Tundra Biome

The tundra biome is believed to be the youngest of all of them in the world. It was believed to
have formed approximately 10,000 years ago. Approximately 20% or of the surface of the Earth
falls into this category.

You will find the tundra biome along the coastal regions of the arctic. The combination of polar air
and arctic air masses dominate in this particular biome. There is a very long winter and it is cold
and harsh. The summer is short and mild, but most experts don’t view it as a true summer season.

The tundra biome consists of wasteland that is extremely cold. There are lots of rocks too but not
very much vegetation. There are almost no trees at all found in this particular biome. The area is
very cold and often dry. Yet the temperatures don’t warm up enough for the snow that is in place
to melt completely. Muddy areas can develop when it does warm up though as some of the ice
begins to melt.

Characteristics: The temperatures are very low in the tundra biome. In the winter time they
can be as low as -58 degrees F. In the summer it is rarely above 54 degrees F. It is usually very dark
in the winter months. Even the summer doesn’t offer much sunlight as it is often cloudy during
those 6 to 8 weeks. There isn’t much rainfall in such areas, less than 30 inches annually. The
majority of the moisture though comes from the ice and the snow pack. Approximately ¾ of the
tundra biome is permafrost.

Due to the balance of animals and plants not being equal in the tundra biome, it is one of the few
places on Earth known as a carbon dioxide sink. This means more carbon dioxide is taken in than in
released back out. It is believed that this has contributed to the growing global warming concerns
for the tundra biome.
Desert
The desert biome is one that is very hot and dry. They are found at the lower latitudes, between
the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Light winds occur often which evaporates any
type of moisture that is typically going to develop in them. The heat is very dry and that makes it
hard for too many types of plants or animals to be able to survive in such biomes. Approximately
20% of the Earth falls into this category.

Some of the desert biomes are extremely large. For example the Sahara desert in Africa is more
than 3.5 million square miles in size. Others are extremely dry. For example the Atacama desert in
Chile is a place that gets about ½ an inch of precipitation annually. It never rains there – the
precipitation comes from the fog.

Characteristics: A desert biome is one that receives less than 10 inches of annual precipitation.
What some people don’t realize is that a desert can be extremely hot during the day but then very
cool at night. The extreme changes in temperature from day to night can make it very hard for
living things to successfully thrive in such an environment.

Many desert biomes are formed in areas not too far from mountain locations. Scientists believe
that this is the result of a rain shadow. The process involves air moving up and over the mountain
range. As it moves though it gets cooler which means it is harder for it to retain any moisture. That
is when it will rain or even snow if the temperatures are cool enough.
Taiga
The taiga biome is one that has very long and cold winters. They summers are short and they are
cool in temperature. The cool air masses from the arctic can move in rapidly. The average
temperature in the summer is from 64 degrees to 72 degrees. However, in the winter months it
can be -14 degrees. Taiga biome makes up 29% of the world’s forest cover.

The taiga biome is the home of the needle leaf forest regions. It is a lonely existence in this area.
As a result many of the animals in this area often suffer from struggles to find enough food to
survive. It may surprise you to discover that this particular biome is the largest one in the world.
You will find it over various areas of North America and Eurasia. The largest taiga biomes are found
in Russia and Canada.

Characteristics: There isn’t very much annual precipitation that occurs in the taiga biome.
There is some though in the summer months. This tends to create problems due to the heavy bark
found on the trees there. The outbreak of fires during the summer months in the taiga biome is
very high. During the colder time of the year, there are extremely cool winds that make it hard to
survive in such conditions.

The rich forest are of the taiga biome takes over where the tundra biome ends. During the longer
parts of summer, there can be up to 20 hours of daylight given. The temperatures though can
severely dip and rise over the course of any 24 hour period. Therefore, you must be ready for what
this particular biome offers.
Tropical Rainforest
Tropical rainforest biomes are found in the lower latitudes. The temperature is generally around
80 degrees. There is very high humidity too – from 77% to 88%. There isn’t a big change in seasons
like there are with many other biomes. Instead, this is what you can expect day after day. It will
rain just about every day due to the high humidity. That humidity mixes with the heat to create
cumulus clouds. For millions of years it has been this way in this particular biome.

