Terrestrial Biomes and Aquatic Biomes

Module 6 (10/6–10/12) · Terrestrial Biomes and Aquatic Biomes · Blueprint Pillar 3 · PGCC Outcome 2 · Download .docx

Objectives

Explain how climate determines biome type.
Compare at least four terrestrial biomes by climate and species.
Describe the productivity and characteristics of key aquatic biomes.
Explain coral bleaching and its connection to climate change.

Key terms

Biome: Large-scale ecosystem defined by climate and characterized by a particular assemblage of plant and animal life.
Tropical rainforest: Equatorial biome with high rainfall, warm temperatures, canopy layering, and highest terrestrial biodiversity.
Savanna: Tropical grassland with scattered trees, seasonal rainfall, and large herbivore populations.
Desert: Biome with less than 25 cm annual precipitation; includes hot and cold types.
Temperate deciduous forest: Mid-latitude biome with four seasons and trees that shed leaves annually.
Boreal forest (taiga): Subarctic biome of coniferous trees; world's largest land biome.
Wetland: Ecosystem with saturated soils for at least part of the year; highest productivity; critical for flood control and water filtration.
Estuary: Coastal zone where fresh river water mixes with salt ocean water; highly productive nursery habitat.
Coral reef: Marine ecosystem built by calcium carbonate skeletons of coral polyps; most biodiverse marine habitat.
Pelagic zone: Open ocean away from the shore; least productive per unit area but largest volume of any aquatic habitat.
Coral bleaching: Loss of symbiotic algae from coral when ocean temperatures rise, leaving coral white and at risk of death.
Climate diagram: Graph plotting monthly temperature and precipitation for a location; used to predict biome type.

The concept

A biome is a large-scale ecosystem defined by its climate — primarily temperature and precipitation. Climate determines biome, not the reverse. Knowing a location's annual temperature and rainfall allows you to predict which biome type it supports.

Tropical rainforests (equatorial, >200 cm/yr rain) have the highest terrestrial biodiversity and canopy layering but thin soils. Savannas have seasonal rainfall and support large herbivore herds. Deserts receive less than 25 cm/yr and include both hot (Sahara) and cold (Gobi) types. Temperate deciduous forests experience four seasons with moderate rainfall; boreal forests (taiga) cover subarctic latitudes and are the world's largest land biome.

Aquatic biomes include productive wetlands (flood control, filtration) and estuaries (fish nurseries), and marine systems ranging from highly biodiverse coral reefs to the vast but low-productivity pelagic (open ocean) zone. Coral bleaching occurs when rising ocean temperatures expel the symbiotic algae that give corals their color and provide up to 90% of their energy.

Self-check

Try each one before you look. A miss here costs nothing and tells you exactly what to reread.

1. What primarily determines which biome type occupies a geographic location?

2. Wetlands are considered among the most productive ecosystems. Which is the best explanation?

3. Coral bleaching occurs when:

4. The boreal forest (taiga) is the world's largest land biome. Its key characteristics are:

5. An estuary is ecologically important primarily because:

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