MAJOR BIOMES OF WORLD

This ppt gives information about the 5 major biomes in the world i.e. aquatic, desert, grassland, forest and tundra.

1. BIOMES MAJOR BIOMES OF THE WORLD ANJALI KUMARI, NIHARIKA AND TEAM

2. BIOMES A biome  is a collection of  plants  and  animals  that have common characteristics for the  environment  they exist in. T hey can be found over a range of continents. Biomes are distinct biological communities that have formed in response to a shared physical  climate . Biome  is a broader term than  habitat ; any biome can comprise a variety of habitats. he term was suggested in 1916 by  Clements . Grassland Desert Forest Aquatic Tundra

3. AQUATIC LOCATION GREAT BARRIER REEF (AUSTRALIA) NILE RIVER (AFRICA) MANDOVI ESTUARY (GOA) GREAT SLAVE LAKE (NORTH AMERICA) TITICACA LAKE (SOUTH AMERICA)

4. AQUATIC ABIOTIC FACTORS DEPTH - The deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench, is about 11,000 m (about 6.8 mi) deep. CLIMATE - V aries from  - 40 degrees   Fahrenheit to over  100 degrees . The average temperature is  39 degrees F ahrenheit , but it is warmer near the equator where the direct rays of sun can pierce the water and warm it. AVERAGE YEARLY PRECIPITATION - Over 100 inches. The WIND over the ocean creates large waves. ADAPTATIONS PHYSIOLOGICAL – Regulate bodily functions, release chemicals in defense. STRUCTURAL - Plants develop mucilage sheath, leaves become tough, leathery and dissected. BEHAVIORAL - sounds made by whales allow them to communicate, navigate and hunt prey.

5. AQUATIC TYPES FRESH WATER WETLAND Include streams, rivers (flowing), lakes and ponds. High nutrient, less oxygen. Flora – on stream bed algae, phytoplankton, near shore – grasses, sedges, water lilies, cattails etc. Fauna – crayfish, snails, clams, mussels, otters etc . Swamp and marshes Soil is water logged. Lack of oxygen. Flora – Grasses, reeds sphagnum, trees & shrubs. Fauna - Otters, beavers, game fish, birds & insects.

6. Fresh water rivers meet ocean’s salty water. Salinity fluctuates. Flora – Mangrove tree like Rhizophora etc. Fauna - fish, shellfish, birds. Mounds of CaCO 3 by coral. Dead zone. Shallow, warm water, poor nutrients. FLORA – Algae Fauna – coral, fishes, echinoderms, etc. Salty water. Flora – Algae, Kelp, Sea grass etc , Fauna – crabs, fishes, octopus, turtles, etc. This biome has 4 regions – 1.Intertidal 2.Pelagic 3. Benthic 4.Abyssal OCEAN ESTUARIES CORAL REEF MARINE BIOME

7. The Intertidal zone is where the sea meets the land. The water level keeps on changing due to tides. Molluscs , star-fishes, crabs, algae, etc. are found in this ocean biome zone. The deepest part of the ocean. Here not many marine life-forms are found due to less nutrients to support the existence of the marine creatures. Mainly bacteria and invertebrate marine creatures are found. The Pelagic zone - the Open Ocean or the open seas. On account of the climatic diversity found in these parts of the water, often leads to warm ocean water mixing with the cold ocean water creating a temperate climate. A wide variety of marine creatures are found. Dolphins, whales, octopus, starfish and sharks are the main marine creatures which are found. The last ocean biome zone is the Benthic zone. This ocean biome zone is the part of the ocean biome that is found beneath the pelagic zone. Seaweeds, fungi, bacteria and sponges are the main variety of oceanic flora and fauna found in this ocean biome zone. The Intertidal zone The Abyssal zone Pelagic zone Benthic Zone

8. FLORA AND FAUNA

9. PROBLEMS - Pollution Over fishing Oil spill Human invasion SOLUTION - Education – Educating people about waste management, waste treatment, etc. is very important. Fishing should be done in limit. Without treatment waste should not be dumped in water. AQUATIC THREATS & CONSERVATION

10. FOREST BIOME Forest biomes - are defined as biological communities that are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation FOREST