You may not be aware that a tropical rainforest can be found in many different types of terrain.
This includes mountains, plains, and river valleys. The amount of rainfall that each gets as well as
the temperatures there are the main differences. There is also a big difference regarding the types
of plants and animals that live there. The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon Rainforest
found in South America.

Characteristics: In a tropical rainforest biome, there are several characteristics that have been
identified. They have rainfall that can occur all year long, and often in heavy volume. It is common
for them to get at least 100 inches per year. Some areas get up to 400 inches of rain annually. This
means from 9 feet to 30 feet of rain may be in any one area of the tropical rainforest biome
annually.

You may not be aware though that the rainfall is often recycled in the tropical rainforest biome.
The heat during the day causes the water to start evaporating from the environment. As it is in the
air clouds form above the canopy. These clouds will then release the water once again in the form
of rain. Here you will find insects, reptiles, birds, and various types of mammals living. Trees that
are higher up than the canopy are called emergents. Here you will also find tons of species and
insects living.
Chaparral
The chaparral biome is one that is found in areas of every single continent. However, many people
don’t realize it is the same. That is because there are several different types of terrain that this
particular biome is associated with. In some areas they are flat plains but in other regions there
are hills. Still yet, others consist of mountain terrain areas. They really are lovely areas with lots to
offer.

A chaparral biome is created when cool water from an ocean merges with a landmass that is at a
high temperature. You will find them about 30 to 40 degrees below and above the equator. They
are found just beyond the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The major chaparral
biomes are found along the coast of Baja and California. They are also found in various areas
around the Mediterranean Sea.

Characteristics: With a chaparral biome you will find that there is a very wet winter and also a
very dry summer. The climate changes often with the emergence of different seasons. They
summers can be dry enough to create a drought. This dry period can extend for up to five months
out of the year. These dry conditions make the risk of fires breaking out very high.

The temperatures in the chaparral biome is about 30 degrees in the winter time. It can be up to
100 degrees in the summer months. There is from 10 to 17 inches of rainfall annually in the
chaparral biome. They are found in a mid latitude climate The average temperature in these areas
is 64 degrees.

Most of the animals found in the chaparral biome are active at night. It is too hot for them to be
very active during the day. There are some exceptions though such as the various lizards. Reptiles
seem to do very well in the heat.
Coral Reef
Some people assume that the coral reef is part of the ocean biome. Even though they are found in
the ocean, they are separate entities. A coral reef biome is found in a shallow area of clear water
within the ocean. The temperature in this biome is usually from 70 degrees to 85 degrees.

Coral reef biomes are very common. You will find them mainly in the tropical areas. This includes
the Eastern coast of Africa, the Southern coast of India, the coasts of Australia, the Red Sea, off the
coast of Florida in the United States, along the Caribbean, and along the coast of Brazil.

Characteristics: Warm water temperatures are required for a coral reef biome to exist. That is
why they are in the water that is shallow. In the deeper locations of water, the sun isn’t able to
shine due to the depths of it. With the shallow water though the sun can get to the bottom of it
and warm the area up.

The structure of the coral reef biome is very intriguing. You will find colonies of small animals living
in those areas. However, when they die there is a hard structure that is made out of limestone.
This can give a very interesting history of the environment that these animals have been living in.

The characteristics of a coral reef biome will depend on if it is a hard or soft coral reef. With the
hard coral reef you will find those limestone skeletons being left behind from brain coral and elk
horn coral. With a soft coral reef though you won’t have that left behind.

There are three different types of corral reefs that have been identified. Fringing reefs are those
found along the coastline. They are along the shallow waters of the continental shelf. Barrier reefs
are further out into the lagoon. They actually create a barrier between the sea and the lagoon
area.

