Biome Table PDF

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Summary

biome table unit 1...

Description

Biome

Growth form(s)

Seasonal temperatures

Seasonal precipitation

Important environmental factor(s)

Major threats?

Tropical rainforest

Broad-leaved evergreen and deciduous trees

Warm near-constant

Very high

Light

Logging and agriculture

Tropical seasonal forests & savannas (tropical dry forests, thorn woodlands and tropical savannas)

Grasses, shrubs, fewer trees than rainforests

Annual temp is 24.5

Seasonal

Lower tree densities Increasing drought Leaves drop from tree during the dry season

Major fires influence the vegetation growth form (increases length of dry seasons)

Alot of rain is sept-april

Seasonal flooding contributes to savannas Human development Deserts

Stem succulence Drought deciduous shrubs and grasses Some plants are only active after sufficient precipitation

High temps

Low precipitation

Low water avail High pressure zones of hadley cells which inhibit formation of storms and precipitation High rates of evapotranspiration

low water avail is constraint of desert plant and their functions Long term droughts with grazing practices can result in loss of plant cover (desterfication)

Temperate grasslands

Some can support forests but dominance of grass To get enough supplies of water and nutrients grasses grow more roots than stems and leave

Increasing periods of subfreezing temperatures towards the poles

Enough precipitation to support a forest

Rates of grazing by animals can exceed capacity of plants to produce new tissues

Warm, moist summers and cold dry winters

Grassland degradation

very windy Irrigation of grassland soils reduces fertility

Rich organic matter accumulates in soil and enhance fertility

Increased forest invasion into grasslands

Average 9.1 degrees

Frequent fires Boreal forest

Coniferous species Including spruces, pines and larches (deciduous needles leaves specie)

Very cold Subfreezing temps Low air temp

Precipitation is low

The extreme weather in these subarctic regions is an important determinant of the vegetation structure.

Permafrost During summer droughts forests are more susceptible to fires ignited by lightning Forest growth enhances permafrost formation by

lowering the amount of sunlight absorbed by the soil surface (kills the tree) Logging occurs Climate warming results in rapid decompo and higher rates of carbon release from boreal forest soils increasing greenhouse gas concentrations which causes more warming

Tundra

Sedges, forbs, grasses and low growing shrubs; lichens and mosses

Similar to boreal forest; temp. is cold, precipitation is low and permafrost is widespread

Temperate evergreen forest

Needle-leaved conifers (i.e. pines, junipers and douglas fir

- Warm coastal zones to cool continental and maritime climates - commonly found on nutrient-poor soils

Low precipitation, permafrost is widespread

- arctic but can also be found on the edges of the antarctica peninsula and islands in the southern ocean - northern and southern hemispheres

Temperate shrubland

- evergreen shrubs and trees; allows plants to be active during cooler, wetter periods and also lower their nutrient requirements

- winter, rainy season

- winter rainy season - precipitation falls in winter, and hot, dry weather occurs throughout late spring, summer and fall

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Temperate deciduous forest

Oak, maple, beech, shorter trees, shrubs and forbs below the canopy

Periods of freezing weather

Enough rainfall to support tree growth

Limited to the northern hemisphere...