11. Soil - not fertile , poor in nutrients and very acidic ADAPTATIONS Coniferous trees are abundant Roots long to anchor trees Needles long, thin and waxy Low sunlight and poor soil keeps plants from growing on forest floor THREATS TO TAIGA Found only in Northern Hemisphere Northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Asia . Climate: Very long and cold winter lasting to about half a year; precipitation is in the form of snow about 60 cm. Temperature: Below -20 0 C in winter and about 15 0 C in summer. TAIGA Mining operations , Road construction. Fire Daylily Ptilium Crista-castrensis Reindeer BOREAL FOREST (Coniferous forest, Evergreen forest, Taiga)

12. Climate: The seasons do not change and it has been hot and wet for millions of years. Temperature ranges from 70-85 degrees Covers about 6-7% of the earth’s land surface Location : Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world Rainfall :about 100-400 inches per year. High biodiversity and biomass Soil : Lacks minerals and contains little remains of dead plants and animals . Tropical Rainforest

13. Sunlight is a major limiting factor ,little sun reaches the floor Shallow, wide roots since soil is so thin and poor in nutrients ADAPTATIONS Tropical rainforest is the richest source of plants life on earth. Plants grow in layers (canopy receives most light ) Humans strip the rainforests for uses including logging and cattle ranching . Threats to the Tropical Rainforest Rafflessia Nepenthes

14. Location: found near coastal areas along the Pacific coast of Canada at the USA, and in New Zealand, Tasmania. Climate: • Also wet, but not as rainy as tropical rainforest. • Rains about 100 inches per year. 2 distinct seasons: one long wet winter and a short drier summer Soil : It is structurally more complex, comprising several layers. More fertile than tropical rainforest . Logging , global warming Western hemlock Bromeliads Moose Black tailed deer Threats Temperate Rainforest

15. Found in areas having 70 cm to 200 cm of rainfall. Tropical Deciduos forest They are of two types : 1. Moist 2. Dry Tiger Deer Teak tree Palm tree Thick bark, drop their leaves prior to the winter, Animals that hibernate Adaptation Acid rain , deforestation , human interference , pollution. Threats

16. Abundance of deciduous (leaf bearing) trees Characterized by 4 season Soils: Deep soil layers, rich in nutrients Precipitation: 30–100 in/yr in all forms (snow, rain, hail, fog, etc.) Location: Much of the human population lives in this biome Temperate deciduous forest ADAPTATIONS More diversity Trees adapt to varied climate by becoming dormant in winter Grow in layers ,more ground dwelling plants. Threats Many forests are cleared to provide housing for humans. Oak tree Birch tree

17. Mangrove forest Location: sunderbans of west bengal , picchavaram ennore . Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants highly productive but extremely sensitive Great floral diversity Avicennia marina Rhizophora apiculata Acanthus ilicifolius Heron

18. CHAPARRAL Location : Coast of the Mediterranean, US West Coast having both forests and grassland climate - very hot and dry. hold significant amounts of moisture . ADAPTATIONS leaves with a hairy texture , seeds lay dormant during normal conditions, Wildfires is common Threats Chamaea fasciata Arctostaphylos Adenostoma praying mantis Mediterranean Forest

19. The desert biome covers about one-fifth of Earth’s surface. Majority of deserts in the world map can be found along Tropic of Cancer (30 degrees North) and  Tropic of Capricorn (30 degrees South). DESERT LOCATION DESSERT BIOME

20. COASTAL DESERT COLD DESERT SEMI ARID DESERT HOT AND DRY DESERT

21. HOT & DRY DESERTS COASTAL DESERTS COLD DESERTS ARID DESERTS Around these latitudes, dry air coming from the  equatorial regions  (around 0 degrees) dries out the land. Some deserts are found in  landlocked  regions- not bordered by an ocean. Example - Great Basin Desert  in North America- largest desert in The U.S.  Coasts of continents. As cool air moves from west to east across oceans, it can create cold foggy weather instead of rainfall along the western coasts of continents. Example -the  Namib Desert  in southwestern Africa & the  Atacama Desert  in South America . Deserts differ based on - place climate Deserts receive less than 25 cm of rain each year. We usually think of deserts as being very hot, but some deserts can be very cold.  Cold deserts  can be found in the Antarctic as well as in Greenland. & what defines a desert is rainfall, not temperature. With few plants, little water and extreme swings in daily temperatures, the soils in deserts tend to be rocky or sandy and have very little  organic matter  (from dead plants). These soils are known as  arid soils  or desert soils. Many deserts also experience a lot of  wind . DESERTS TYPES

