Major Biomes of the world

Definition
• Regional climates interact with regional biota
and substrate to produce large, easily
recognisable community units, called biomes.
(Robinson 1972)
• Usually distinctive, species of plants and
animals
 Tundra
• In North America ( Alaska to Labrador) and southern
fringe of Greenland. Northern Scandinavia to eastern
most peninsula of Siberia.
• During long winter tundra lands are frost-bound for
at least seven months.
• Soil and sub-soil are permanently frozen in winter,
but in brief summer only the surface thaws.
• Gley soils are common in ill-drained areas of tundra,
podsol-type soils formed in better-drained areas.
 Tundra
• Extensive spreads Lichens and mosses
• Grasses and sedge dominate the summer landscape
• Herbaceous plants such as bilberry, cranberry, yellow
cloudberry.
• Seasonal migration among animals. Migratory birds,
especially waterfowl and shorebirds, reindeer, musk
oxen lemmings
• Arctic water is rich in marine life. Microscopic plants
provide food for zooplankton-fish-seal and walrus- Polar
bear.
• Tundra is an environment of limited possibilities. In
North America, a few Eskimo live.
 The Taiga
• Coniferous forest which extends in a broad belt across
North America and Eurasia.
• Boreal coniferous forest
• Needle-leaved, cone-bearing evergreen – pine and fir.
Redwood tree Douglas fir, western hemlock.
• Podsol soil
• Animals of this biome escape taiga winter by
hibernating or migration or sleeping. Bear, sleeps,
bird migrate, deer and fur-bearing creature remains
active. Moose/Elk.
• Very low density of population and settle is sporadic.
 Temperate Deciduous Forest
• Mid-latitude and western and eastern margin
of the continental land masses.
• Deciduous forest, some areas coniferous
forest, heath and moorland.
• This biome posses shrubs of both deciduous
and evergreen kind, many herbaceous plants
and ferns and mosses at ground level.
• Deer, bears, oxen, wolves, pigs, turkeys,
eagles, hawks, insect life was plentiful.
• Forest covers are cleared and turned into
farmland. Western Europe, Mediterranean
areas.
• Grey-brown forest soils--less acidic and less
leached.
 Temperate Grasslands
• In mid-latitudes, and typically in mid-continental
regions. Great Plains region of North America, the
steppe belt of Eurasia, Plains of Manchuria
• Tall grass, over 6 feet.
• Chernozems to brown soil. Darkish soils and contain
large amount of humus. Deep rich, fertile soils and
most productive in the world.
• Bison, wild horse, antelope, kangaroo, zebra, cattle
and sheep.
• Canadian prairies , pampus of Argentina and
Uruguay.
 Broad-leaved evergreen forest
• Mid-latitudes on the western margins.
Coastlands surrounding the Mediterranean
Sea, the coastlands and Great Valley of
California, central Chile, South-western West
Australia, Adelaide in South Australia.
• Winters are typically mild, with no month
averaging below 6 Degree C.
• The natural vegetation is classed as broad-
leaved evergreen forest and scurb.
• Orange, lemons, the vine and even wheat.
 Desert
• Desert is linked with rainfall. Too little and too
variable rainfall. For example, Atacama desert
of North Chile.
• Lack of plants and animals. Camels, kangaroo
etc
• There are some areas ; the oases and irrigated
areas, cotton production.
•
 Tropical grassland
• The tropical grassland biomes or savanna
lands are regions of marked seasonal changes.
• Tall ‘Elephant Grass’, African acacias, baobabs
• Zebra, giraffe, lions and leopards
• Man has a greater impact on tropical
grassland biomes. Firing, hunting, big game.
 Tropical Deciduous Forest
• Indian subcontinent, Northern Australia,
Burma, Thailand.
• Teak, sal, pynkado, banyan, sandalwood.
• Deer, antelopes, wild pigs, rhinoceros,
elephants, monkeys, lizards, snakes
• Malaria-carrying mosquitoes
 Tropical Scrub Forest
• Seasonal precipitation, rainy season is shorter.
• Brazil , The chaco region of the interior of
South America
• Scrub forest Caatinga
• Jaguars, armadillos, alligators
 Tropical Rain Forest
• Equatorial latitude. Heavy conventional rains
fall daily.
• The Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, May-
Indonesia region
• Complicated ecosystem
 Mountain Biome
• High relief
• Tundra climate
• Examples – Andes
• Tundra flora, Grasses, sedges, mosses,