Alcantara, Rosemarie H.

3BSA5A

UNIT 3
Biomes

Complete the chart. Browse each biome and fill the chart below.

TYPE OF PLANTS TEMPATURE/

BIOMES DESCRIPTION
AND ANIMALS CLIMATE

The tundra is the coldest Mosses, sedges, and

of the biomes and is also lichens are common,
found at the tops of very while few trees grow in
Temperatures are frequently
high mountains elsewhere the tundra. Animals
extremely cold, but can get warm
in the world. found in this biome
TUNDRA in the summers. Temperature
Tundra comes from the include the musk ox, the
usually ranges between -40°C (-40
Finnish word tunturia, Arctic hare, the polar
°F) and 18°C (64°F).
meaning "treeless plain"; bear, the Arctic fox, the
it is the coldest of the caribou, and the snowy
biomes owl.

Many smaller mammals,

such as snowshoe hares,
otters, ermines, squirrels
and moles, can be found The taiga is characterized by
in the biome. a cold, harsh climate, low rate of
The taiga is a forest of the Needleleaf, coniferous precipitation (snow and rain), and
cold, subarctic region. (gymnosperm) trees are short growing season.
The subarctic is an area the dominant plants of the It is the terrestrial biome with the
TAIGA of the Northern taiga biome. A very few lowest annual
Hemisphere that lies just species in four main average temperatures, with mean
south of the Arctic Circle. genera are found: the annual temperature generally
evergreen spruce (Picea), varying from −5 to 5 °C (23 to 41
fir (Abies), and pine °F).
(Pinus), and the
deciduous larch or
tamarack (Larix).
 The Savanna biome is
There are two distinct seasons
part of a larger grassland
consisting of a wet and a dry
biome and is mainly
Trees and grasses grow in season.
made up of flat grassland
the biome. It has fewer The Savanna biome has an average
SAVANNA vegetation and is
mammals but has more temperature of 25oC. It goes as
characterized by
bird species. high as 30oC during the summer
dominant ground cover
and as low as 20oC during the
by grass species and
winter, annually.
scattered trees and shrubs.

Broadleaf trees (oaks, The average daily temperatures

The temperate forest
maples, beeches), shrubs, range between -30°C (-22°F) and
regions are exposed to
TEMPERATE perennial herbs, and 30°C (86°F) with a yearly average
warm and cold air
FOREST masses, which cause this
mosses. Insects, spiders, of 10°C (50°F). Hot summers and
slugs, frogs, turtles and cold winters are typical in this
area to have four seasons.
salamanders are common. biome.

Trees that produce cones

Tropical forest regions
have cold, long, snowy
winters, and warm, humid
TROPICAL FOREST
summers; well-defined
seasons, at least four to
six frost-free months
and needles called,
Coniferous-evergreen
The average temperature in
trees. Tropical rainforest
summer ranges from -40°C (-40°F)
animals include the
to 20°C (68°F). The average
okapi, tapir, rhinoceros,
summer temperatures are usually
gorilla, jaguar, poison
around 10°C (50°F).
dart frog, boa constrictor,
toucan, spider monkey,
etc.

Grasslands are generally Grasses (prairie clover, Dependent on latitude, the annual
GRASSLANDS open and continuous, salvia, oats, wheat, range can be between -20°C (-4°F)
fairly flat areas of grass. barley, coneflowers) to 30°C (86°F).

Cacti, small bushes, short

During the day, desert temperatures
grasses exist in this
Desert biomes are the rise to an average of 38°C (a little
biome.
driest of all the biomes. It over 100°F).
DESERTS These grasses can support
receives very little At night, desert temperatures fall to
high densities of grazing
rainfall. an average of -3.9°C (about 25°F).
animals, such as zebra,
antelope and bison.
 Plants such as lotus,
ironwood and acacias
rely on small leathery
Dry forests are most
leaves to keep water loss
defined by their low
to a minimum.
amount of rain, and many
Animal life includes
by a “pulse rain system” Temperatures average above 64.4°
DRY FORESTS which means no
Merriam's kangaroo, a
F all year long.
small nocturnal rat that
predictable rainy season,
stays in burrows during
and rain that may come in
the heat of the day.
unexpected small or large
Lizards make up 40
bursts at any month.
percent of the vertebrates
living in the forest.