BIOMES: DISCOVERING THE DIVERSITY OF ECOSYTEMS

LECTURE ON BIOMES FOR ENVI SCIE

1. BIOMES AIAH T. BITOLINAMISA Discovering the Diversity of Ecosystems

2. To understand the defining characteristics of each major biome. To identify and describe various flora and fauna specific to each biome. LEARNING GOALS

3. A biome is a large ecological area on Earth's surface, with flora and fauna adapting to their environment. It's a way to categorize parts of the Earth's surface based on their climate, plants, and animals . Biomes play a crucial role in sustaining life, providing habitat, and contributing to the global ecosystem. WHAT ARE BIOMES?

4. TYPES OF BIOMES Biomes can be divided into two broad categories: AQUATIC (Water-based) TERRESTRIAL (Land-based)

5. AQUATIC (Water-based) TERRESTRIAL (Land-based) TROPICAL BIOMES DESSERT BIOMES TYPES OF BIOMES Each biome can be further categorized into six sub-types: Marine Freshwater TEMPERATE BIOMES POLAR BIOMES

6. AQUATIC BIOMES The aquatic biome is the largest of all the biomes, covering about 75 percent of Earth’s surface. This biome is usually divided into two categories: freshwater and marine.

7. MARINE BIOMES Marine biomes cover most of the Earth's surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. These biomes are characterized by saltwater and host a diversity of life forms, from tiny plankton to the largest whales.

8. OCEANS CORAL REEFS ESTUARIES

9. OCEANS These are the five major oceans that cover the world including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans. The ocean regions are separated into separate zones: intertidal pelagic abyssal

10. The coral reef is one of the major marine biomes. Although it is a relatively small biome, around 25% of the known marine species live in coral reefs. Coral reefs need warm, shallow water to form. They form close to the equator near coastlines and around islands throughout the world. CORAL REEFS

11. ESTUARIES Estuaries are areas where rivers and streams flow into the ocean. This area where freshwater and saltwater meets, creates an ecosystem or biome all its own with interesting and diverse plant and animal life.

12. FRESHWATER BIOMES The freshwater biome is divided into lotic and lentic ecosystems. These two types of aquatic systems are classified based on whether water is running (lotic) or stagnant (lentic). Ponds and lakes are lentic, while rivers and streams are lotic.

13. FRESHWATER BIOMES Wetlands are an ecosystem where the soil is mostly submerged in water. Several wetlands include marshes, swamps, bogs.

14. Bogs typically form in depressions in which water collects. The soil tends to be very acidic, and mosses dominate the plant life. Marshes are wetlands that form along rivers. They tend to be dominated by tall grasses. Swamps can be distinguished from marshes by the presence of trees. They often look like flooded forests.

15. Terrestrial biomes contribute to the Earth’s biodiversity, with each type supporting unique ecosystems and life forms. TERRESTRIAL BIOMES

16. TERRESTRIAL BIOMES TROPICAL BIOMES DESERT BIOMES TEMPERATE BIOMES POLAR BIOMES

17. TROPICAL BIOMES There are three major tropical biomes: dry forests, rain forests, and grasslands. The names stem from the fact that they exist in the tropics, the region of Earth that surrounds the equator. These areas are primary producers in the Earth's ecosystem, creating oxygen and providing habitat for diverse wildlife.

18. TROPICAL BIOMES

19. TROPICAL DRY FOREST These forests have both a rainy and a dry season. The soils are rich with nutrients, and the temperature is warm. Many plants have adaptations to survive the dry season. For example, many trees lose their leaves during the dry season, while others have a thick, waxy coating to prevent water loss. Some of the animals in this biome are dormant (inactive) during the dry season. Other animals migrate in search of water .

20. Caatinga and Chaco regions in South America, the miombo forests in Africa, and the dry forests of central India and Indochina in Asia.

21. TROPICAL RAIN FOREST The tropical rain forest biome contains more species than all of the other land biomes combined. The weather is hot and very wet all year long. The rain forest receives up to two meters of rain per year, more than any of the other tropical climates. The trees here can grow so large that we divide them into four different layers: the emergent, the canopy, which is the tops of the trees; the understory, which is directly beneath the canopy; and the forest floor at the bottom.

