Biome Flashcards

abiotic factors: hot and wet year round; thin, nutrient-poor soils

dominant plants: broad-leaved evergreen trees; ferns; large woody vines and climbing plants; orchids and bromeliads

dominant wildlife: herbivores such as sloths, tapirs, and capybaras; predators such as jaguars; anteaters; monkeys; birds such as toucans, parrots,and parakeets; insects such as butterflies, ants, and beetles; piranhas and other freshwater fishes; reptiles such as caymans, boa constrictors, and anacondas

geographic distribution: parts of South and Central America, Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, southern India, and northeastern Australia

abiotic factors: generally warm year round; alternating wet and dry seasons; rich soils subject to erosion

dominant plants: tall, deciduous trees that form a dense canopy during th wet season; drought-tolerant orchids and bromeliads; aloes and other succelents

dominant wildlife: tigers; monkeys; herbivores such as elephants, Indian rhinoceroses, hog deer; birds such as great pied hornbills, pied harriers, and spot-billed pelicans; insects such as termites; reptiles such as snakes and monitor lizards

geographic distribution: parts of Africa, South and Central America, Mexico, India, Australia, and tropical islands

abiotic factors: warm temperatures; seasonal rainfall; compact soil; frequent fires set by lightning

dominant plants: tall, perennial grasses; sometimes drought-tolerant and fire-resistant trees or shrubs

dominant wildlife: predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals; aardvarks; herbivores such as elephants, giraffes, antelopes, and zebras; baboons; birds such as eagles, ostriches, weaver birds, and storks; insects such as termites

geographic distribution: large parts of eastern Africa, southern Brazil, and northern Austrailia

abiotic factors: low precipitation; variable temperatures; soils rich in minerals but poor in organic material

dominant plants: cacti and other succulents; creosote bush and other plants with short growth cycles

dominant wildlife: predators such as mountain lions, gray foxes, and bobcats; herbivores such as mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, desert bighorn sheep, and kangaroo rats; bats; birds such as owls, hawks, and roadrunners; insects such as ants, beetles, butterflies, flies, and wasps; reptiles such as tortoises, rattlesnakes, and lizards

geographic distribution: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, United States, Mexico, South America, and Australia

abiotic factors: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate, seasonal precipitation; fertile soils; occasional fires

dominant plants: lush, perennial grasses adn herbs; most are resistant to drought, fire, and cold

dominant wildlife: predators such as coyotes adn badgers- historically included wolves and grizzly bears; herbivores such as mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, rabbits, prairie dogs, and introduced cattle- historically included bison; birds such as hawks, owls, bobwhites, prairie chickens, mountain plovers; reptiles such as snakes; insects such as ants and grasshoppers

geographic distribution: central Asia, North America, Australia, central Europe, adn upland plateaus of South America

abiotic factors: hot, dry summers; cool, moist winters; thin, nutrient-poor soils; periodic fires

dominant plants: woody evergreen shrubs with small, leathery leaves; fragrant, oily herbs that grow during winter and die in summer

dominant wildlife: predators such as coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and mountain lions; herbivores such as balcktailed deer, rabits, and squirrels

geographic distribution: western coasts of North adn South America, areas around the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, and Australia

abiotic factors: cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year-round precipitation; fertile soils

dominant plants: broadleaf deciduous trees; some conifers; flowering shrubs; herbs; a ground layer of mosses and ferns

dominant wildlife: deer; black gears; bobcats; nut and acorn feeders such as squirrels; omnivores such as raccoons adn skunks; numerous songbirds; turkeys

geographic distribution: eastern United States; southeastern Canada; most of Europe; and parts of Japan, China, adn Australia

abiotic factors: mild temperatures; abundant precipitation during fall, winter, and spring; relatively cool, dry summer; rocky, acidic soils

dominant plants: douglas fir, sitka spruce, western hemlock, redwood

dominant wildlife: bears; large herbivores such as elk and deer; beavers; predators such as owls, bobcats, and members of teh weasel family

geographic distribution: pacific coast of northwestern United States and Canada, from northern California to Alaska

abiotic factors: long, cold winters; short, mild summers; moderate precipitation; high humidity; acidic, nutrient-poor soils

dominant plants: needleleaf coniferous trees such as spruce and fir; some braodleaf deciduous trees; small, berry-bearing shrubs

dominant wildlife: predators such as lynxes adn timber wolves and members of the weasel family; small herbivorous mammals; moose and other large herbivores; beavers; songbirds and migratory birds

geographic distribution: North America, Asia, and northern Europe

abiotic factors: strong winds; low precipitation; short and soggy summers; long, cold, and dark winters; poorly developed soils; permafrost (a layer of permantently frozen subsoil)

dominant plants: ground-hugging plants such as mosses, lichens, sedges, and short grasses

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

a layer of permanently frozen subsoil

boreal forest

trees that produce seed bearing cones and most have leaves shaped like needles
(northwestern coniferous forest)

soils of temperate forests are often rich in this, a material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter that makes soil fertile
(temperate forest)

a tree that sheds its leaves during a particular season each year
(tropical dry forest)

The leafy tops of tall trees above the forest floor form a danse covering called a ______.
(tropical rain forest)

In the shade below the canopy, a second layer of shorter trees and vines forms an _________.
(tropical rain forest)