The last one is the coral atolls which are rings of corral. They are actually the remains of volcanoes
under the water. The volcano will continue to sink and as a result the corral reef will get taller.
Freshwater
A freshwater biome is one that many people overlook the importance of. They are much smaller
bodies of water, but important just the same. These freshwater biomes include lakes, rivers,
streams, and creeks. They all dump water into a marsh area, typically from the mouth of the
rivers. Some that people never consider though include ditches, gutters, canals, and even puddles.
They too can be a freshwater biome due to the fact that life will use them for survival.

Freshwater biomes cover 1/5 of the Earth and they are vital to our survival. More than half of the
drinking water for humans and animals comes from this resource. When you take your daily
shower you often just turn on the faucet and take it for granted. However, just about all of that
water comes initially from a freshwater biome resource.

Characteristics: The freshwater biome is a location where there is plenty of nutrition and
minerals. That is why so many types of plants and animals are able to thrive in such a location. You
may not realize it but salt water can be very harsh. Such conditions aren’t ideal for many forms of
plants and animal life. However, they are able to do very well in bodies of freshwater.

They vary in size significantly which can make giving characteristics of them difficult. However, as
long as there is a pool of water that is free of salt it can be considered a freshwater biome. They
are able to take on a vital importance in ways most of us don’t realize. The dips and ruts that
shape them allow for water to be collected. When this occurs, the risk of flooding is alleviated in
many areas. That water will be in one given area.
Grassland
Along certain areas of North America and Euro-asia you will find grassland biomes. There are
mountain ranges in place that prevent the ocean air masses from affecting these areas. As a result
the polar air can become dominant, giving way to some colder temperatures in the winter months.
However, in the summer the continental air mass is dominant. As a result there is some rainfall
during the summer.

However, there are also very long periods of drought. This can allow fires to break out in a
grassland biome. The combination of drought and fires is what prevents this particular biome from
becoming more forest like. Yet the fires won’t destroy the grass as they grow from the bottom of
the stems. Therefore they can continue to grow even if the tops of them have been singed by the
fire.

Characteristics: The grassland biome is considered to be a transitional location. They are

There is enough precipitation in a grassland biome to support such living things. You may often
hear it referred to as the prairie. There are two different climates found in a grassland biome.
Some of them offer tall grass and the area is very wet. The grass in these areas can be up to 5 feet
tall. There is also a great deal of humidity in this area. The second option is an area that offers
short grass and it is dry. The grass may barely peak above the ground.
Ocean
A common belief is that the ocean biome was the first one to exist. More than 3 million years ago
the first life forms were able to derive from here. While that is still a debated fact, you can’t help
but recognize the importance of the ocean biome. While the water is refreshing to look at and
enjoyable to be around, there is so much activity going on within it.

We tend to fail to realize all that lives in the ocean biome though. That is because most of the
plants and animals live in the areas of it where we don’t spend our time. Even if you go out in to
the ocean to where your feet can’t touch, you are no where near the depths of what really exists
out there. It is fascinating, and as you learn more you will be in awe of the ocean biomes.

Characteristics: There are three layers to recognize in any ocean biome. The top layer is the
euphotic and this is where the water is very shallow. Light is able to reach from the top of the
water to the bottom of it for this particular layer. In the middle is the disphotic layer and it allows
some light to get to the bottom of it. The appearance from the bottom looking up would be similar
to how twilight appears.

The deepest layer of the ocean biome is the apotic layer. It is very deep and light is not able to
reach the bottom of it. The water is dark and murky in that area. The temperature of the water will
also vary based on the layer that you are talking about within the ocean biome. What is also very
interesting is that more than half of all the rainfall that occurs in the world is right there over these
various ocean biomes.
Savanna
When we think of the Savanna Biome, it is understandable that we think of hot and dry areas.
However, it may surprise you to learn that there is a very wet season and then a very dry season in
the Savanna. They are found in the lower latitudes. This particular biome falls in between a
grassland and a forest region. They often border the rainforests and can overlap with other types
of biomes.