22. LAYERS ( i ) Forest floor: The bottom-most layer is called the forest floor. It is the darkest layer and very few plants can grow here. It is the layer that provides the nutrients to the plants. It does not have any trees; it has mostly herbs like grasses along with many worms and decomposers. (ii) Understorey: The middle layer formed by shrubs and small trees is called the understorey layer. It is the home for many animals.

23. LAYERS (iii) Canopy: The layer above understorey is called the canopy. It is formed by the tall trees and their widely spread branches. Canopy blocks a lot of sunshine, making the forest look dark. (iv) Emergent: Some forests have an additional layer on top known as the emergent layer. This layer emerges over the canopy. The plants in this layer require the maximum amount of sunlight, therefore they emerge to receive the maximum possible amount of sunlight.

24. TROPICAL GRASSLAND: SAVANNA The savanna is a type of grasslands biome. Savannas are generally found between the desert biome and the rainforest biome. They are mostly located near the equator. The largest savanna is located in Africa . Nearly half of the continent of Africa is covered with savanna grasslands.

25. TEMPERATE BIOMES Temperate basically means mild. A temperate climate is one that doesn't experience extreme temperatures, either too hot or too cold. You tend to find temperate zones between the tropics and the polar circles . There are three main temperate biomes : grasslands, forests, and woodlands and shrublands.

26. TEMPERATE BIOMES

27. Temperate grasslands, commonly known as plains and prairies, are fairly flat environments with grass as far as the eye can see. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS Each major area of grasslands in the world has its own characteristics and is often called by other names: Prairie - Grasslands in North America are called the prairies. They cover the central United States including some of Canada and Mexico. Steppes - The steppes are grasslands that cover southern Russia all the way to the Ukraine and Mongolia. The steppes stretch over Asia, China and Europe. Pampas - The grasslands in South America are often called the pampas. They cover around between the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.

28. Temperate forests are environments made up of mostly deciduous trees, some coniferous trees, and a sprinkling of mosses, ferns, shrubs, and herbs. TEMPERATE FORESTS There are four distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each season is about the same length of time. With only a three month winter, plants have a long growing season.

29. D eciduous is a Latin word that means "to fall off" DECIDUOUS

30. Part of trees or shrubs bearing cones and evergreen leaves CONIFEROUS

31. This biome is known for hot, dry summers and mild, moist winters. The soils are mediocre. They are not very fertile and don't have many nutrients. TEMPERATE WOODLANDS AND SHRUBLANDS Woodlands are made up of oak trees, woody shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers. Wildlife in woodlands and shrublands includes herbivores like deer and rabbits, carnivores like foxes and coyotes, reptiles like snakes and lizards, and all kinds of birds.

32. POLAR BIOMES TUNDRA TAIGA

33. TUNDRA The tundra is characterized by freezing temperatures, permafrost, and a short growing season. The plants here are small and stunted because of the constant frost. Mosses and other similar plants are the most common in this area due to the harsh conditions. Tundras are among the least inhabited and least disturbed habitats on Earth.

34. TAIGA The Taiga is one of the three main forest biomes together with the temperate forest and the tropical rainforest. Taiga is the driest and coldest of the three. It is sometimes called the boreal forest The dominant plant in the taiga is the coniferous evergreen tree. Animals, like birds , migrate to the south for the winter. Other animals, like squirrels, store up food for the winter while others hibernate by going into a long, deep sleep.

35. DESERT BIOMES Desert animals adapted to live in an environment with little water and pretty intense heat. Many animals here are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. Deserts are primarily defined by their lack of rain. They generally get 10 inches or less rain in a year. Deserts are characterized in an overall lack of water. They have dry soil, little to no surface water, and high evaporation. They can be hot, like the Sahara, or cold, like the Gobi

36. THE END THANKS FOR LISTENING!

37. REFERENCES https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/aquatic-biome/ https://www.ducksters.com/science/ecosystems/world_biomes.php https://www.expii.com/t/biome-10284 https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/marine.php#:~:text=The%20largest%20of%20all%20the,a%20great%20diversity%20of%20species. https://www.freeworldmaps.net/biomes/ https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php https://www.freeworldmaps.net/biomes/biomes-map.jpg