BIO330

Introduction To Ecology

Chapter 6
Terrestrial Biomes

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 Lesson Outcomes

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

o Explain the characteristics of each biome.

o Distinguish between different biomes.

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 As an introduction…

What are biomes?

Biomes are major communities of organisms that have a characteristic appearance
and are distributed over a wide land area defined largely by regional variations in
climate (Raven et al., Biology 7th Edition)

Terrestrial biomes
Terrestrial biomes are defined by their characteristic vegetational structure, which in
turn, is affected by the climate of a region.

Aquatic biomes
Chapter 7.

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The distribution of terrestrial biomes: Each biome is similar in vegetational structure and
appearance wherever it occurs on earth. Terrestrial biomes: Tundra, taiga (coniferous
forest or boreal forest), temperate rain forest (temperate broadleaf forest), temperate
deciduous forest, temperate grassland, the chaparral, deserts, tropical grassland
(savanna), tropical rain forest.
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 Biomes and Climate
o Different environmental factors play a role in
determining which biomes are found where and
their primary productivity.

o Two key factors: precipitation (in turn affected by

distance from the ocean) and temperature (in turn
affected by elevation).

o However, different regions with the same annual

precipitation and temperature sometimes support
different biomes: meant to be influenced by other
factors; soil structure, mineral compositions,
seasonal weather, fire, seasonal drought etc.
Predictors of biome distribution: Precipitation and temperature
are excellent predictors of biome distribution. Adapted from
Ricklefs (2000).

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 Tundra o Location: Regions south of the ice caps of the
Arctic and extending across North America, to
Europe and Siberia. Tundra is also found at the
tops of very high mountains.

o Weather: Tundra winters are long, dark and cold

with mean temperature below 0 ○C for 6 to 10
months each year.

o Precipitation: This biome receives in between 150

to 250 mm (15-25 cm) of rains per year, including
melted snow.

o Temperature: Usually range between -40○C and

Tundra: Permafrost, bitterly cold temperature, and high winds
are responsible for the absence of trees and other tall plants.
Tundra amounting to 20% of Earth’s land surface.
Adapted from NASA Earth Observatory.
18○C. The low temperature cause evaporation of
water to be slow. Low temperature also cause the
formation of permafrost (a layer of permanently
frozen ground below the surface).

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 Tundra
o Fauna: Low diversity of animal species;
Tundra: Permafrost, bitterly cold temperature, and high
winds are responsible for the absence of trees and other
tall plants. Tundra amounting to 20% of Earth’s land
surface.
Adapted from NASA Earth Observatory.
o Vegetation: During the summer, permafrost prevents
the roots of plants from growing very deep.
Combination of permafrost, low precipitation and low
temperature only supports the growth of dwarf
perennial shrubs, grasses, mosses, lichens and
sedges.
o Blackflies, deerflies, beetles, grasshoppers,
butterflies and mosquitoes are abundant during
the short summers. Insects have very short
wings or no wings at all, an adaptation to the
constant winds. Insect development much
slower in tundra; butterflies often take 2 years to
mature.
o Native birds are rare (eg; snowy owl), but
diversity of migratory birds are great during
short summers due to abundant insect as a
source of food (breeding season).
o Mammals: musk, caribou, reindeer, lemmings,
fox, wolves, polar bear.
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 Taiga
o Location: Extending across northern part of North
America, Europe and Asia. Taiga is also found at
cool high elevations in more temperate latitudes.

o Weather: Long cold winters and short wet

summers.

o Precipitation: The biome receives in between 300

to 900 mm (30-90 cm) of precipitations per year,
mostly in the form of snow.

o Temperature: The temperature in winter ranges

from -40○C and -1○C. The temperature in summer
ranges from -7○C to 21○C.
Taiga (also known as coniferous or boreal forest): Dense,
uniform stands of coniferous trees dominate the taiga. The
conical shape of the conifers prevents much snow from
accumulating on and breaking their branches.
Photo: Ferenc Cegledi Photography
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 Taiga
o Vegetation: Taiga soil is usually thin, nutrient-poor
and acidic (it forms slowly owing to the low
temperature and slow decomposition of waxing
conifer’s leaves).

o Plants grow quickly during the long day of

summers and consist of a few species of
pine, oak, birch, willow, alder and aspen.

o Mosses and lichens are well distributed

throughout the taiga.

o Forest understory dominate by twinflower,

lingonberry, baneberry and dwarf connel.
Taiga (also known as coniferous or boreal forest): Dense,
uniform stands of coniferous trees dominate the taiga. The
conical shape of the conifers prevents much snow from
accumulating on and breaking their branches.
Photo: Ferenc Cegledi Photography
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 Taiga
o Fauna: The animal populations in the taiga
consist mainly of seed eaters (squirrels, jays and
nutcrackers), herbivorous insect and large
browsers (deer, moose, elk, snowshoe hares,
beavers and porcupines).

o Predators of the taiga include grizzly bears,

wolves, lynxes and wolverines.

o Mammals of the taiga have thick winter coats

that insulate them against the cold, and some
hibernate through the long winter.

o Snow prevents the soil from becoming

permanently frozen, allows certain species to
Taiga (also known as coniferous or boreal forest): Dense,
remain active all winter in underground
uniform stands of coniferous trees dominate the taiga. The tunnels.
conical shape of the conifers prevents much snow from
accumulating on and breaking their branches.
Photo: Ferenc Cegledi Photography
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 Temperate rain forest o Location: Temperate rain forests are found near
the cooler coastal areas further north or south of
the equator (Pacific Coast of North America,
Southeast Coast of South America, and small
parts of UK, Norway, New Zealand, South
Australia and Japan.

o Weather: Have major seasonal changes. Winter

is quite long and wet, and summer is short, dry
and foggy. In summer, the weather is
considerably cool as the fog supplies sufficient
moisture.

o Precipitation: The fog contributes 180 to 300 mm

of precipitation. The average annual rainfalls in
between 200 to 350 mm.