22. Plants found in deserts have ways to reduce transpiration small leaves or no leaves waxy cuticles Thorns, etc. to protect themselves from desert  herbivores. Some only grow leaves in response to rainfall Other plants, in the  cacti  family, -do not have any leaves -Have hairs or spines covering them. -reduce evaporation -discourage animals from eating them. Like  camels , cacti can store water in their tissues to use later. DESERT ADAPTATIONS

23. PLANTS OF THE DESERT BIOME: Lace/Hedgehog Cactus Organ Pipe Cactus Brittlebush Creosote Bush Desert Ironwood Plant Barrel Cactus Cholla Cactus Saguaro Cactus Senita Cactus Cottonwood Desert Saltgrass Joshua Tree Juniper Stinging Nettles Tumbleweed Brittlebush DESERT VEGETATION

24. Animals in hot deserts-good at avoiding heat. many animals-come out only at night seek shelter in shady areas during day time An example of this is the  desert scorpion- hunts at night & spends the day hidden. Some rodents burrow underground to keep cool during the day, similar to the rodents in the savanna biome. In the Sonoran Desert in the United States,  ground squirrels  build burrows underground. DESERT WILDLIFE

25. THREATS: Human activities, such as  desertification . Population growth & greater demand for land Climate change making-hot dry places even hotter and drier. Off-road vehicles such as  dune buggies ,  oil and gas production   and  urbanization cause damage to desert plants. The  saguaro cactus- 200 years to grow to full size! SOME PROPOSED SOLUTIONS INCLUDE: planting bushes and grasses prevent sand from blowing around and digging ditches that can store rain as well as wind-blown seeds. People are encouraged to use off-road vehicles only on designated trails and people living in desert resort to cities & are encouraged to replace their water-loving grass lawns with native desert plants which do not require watering xeriscaping .

26. G rasslands are almost entirely short to tall grasses with no trees. This land type gets just enough rain to help grasses, flowers, and herbs grow, but stays dry enough that fires are frequent and trees cannot survive. Here we find large mammals that often travel together in huge herds. GRASSLAND TEMPERATE GRASSLAND Characterized by a rich mix of grasses underlaid by some of the world's most fertile soils, temperate grasslands – such as plains and prairies – once covered vast areas of the midwestern United States.

27. Since the development of the steel plow , however, most have been converted to agricultural fields. Periodic fires and heavy grazing by large herbivores maintain the characteristic plant community. Abiotic factors: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate, seasonal precipitation;fertile soils; occasional fires Dominant plants: The dominant plant species comprise short( Eg .,blue grama grass, mesquite grass, etc) and tall grasses( Eg .,Tall bluestem,etc ). Dominant wildlife: predators( Eg. , coyotes and badgers)herbivores( Eg .,mule deer, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs,etc ). Geographic distribution: central Asia, North America, Australia, central Europe and upland plateaus of South America Animals in Temperate grassland TEMPERATE GRASSLAND

28. FLORA & FAUNA MOUNTAIN PLOVER BLUE GRAMA GRASS MESQUITE GRASS BLUESTEM BADGER PRONGHORN ANTELOPE SLOUGH GRASS

29. WEATHER :   Temperatures in this biome vary greatly between summer and winter. Sometimes the temperature is more than 100°F (37.8°C). Rain in the temperate grasslands usually occurs in the late spring and early summer. The yearly average is about 20 - 35 inches (55 - 95 cm), but much of this falls as snow in the winter. Fire is not foreign in temperate grasslands PEOPLE AND THE TEMPERATE GRASSLAND:   One of the main environmental concerns regarding temperate grasslands is the conversion of grassland to farmland. The rich soil is ideal for farming and grazing. With continual agricultural development and progress we have lost many of our natural grasslands.