There are many areas out there where you will find the savanna biomes. They include Africa,
Australia, Madagascar, India, South America, and the Southeast part of Asia. Sometimes the
animals and plants living in the savanna biome are on the brink of death before they rainy season
begins. They may not be able to make it any longer without water when suddenly it begins to pour
from the sky.

The largest place where you will find the savanna biome is in Africa. In fact, 46% of the land there
fits this particular profile. That is why it is very hard for them to sustain growing their own food in
many locations. You often see that this is an underdeveloped country, and a big part of it is that
the land they have to work with is very difficult for such survival.

Characteristics: There are only a few scattered trees found in the savanna biome. There is
both a dry and a rainy season that occur in the savannah biome. These each last for extended
periods of time. As a result the supply of food can be very high at some times of the year. Then
they are very low at others.

The plants and animals living in the savanna biome have had to adapt to such issues. Many of the
animals have to migrate around the biome in order to find enough food and water for survival
during these changing seasons. The annual rainfall in a savanna biome is 59 inches. During the dry
season the average daily temperature is 93 degrees. During the rainy season it drops to a more
comfortable average of 61 degrees.
Temperate Deciduous Forest
In the polar front zone you will find the deciduous forest biome. The battle rages on between the
tropical air masses and the polar air masses. The temperatures can drastically change from one
day to the next. They can also change rapidly on the same day. There are distinct seasons where
the summers are warmer than in the winters.

The taiga biomes are usually North of the temperate deciduous forest biomes. However, with the
changes in environment due to human issues including global warming, they often overlap. In fact,
many people often confuse the two biomes on a regular basis. They certainly do have
characteristics during the year that can make that mistake very easy to make.

The temperate deciduous forest biome is an area that is very cool and rainy most of the time. In
the fall the leaves will fall off of the trees. The following spring they will emerge again. During the
summer months the temperature will range from 75 to 86 degrees. For those temperate
deciduous forest biomes high up in the mountains, they will be at the cooler side of temperatures.
The average temperature is about 50 degrees.

Characteristics: The temperate deciduous forest biome receives a large amount of rain
annually. In the summer the polar air masses cause it. In the winter, it is the result of the polar and
arctic masses that are moving south. The soil is very rich with nutrients in the temperature
deciduous forest biome. This is often due to the falling leaves and twigs that turn to natural
fertilizer on the ground.

There are five layers found in the temperature deciduous forest biome. The ground layer is home
to moss and to lichens. The herb layer allows for short plants to grow. At the shrub layer you will
find huckleberries and many other products. The small tree layer is where the saplings are found.
The top layer is the tree stratum where you will find them growing from 60 feet to 100 feet tall.
They include maple and oak trees.
Wetland
The wetland biome is one that many people don’t really see as being important. In fact, in many
areas they consider it to be a nuisance. Swampland is the most common type of wetland biome
you will find. They also include marshes and bogs and they can be various sizes. Some of them are
very long and deep. Others are nothing more than a few feet of water in a given location but they
are still very important.

In a wetland biome the water is always going to be standing still. You will find them in many low
lying areas. It is common for them to be very close to lakes, rivers, and streams. They may have
water in them all the time or only during particular times of the year. That is a key factor that
separates it from other forms of biomes. The combination of both land and water are essential for
this biome to form.

Characteristics: In a wetland biome the conditions are always very moist and humid. What you
will find with characteristics can be very specific to a given location. That is because the wetland
biome is so frequently going to overlap with or be a part of other biomes out there. Without this
particular one though many others wouldn’t be able to thrive as they do.

The only places on Earth where you won’t find the wetlands biome are around the Artic. The
tundra there is too cold and frozen for them to develop. Just about every other biome though is
associated with them in some way. In fact, many times the wetland biome is overlooked by people
due to where it happens to be located. Experts though know what to look for and have been able
to fully identify them.