Temperate rain forest (also known as temperate broadleaf

forest): A type of rainforest occurring in a temperate climate
o Temperature: The temperature hardly falls below
which is experiencing vast amounts of rainfall but feature a freezing point and hardly exceeds 27 ○C. The
cooler average temperature compared to tropical rainforest. average summer temperatures are around 10 ○C.
Photo: Imgur Photography
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 Temperate rain forest o Vegetation: As opposed to tropical rainforests,
temperate rainforests consist of only 2 main
layers of vegetation; the emergent layer and the
canopy layer (understory layer and the forest floor
consist of less vegetation).
o The main kinds of trees include; oaks,
beeches, walnut, lime trees, aspens, birches,
elms.

o Fauna: Compared to the tropical rainforest biome,

temperate rainforest harbor very few mammals
due to the absence of a series of vegetation
layers and the vegetation is seasonal.
o Animals must develop adaptation to the ever-
changing seasons. Animals that are not able
to adapt migrate in the winter.
o Bird varieties; cardinals, woodpeckers, etc
o Browsers of the temperate rain forest include
Temperate rain forest (also known as temperate broadleaf white-tailed deer, elk etc.
forest): A type of rainforest occurring in a temperate climate
which is experiencing vast amounts of rainfall but feature a o Predators; red foxes, grey wolves, black bear,
cooler average temperature compared to tropical rainforest. bob cats etc.
Photo: Imgur Photography
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Temperate deciduous forest
o Location: Located in the mid-latitude areas: most
of the eastern United State, most of the middle
Europe and part of the eastern Asia.

o Weather: Exposed to warm and cold air masses,

which cause this area to have four seasons
(winter, spring, summer and autumn).

o Precipitation: Relatively high and fairly distributed

throughout the year (750-1500 mm of rains per
year).

o Temperature: The temperatures ranges from very

Temperate deciduous forest: The trees drop their leaves cold in the winter to hot in the summer (-30○C to
before winter, when temperature are too low for effective
photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration is not
30○C) with a yearly average 10○C.
easily replaced from frozen soil.
Photo: NASA Earth Observatory.
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 o Vegetation: Plant diversity is extensive, resulting
Temperate deciduous forest
Temperate deciduous forest: The trees drop their leaves
before winter, when temperature are too low for effective
photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration is not
easily replaced from frozen soil.
Photo: NASA Earth Observatory.
from the high availability of moisture, light and
nutrients.
o Dominant trees are: oak, birch, hickory,
beech, and maple species.
o Understory dominate by shrubs and low
growing forbs.
o Mosses, lichens, ferns and wildflowers can be
found on the shady forest floor.
o Trees change color during autumn, and then
lose their leaves and become dormant in
winter. They then produce new leaves in the
spring.
o Rate of decomposition are lower and the
forest accumulate a thick layer of leaf litter,
which conserves many of the biome’s
nutrients.
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Temperate deciduous forest
o Fauna: Rich diversity of animals because of the
variety and abundance of food and habitats.

o Animals must be able to adapt to the

changing seasons, some of them migrate or
hibernate during winter.

o Herbivores such as deer, moose, squirrels,

chipmunks.

o Omnivores such as raccoons, skunks and

possums.

o Predators such as timber wolves, bears,

Temperate deciduous forest: The trees drop their leaves mountain lions and bobcats.
before winter, when temperature are too low for effective
photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration is not
easily replaced from frozen soil.
Photo: NASA Earth Observatory.
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 Temperate grassland
o Location: Great Plains of North America, the
pampas of South America, the veldt of South
Africa, the steppes of Central Eurasia and the
deserts of Australia.

o Weather: Cold winters and warm summers with

some rains.

o Precipitation: Grasslands receives around 500 to

900 mm of rains per year (late spring and early
summer).
Temperate grassland: Grassland soils is rich in nutrients and
deep; these habitats provide fertile land for agriculture.
Photo: barrameda.com
o Temperature: Winter temperature can be as low
as -40○C and summer temperature can be well
over 38○C.

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 Temperate grassland
o Vegetation: Seasonal drought, occasional fires
and grazing by large browsers prevent woody
shrubs and trees from invading and becoming
established.

o Various species of grasses: galleta, purple

needlegrass, blue grama etc

o Wild flowers: asters, clovers, blazing stars,

coneflowers, goldenrods, wild indigos etc

Temperate grassland: Grassland soils is rich in nutrients and o Fauna: Larger browsers: bison, antelope, zebras,
deep; these habitats provide fertile land for agriculture. wild horse etc. Predators: hyenas, African dog,
Photo: barrameda.com cheetah, lions etc.

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Further Reading

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