What Is A Biome?
A biome is simply an ecosystem of lifeforms that exist together one area. For instance, the plants and animals of the tundra biome are one cluster, while the bobcats and pine trees contribute to the taiga biome of mountainous forests. Types Of Biomes
There are many different types of biomes, depending on who you ask! Here is a list of landmass biomes and some fun facts about them!
The Tundra Biome
Also known as the polar biome and the Arctic biome. This biome is classified by trees that grow under a certain height due to a cold climate and limited sunlight.
Characteristics Of The Tundra Biome
According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, the tundra biome can be distinguished by the following criteria:
- Extremely cold climate (including permafrost)
- Low biotic diversity
- Simple vegetation structure
- Limitation of drainage
- Short season of growth and reproduction
- Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material
- Large population oscillations
Where: The tundra lines both the North and South Pole.
Tundra Biome Animals: Polar bears, wolves, penguins, arctic hares, snowy owls, caribou, ermine, musk ox, and the harlequin duck!
Tundra Biome Plants: Due to the climate, vegetation is scarce in the tundra. The majority of fauna is composed of mosses, lichens, shrubs and grasses. Trees are rare as the frozen ground kills their roots, although some trees grow at lower latitudes.
Facts About The Tundra Biome:
- The tundra biome is the coldest of all biomes
- There are three types of tundra: the Arctic tundra, the alpine tundra, and the Antarctic tundra
- The tundra biome is the world’s youngest biome! It’s also the biome most vulnerable to climate change
- The polar ice caps in the tundra have melted more in the past 20 years than in the past 10,000 years combined
Movies Set In The Tundra Biome: Happy Feet, The Polar Express, March Of The Penguins
The Taiga Biome
The Taiga Biome is the needleleaf forest, which is also known as the coniferous forest or boreal forest. Taiga means “swampy, moist forest” in Russian! You can find this biome by looking for the following traits:
Characteristics Of The Taiga Biome
- More than average rainfall
- Short, rainy summers and long, cold winters
- Low biotic diversity
- Poor soil quality
Where: The taiga biome is often found where the tundra biome ends, and it shares many attributes with the tundra biome. Mainly — it’s cold and wet! The largest taiga biome can be found in Russia, but it is also present in North America and Eurasia.
Taiga Biome Animals: Animals have a tough time surviving in the harsh environment of the boreal forests! But you can expect to find bears, foxes, wolves, lynxes, beavers, caribou, reindeer and moose!
Taiga Biome Plants: The coniferous forest is home to evergreen trees due to its short summer season. Fir trees, pine trees, birches and poplars can be found in a boreal forest. Due to harsh climates, and pine needles carpeting the forest floor, it’s hard for plants to grow. Only in the summer months can you expect to find fruits like currants and berries growing in the taiga biome.
Facts About The Taiga Biome:
- It takes a very long time for trees to grow in the taiga biome due to the short summers. This makes it vulnerable to logging and mining
- Not many people can survive in the taiga! But two big cities are located in the taiga: Toronto and Moscow
- For six months out of the year, temperatures are below freezing
- Most animals migrate away from the forest during the winter
Movies Set In The Taiga Biome: Brother Bear, Snow Dogs, White Fang
The Desert Biome
The desert is the driest area of the earth. It covers only 20% of the earth’s surface. There are currently four desert biomes:
- Hot and dry
- Coastal desert
All of these biomes are characterized by searing hot temperatures and barren landscapes.
Where: Desert biomes are common in North America, North Africa, Australia, and Western Australia.
Desert Biome Animals: Coyotes, rattlesnakes, rabbits, desert bighorn sheep, kangaroos, lizards, javelina, Sonoran Desert toad, rodent
Desert Biome Plants: Tumbleweed, cacti, Mexican poppies, wildflowers, shrubs, prickly pears
Facts About The Desert Biome:
- Despite sweltering daytime temperatures, the desert is very cold by night
- Vegetation is scarce, so only rodents, small animals, and reptiles can survive by burrowing under the shrubs
- Desert animals can often store water in their bodies in order to survive
- Cacti are one of the most adaptable plants in the world. Their spines prevent them from being eaten by predators, and their waxy exterior prevents moisture from escaping
- The desert biome can be found in every continent, except Europe
Movies Set In The Desert Biome: The Mummy, Sahara, Aladdin
The Tropical Rainforest Biome
The tropical rainforest biome is defined by a warm, humid atmosphere. Rainforests cover 7% of the world’s surface.
Where: The majority of the world’s rainforest is in Brazil. There are also rainforests in the Congo, Hawaii, Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and Australia.
Rainforest Animals: The rainforest is one of the most diverse biomes on Earth. Some of the animals that live there include monkeys, snakes, birds, lizards, frogs, elephants, big cats, tropical bats, and many more.
Rainforest Plants: Mosses and lichens are common in the rainforest. Kapok and ceiba trees grow closely together, forming a thick, leafy canopy which traps moisture and blocks sunlight. In some dense areas of the rainforest, up to 95% of sunlight is blocked at all times! As a result, there is little vegetation on the rainforest floor. However, it’s the ideal climate for orchids, who are natural residents of the rainforest!
Facts About The Rainforest Biome:
- It’s estimated that in as little as 100 years, there will be no more rainforests
- Deforestation contributes 17% of global emissions
- The rate of deforestation equates to as much as one football field every minute
- 50% of plants and animals on Earth currently live in the rainforests
- Rainforests help regulate temperatures and weather patterns around the world
- 25% of natural medicines have been discovered in the rainforest
- 70% of the plants used to treat cancer are found in the rainforest
Movies Set In The Rainforest Biome: The Jungle Book, Tarzan, Ferngully
The Grassland Biome
The grassland biome lives up to its namesake. The precipitation of the area supports grass, but not much else. There are two main types of grassland biomes:
- The savanna biome
- Temperate grassland
Temperate grasslands are most often prairies, like the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Another example of temperate grasslands is the Great Plains of Nebraska.
The savanna biome is somewhere between a rainforest and a desert! It’s a huge grassland with the occasional shrub or tree. Disney’s The Lion King is based in a savanna biome, and the trees and animals depicted in the movie are what you could expect to find there.
Where: In addition to North America, you can find temperate grasslands in Russia, China, Argentina, Uruguay, Hungary and South Africa. The most well-known savanna biome is in Africa, but there are also savanna biomes in Asia, South America, India and Australia.
Grassland Biome Animals: Bison, prairie dogs, lions, badgers, gophers, snakes, bandicoots, bears, eagles, elks, warthogs, baboons, giraffes, elephants.
Grassland Biome Plants: Needlegrass, wild oats, big bluestem grass, buffalo grass, Junegrass, milkweed. Trees and shrubs are rarely found in grassland areas.
Facts About the Grassland Biome:
- 25% of Earth is covered by the grassland biome
- It is often found in land between the desert and the rainforest
- Less than 8% of grasslands are protected
Movies Set In The Grassland Biome: The Lion King, Little House On The Prairie
Stay tuned for next week’s article on biomes — where we’ll be travelling into the swamps and oceans of Earth to learn about marine biomes!