30. These tree-studded grasslands receive enough seasonal rainfall so that trees can grow in open groups or singly throughout. The animals living here have long legs for escaping predators and usually are seen in herds. A combination of fire and grazing animals are important for maintaining the savannah. TROPICAL SAVANA Receiving more seasonal rainfall than deserts but less than tropical dry forests, tropical savannas or grasslands, are characterized by a cover of grasses. Savannas are spotted with isolated trees and small groves of trees and shrubs. Compact soils, fairly frequent fires, and the action of large animals such as rhinoceros prevent some savanna areas from turning into dry forest. SAVANA

31. Abiotic factors: warm temperatures; seasonal rainfall; compact soil; frequent fires set by lightning Dominant plants: The savanna is dominated by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass, lemon grass, and some shrubs. . The Acacia tree is an interesting plant in the savanna. It has an umbrella shape, with branches and leaves high off the ground that giraffes like to eat. Baobab trees also live in the savanna. They deal with dry conditions by storing water between the bark and meat of the tree. Dominant wildlife: predators( Eg. , lions, leopards, cheetahs , aardvarks; herbivores ( Eg. , baboon , giraffes, antelopes , etc) ; birds( Eg. , eagles, weaver birds , storks,etc ); insects such as termites. Geographic distribution: large parts of eastern Africa, southern Brazil, northern Australia Weather: An important factor in the savanna is climate. The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68° to 86°F (20 to 30°C). The annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm) per year. ANIMALS IN TROPICAL SAVANA

32. DOMINANT FLORA AND FAUNA STAR GRASS RED OAT GRASS ACACIA TREE BAOBAB TREE AARDVARK BABOON STORK WEAVER BIRD

33. PEOPLE AND THE SAVANNA:   Some environmental concerns with savannas include poaching or hunting, overgrazing, and destruction of land for commercial crops. Many animals in the savanna, such as the rhinoceros and zebra, are endangered and threatened with extinction due to hunting, poaching, and habitat loss. TUNDRA Tundra is flat and cold with low plants like grass and moss that only grow during the short summer. A thick layer of ice lies just below the shallow soil (permafrost) all year around, and trees cannot penetrate it to anchor their roots. Many birds visit the tundra in the summer to nest, but most escape the winter by migrating to warmer areas. Mice and other small mammals stay active during the winter in protected tunnels under the snow. TUNDRA

34. During the short, cool summer, the ground thaws to a depth of a few centimetres and becomes soggy and wet. In winter, the topsoil freezes again. Abiotic factors: strong winds; low precipitation; short and soggy summers; long, cold, and dark winters;. poorly developed soils; permafrost Dominant plants : This biome consists: ground-hugging plants such as mosses, lichens, sedges, and short grasses and some shrubs. Dominant wildlife: a few resident birds and mammals that can withstand the harsh conditions; migratory waterfowl, shore birds, musk ox, Arctic foxes, and caribou; lemmings and other small rodents Geographic distribution: northern North America, Asia, and Europe ANIMALS IN TUNDRA

35. DOMINANT WILDLIFE & PLANTS MIGRATORY WATERFOWL SHORE BIRD ARCTIC FOX DWARF WILLOW LEMMING LICHENS SEDGES BIRCH TREE

36. Weather: There is very little rainfall in the tundra; it rains less than 10 inches a year.   In the winter the temperature can reach -50°F (-45.5°C).    Summer temperatures rarely get above 50°F (10°C), just enough to thaw the surface of the ground.  PEOPLE AND THIS BIOME:   T undra may seem tough, but it is a very sensitive environment. More people have recently been moving to the tundra to work in the mines and oil industry. A caribou migration route was interrupted by construction of the Alaskan oil pipeline Pesticides used to control insects may work their way up through the food chain and affect many of the animals that live on the tundra. Permafrost has the ability to preserve plants and animals in the cold ice for long periods of time. Scientists can use the permafrost as a record of the past to learn about climate. These records are a tool to compare past climates with the current climate to see how much the earth may be warming.

37. REFERENCES   ARTICLE The Marine Biome - UC Museum of paleontology, Berkeley University of California – March 2007 https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/marine.php Websites https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/desert-biome http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/desert.html biologydiscussion.com Slideshare.in https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/desert-biome http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/desert.html

38. THANK YOU!