BIOMES
Terrestrial
Marine
Aquatic
Tropical
Rainforest
Located
near equator
High
rainfall; may have rainy season
Important
role of canopy (Layers
of Tropical Rainforest)
Mineral-rich
soils
High
biodiversity
Threatened
by deforestation
Deserts
Located
in middle of continents
Low
rainfall, short growing season
Plants
and animals adapted to dryness
High
daytime temperatures; cold nights
Desertification
increasing
Grasslands
Savannahs,
steppes, prairies
Fertile
soils (good agricultural regions)
Moderate
rainfall; seasonal
Chaparral
Shrub
forests near coastlines
Mediterranean
countries, California
Low
rainfall
Fires
common; plants adapted
Temperate
Deciduous Forest
Located
in temperate latitudes
Mixed
evergreen and deciduous trees
Seasonal
changes
Moderate
rainfall
Fertile
soils (high humic content)
Importance
of detritus food webs
Taiga
(Boreal Forests)
Located
in northern latitudes
Europe,
North America
Dominance
of evergreen trees
Low
temperatures, high rainfall
Severe
winters (animals must adapt)
Tundra
Arctic
Tundra in northern latitudes
Alpine
Tundra at high altitudes
Extreme
weather conditions and exposure
Plants
are small; short growing season
Short
reproductive cycles for animals
Permafrost
present
Open
Ocean
Pelagic
region (deep water)
Currents
and winds important
Phytoplankton
as base of food chains
Large
mammals and fish
Salinity
remains constant
Temperatures
and pH moderated
Pollution
expanding
Littoral
Regions
Salt
marshes, lagoons, salt ponds, rock pools, sandy beaches, estuaries
More
sensitive to seasonal change
Highly
productive, high biodiversity
Nursery
area for commercial fish and shellfish
Threatened
by land use and pollution
Coral
Reefs
Located
in tropical waters
Types of Reefs
Formed
by animals (corals) and their associated algae
Support
highly diverse communities (high biodiversity and productivity)
Many
symbiotic relationships
Sensitive
to pollution and u.v. radiation
Aquatic
Ecosystems
Lakes,
Rivers, Streams, Ponds, Swamps, Marshes, Bogs
Freshwater
communities
Grazing
food chains more important
Phytoplankton
form base of food webs
Sensitive
to pH, toxic chemicals, pesticides and nutrients