe, and Siberia (high mountain tops)

russia

north

Europe contries

greenland

Canada

antarctica

Alaska

U.S.A

e s t u a r i e s

THE location

freshwater

wetlands

animals :

The plants attract lots of different animals to the estuary and those animals attract other animals to the estuary. Common animals include: shore and sea birds, fish, crabs, lobsters, clams, and other shellfish, marine worms, raccoons, opossums, skunks and lots of reptiles.

descrption:

An estuary[1] is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments. They are subject both to marine influences—such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water—and to riverine influences—such as flows of fresh water and sediment. The inflows of both sea water and fresh water provide high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.

humans and abiotic impact:

As ecosystems, estuaries are under threat from human activities such as pollution and overfishing. They are also threatened by sewage, coastal settlement, land clearance and much more. Estuaries are affected by events far upstream, and concentrate materials such as pollutants and sediments.[16] Land run-off and industrial, agricultural, and domestic waste enter rivers and are discharged into estuaries. Contaminants can be introduced which do not disintegrate rapidly in the marine environment, such as plastics, pesticides, furans, dioxins, phenols and heavy metals

human and aibiotic impacts :

At one time wetlands were considered wastelands, areas to fill in or drain so that farms, housing developments, and in dustrial plants could be built. Wetlands, as breeding places for mosquitoes, were viewed as a menace to public health. Today, the crucial ecosystem services that wetlands provide are widely recognized. Yet despite some legal protection, wetlands are still threatened by agriculture, pollution, dam construction and u ban and suburban development. In many parts of the United States, we continue to lose wetlands

animals:

Wetlands, whether they be swamps, marshes, bogs, or flood plains, are home to many interesting animals. Some have unusual adaptations that enable them to survive even when the wetland dries up during drought.American Alligator ,American Bittern and American Bittern

temperature description :

The tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long. It is known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers. The top layer or canopy contains giant trees that grow to heights of 75 m (about 250 ft) or more

location and Description:

There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator where it is warm. Temperate rainforests are found near the cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator..

Temperature

20°C to 25°C, must remain warm and frost-free

Precipitation

2,000 to 10,000 millimeters of rain per year

Rainforest

Campa Pita, Belize

Temperate rain forest is a rich wood producer, supplying us with lumber and pulpwood. It is also one of the world's most complex ecosystems in terms of species richness. We must avoid overharvesting the original old-growth (never logged) forest, because such an ecosystem takes hundreds of years to develop. When the logging industry harvests old-growth for est, it typically replants the area with a monoculture (a single species) of trees that it harvests in 40- to 100-year cycles. The old-growth forest ecosystem, once harvested never has chance to redevelop. A small fraction of the original ol growth temperate rain forest in Washington, Oregon, and northern California remains untouched. These stable forest ecosystems provide biological habitats for many species, in- cluding about 40 endangered and threatened species. The is sues surrounding old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest were explored

Human & Abiotic Impacts:

temperate rainforest

The height of grass correlates with the amount of rainfall it receives. Grasslands receive about 500 to 900 mm of rain per year compared to deserts, which receive less than 300 mm and tropical forests, which receive more than 2,000 mm. While temperatures are often extreme in some grasslands, the average temperatures are about -20°C to 30°C. Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain.

temperature Description :

Plants & Animals

The dominant plants in the North American temperate rain forest are large evergreen trees such as western hemlock, Douglas fir, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and western. Temperate rain forests are rich in e phytic vegetation smaller plants that grow on the trunks and branches of large trees. Epiphytes in this biome are mainly mosses, club mosses, lichens, and ferns, all of which also carpet the ground. Squirrels, wood rats, mule deer, elk, numerous bird species, and several species of amphibians and reptiles are com mon temperate rainforest animals

Plants:

North American deserts in clued cacti , yuccas , Joshua trees , and sagebrush es Inhabitants of deserts are strikingly adapted to the demands of their environment . Desert plants tend to have reduced leaves or no leaves , an adaptation that conserves water . In cacti such as the giant saguaro , the stem , which expands accordion - style to store water , carries out photosynthesis the leaves are modified into spines , which discourage herbivores . Other desert plants shed their leaves for most of the year , growing only during the brief moist season . Many desert plants are provided with spines , thorns , or toxins to resist the heavy grazing pressure of- ten experienced in this food - and water -

Location:

Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

Location

Between 15° and 35° latitude (North and South of the equator); examples are Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahua, and Great Basin (North America); Sahara (Africa); Negev (Middle East); and Gobi (Asia)

Grasses that grow knee high or lower dominate shortgrass prairies. The plants grow in less abundance than in moister grasslands, and occasionally some bare soil is exposed Native grasses of shortgrass prairies are drought-resistant The North American grassland, particularly the tallgrass prairie, was well suited to agriculture.

