BIOMES

Part – I
By Dr Vipan Goyal
 BIOMES

Biomes or Terrestrial Ecosystems:- A community of plants and animals that have common
characteristics for the environment they exist in.
TUNDRA BIOME
 TUNDRA BIOME

Location Climate Flora Fauna

Permafrost is Extremely cold Stands of dwarf Limited in number
common winters willow, birch and
alder
Vegetation found in Little snow Lichens and heaths of Caribou, reindeer,
high latitudes precipitation cowberry or musk ox, lemmings
between the limits of crowberry and the Arctic hare,
tree growth and the Arctic fox, wolf and
polar ice-caps bears(polar)
TAIGA OR BOREAL BIOME
 TAIGA OR BOREAL BIOME
Location Climate Flora Fauna Soils
Growing season Species of pine, fir Invertebrates are
is only of three or and spruce predominant
four months'
duration
North America Temperatures are Trees grow needles The vertebrate
and Eurasia on low (waxy outer coat) herbivores only
Highly
the southern instead of leaves becoming numerous
acidic
margins of the in areas where foliage
tundra zone. is thicker
Precipitation Cones instead of Carnivores
ranges from 400 flowers are scarce
to 1000 mm per
annum
Temperate Deciduous Biome (North-Western Europe – British Type Climate)
 Temperate Deciduous Biome (North-Western Europe – British Type Climate)

Location Climate Flora Fauna Soils

Long growing Several sorts of
season chestnut, maple
and hemlock Range from very
small animals to
Most of the areas
large bodied
of Europe, Higher light Understorey animals
eastern North intensity vegetation develop Variable in
America, eastern nature, but
large bodied
Asia and small they are
animals like
parts of South brown earths
elephants,
America and Precipitation of lighter shade cast hippopotamus,
Australia. between 500 by these trees, lions, rhinos etc.
and 1500 mm allows sufficient
per annum light to reach
beneath the canopy
TEMPERATE RAINFOREST BIOME
 TEMPERATE RAINFOREST BIOME

Location Climate Flora Fauna Soils

North-western Temperature
coast of North rarely drops
America from below freezing Grizzly bears
northern in Winter (found in
California Alaska.) Variable in
through southern nature, but
Big coniferous trees
Alaska Temperature they are
rarely goes brown earths
Small areas in Mosses and
above 27°C and
southern Chile, Lichens
80°F in Summer
New Zealand, (Epiphytes)
Australia
Sub-Tropical Deciduous Biome in Eastern China, South Eastern USA

Flora – Luxuriant vegetation

Lowlands -Broad-leaved forests and deciduous trees
Highlands - Various species of conifers.
STEPPE OR TEMPERATE GRASSLAND BIOME

Flora – Treeless and Grasses are much shorter

Conifers gradually appear
Less Animal Diversity
 TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS BIOME (MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE)

Small broad
leaves trees are
widely spaced
and not very tall.

Low Rainfall

Plants are
Xerophytic
(drought tolerant)
in nature

Hazardous factor in this ecosystem - Fire

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS BIOME (MONSOON CLIMATE)

Drought-deciduous forest
Teak, neem, bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, mulberry
SAVANNA OR TROPICAL WET AND DRY BIOME
 SAVANNA OR TROPICAL WET AND DRY BIOME
Location Climate Flora Fauna Soils
Variety of
Plants shows
Grazing Impermeable
Distinct wet and xerophytic
Vertebrate surface soil layer
features
Mammals
Africa, Australia, Brown and Marsupials are
South America Withered Short found in Little Ecotone
Dry seasons
and India Grasses in Dry Australian development
Season Savanna
Tall Lush Growth Fire-resistant
High
of Grasses in Variety of Birds tree species
temperature
Summer rains
DESERT BIOME
 DESERT BIOME

Location Flora Fauna

Animal Species are fewer
Annual or Ephemeral species
in this Biome
Burrowing Habit is
Sahara and Vegetation is more
visible in smaller animals
Australian deserts discontinuous
and insects
Halophytic and Nocturnal activity and
Xerophytic Species of Plants Summer dormancy