The document discusses the 5 main biomes - forests, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and aquatic biomes. It provides details on the characteristics of each biome such as the types of climates, plants, and animals commonly found. It also notes how humans interact with and impact some of these biomes.
The document discusses the 5 main biomes - forests, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and aquatic biomes. It provides details on the characteristics of each biome such as the types of climates, plants, and animals commonly found. It also notes how humans interact with and impact some of these biomes.
The document discusses the 5 main biomes - forests, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and aquatic biomes. It provides details on the characteristics of each biome such as the types of climates, plants, and animals commonly found. It also notes how humans interact with and impact some of these biomes.
The document discusses the 5 main biomes - forests, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and aquatic biomes. It provides details on the characteristics of each biome such as the types of climates, plants, and animals commonly found. It also notes how humans interact with and impact some of these biomes.
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Getting to know the biomes
The 5 main biomes
Biomes are communities of plants and animals that extend over large areas. Some are dense forests; some are deserts; some are grasslands, like much of Australia; and so, the variations continue. In simpler terms, a biome is a large area characterized by its vegetation, soil, climate, and wildlife.
Forests
Forests are the most diverse biomes on the Earth.
They range from hot and wet tropical rainforests to temperate forests and have an abundance of both plant and animal life. Over 50 per cent of all known plant and animal species are found in tropical rainforests making them one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Forests are the source of over 7000 modern medicines, and many fruits and nuts originated in this biome. Forests also play an important part in how the planet functions. They regulate global climate by absorbing the sun’s energy, plants store and recycle water back into the atmosphere, and importantly they store carbon and convert it into the oxygen we breathe.
Deserts
Deserts are places that experience low rainfall
and can either be hot or cold, such as the hot deserts in Australia or cold deserts of Central Asia (the Gobi Desert). They are mainly located where the tropic and temperate zones meet. Generally, they are places of temperature extremes for example, hot deserts are hot by day and cold by night. Most animals that inhabit deserts are nocturnal and desert vegetation is sparse. Desert rain often evaporates before it hits the ground, or else it falls in short, heavy bursts. Around 300 million people around the world live in desert regions.
Grasslands
Grasslands are biomes dominated by grass and
may have small, widely spaced trees or no trees. The two categories of grasslands are tropical grasslands and temperate grasslands, and these are based on climate. They are mainly inhabited by grazing animals, reptiles and ground-nesting birds, though many other animals can be found in areas with more tree cover. Grasslands have long been prized for livestock grazing but overgrazing of grasslands is unsustainable and places them at risk of becoming deserts. Over one billion people inhabit the grassland areas of the world.
Tundra
Tundras are biomes characterised by cold climates and the absence of trees, but they have grasses, dwarf shrubs, mosses, and lichens. They are located in the higher latitudes around the polar zones, such as the Arctic Tundra, and at high altitudes, such as the Alti near Siberia. Tundra falls into three distinct categories —Arctic, Antarctic and alpine—but they share the common characteristic of low temperatures. The tundra biome is the most vulnerable to changes in climate because plants and animals have little tolerance for environmental changes that reduce snow cover.
Aquatic biomes
Water covers about three-quarters of the Earth and can be classified as fresh water or marine. Freshwater biomes contain very little salt and are found on land; these include lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Marine biomes are the saltwater regions of the Earth and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Marine environments are teeming with plant and animal life and are a major food source. Elements taken from the roots of mangroves have been used in the development of cancer remedies. Compounds from other marine life have also been used in cosmetics and toothpaste.
Activity
Using information in the text and figures 2-6, create a table that lists the five major biomes and identifies its key characteristics. The first has been started for you.
Major biome Characteristics
1. Forest hot and wet tropical rainforests to temperate forests
range of plant and animal life …. (continue on) 2.