Plants:

The principal predators were wolves, although in sparser, drier areas coyotes took their place. Smaller animals included prairie dogs and their predators (foxes, black-footed ferrets, and various birds of prey), grouse, reptiles such as snakes and lizards, and great numbers of insects grass prairies are temperate grassland that receive less precipitation than the moist temperate grasslands just described but more precipitation than deserts. In the United States, shortgrass prairies occur in Montana, the western half of South Dakota, and parts of other midwestern states

Animals:

environment Desert animals tend to be small . During the heat ofthe day . they remain under cover or return to shelter periodically , where- as at night they come out to forage or hunt . In addition to desert - adapted insects , there are a few desert amphibians ( frogs and toads ) and many desert reptiles , such as the desert tortoise . desert iguana , Gila monster , and Mojave rattlesnake . Desert mammals include rodents such as gerbils and jerboas in African and Asian deserts and kangaroo rats in North American deserts . There are also mule deer and iackrabbits in these deserts , omes in African deserts , and kangaroos in Australian deserts . Carmi- vores such as the African fennec fox and some birds of prey , espe cially owls , live on the rodents and jackrabbits . During the driest months of the year , many desert insects , amphibians , reptiles and mammals tunnel underground , where they remain inactive

Location:

The prairies of the Great Plains of North America, the pampas of South America, the veldt of South Africa, the steppes of Central Eurasia, and surrounding the deserts in Australia

D e s e r t s

Precipitation:

About 250 mm of rain per year

El-Oasr el-Akhdar, Egypt

Temperature:

Average of 38°C (day), average of -3.9°C (night)

g r a s s l a n d

Precipitation:

About 500 to 900 mm of rain per year

Temperature:

Dependent on latitude, yearly range can be between -20°C to 30°C

Grassland

Ingeniera White, Argentina

Humans & abiotic impacts:

Humans have altered North American deserts in several ways . People who drive across the desert in off - road vehicles inflict environmental damage , when the top layer of desert soil is disturbed , erosion occurs more readily , and less vegeta tion grows to support native animals . Certain cacti and desert tortoises are rare as a result of poaching. Houses, factories and farms built in desert areas require vast quantities of water, which is imported from distant areas. Increased groundwater consumption by many desert cities has caused groundwater levels to drop. Aquifer depletion in U S. deserts is particularly entical in southern Arizona and southwestern

location Description:

Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Grasses vary in size from 2.1 m (7 ft) tall with roots extending down into the soil 1.8 m (6 ft), to the short grasses growing to a height of only 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) tall. These short grasses can have roots that extend 1 m (about 3 ft) deep.

location & temperature Description

Desert biomes are the driest of all the biomes. In fact, the most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little rainfall. Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared to rainforests, which receive over 2,000 mm. That means that the desert only gets 10 percent of the rain that a rainforest gets! The temperature in the desert can change drastically from day to night because the air is so dry that heat escapes rapidly at night. The daytime temperature averages 38°C while in some deserts it can get down to -4°C at night. The temperature also varies greatly depending on the location of the desert.

More than 90% has vanished under the plow, and the remaining prairie is so frag mented that almost nowhere can you see what Native Ameri cans experienced prior to the arrival of European settlers in the Midwest. Today, the tallgrass prairie is considered North America's rarest biome. It is not surprising that the North erican Midwest, Ukraine, and other moist temperate grass lands became the breadbaskets of the world, because they pro vide ideal growing conditions for crops such as corn and wheat which are also grasses

Human & abiotic impacts :

SOURCES :

• THE AP ENVIROMENTAL SCIENCE BOOK
• NASA
• Wikipedia
• Weebly
• GOOGLE images
• Other websites